EVERYTHING is going right for rising motorsport star Ashley Slights – on and off the track.

The 17-year-old driver heads into this month’s fourth round of the British Trial and Rally Drivers Association Rally First championship fresh from his first win in the competition.

And the Sutton-on-Derwent-based race ace is also celebrating a sponsorship deal with Swift Group Limited, who manufacture touring caravans, motorhomes and holiday homes.

The youngster and York co-driver Thomas Hughes won their 1.4-litre category at the Plains Rally by almost two minutes to make their mark on the championship.

The Knutsford Motor Club event was only the second forest rally the teenage duo had entered, but they took maximum points as title favourites Matt Griffin and Joe Cruttenden failed to make it to the start line.

Slights and Hughes will be aiming to take that form into the Rainworth Skoda Dukeries Rally on June 12, ahead of further BTRDA rounds at Quinton in July, Woodpecker in September and the Cambrian Rally in October.

Slights’ car is a Toyota Yaris 1.3, which is unique in a class dominated in recent years by the bigger engine 1.4-litre Vauxhall Corsa.

However, having won the inaugural Junior Formula 1000 Championship in 2009, Slights is keen to emulate the success of York driver Dave Bennett, who won the Rally First title in 2008 and 2009.

He missed the opening round of the championship, the Wyedean Rally, as he was still working on his car, but was then third in class and 64th overall in the Somerset Stages in April, prior to his Plains Rally success.

Slights and Hughes are currently second in the championship standings and his father, Peter, also a rally driver, said: “The car is running really well to say it is a 1.3 against 1.4s. It is turning out to be a good package.”

Sponsor Peter Smith, owner and chairman of Swift, and father of former Le Mans winner Guy Smith, said: “Ashley shows a lot of promise.

“He’s not just a driver; he studies Motorsport Engineering at Oxford & Cherwell College, builds his own cars and has an appreciation of the true cost of every nut and bolt.

“I’m delighted that Swift is able to assist with the next phase of his development.”

Any other firms interested in sponsoring Slights should phone his father, Peter, at Pigeon Cote Garage, Monks Cross, on 01904 611494.