It may be his very first season in this type of saloon car but Wanganui driver Grant Loveridge didn't drive like a rookie at the Wellington Saloon Car Champs recently.
In an experienced field of 14 drivers, Loveridge finished third overall at the champs, showing strong improvement on each of his drawn grid positions.
After starting 12th he finished sixth in race one, then second from a fifth start and fifth from that same start to get on to the podium.
Loveridge also recently won the Saloon class at the West Coast Championships in Wanganui, where he broke the lap record by half a second.
Having raced in production saloons for several seasons and won all manner of titles, Loveridge is enjoying his elevation up a class to four times more power and left-hand drive.