WHELDRAKE driving ace Will Dyrdal produced a "storming drive" in round eight of the Ginetta GT5 Challenge to move up to 14th in the overall standings.

The teenager powered to fifth in the second race at Thruxton to dispel the disappointment of the first race, which was cut short due to mechanical problems following an unavoidable crash.

Ginetta described his performance in the second race as a “storming drive”, while WTR Motorsport’s Ben Hyland praised “one of the drives of the year on such a fast, ballsy circuit.”

Dyrdal had a strong qualifier in his Howard & Byrne-sponsored Ginetta, but the first race was marred by incidents and his race ended with a collision when a car pulled on to the track in front of him.

The car was in no state to carry on, despite the efforts of Dyrdal's team, the Want2Race pit crew, and he was forced to retire, leaving him 25th on the grid.

But the second race is where he excelled, charging through to pack to finish fifth live on national television in front of the ITV4 cameras.

This was not the first time Dyrdal - who is making the step up to rear-wheel drive racing from the Junior Saloon Car Championships - has endured difficulties in the championship.

Rounds one and two at a washed-out Oulton Park just over two months ago saw him survive a few knocks to finish in 25th and 20th, respectively, before wet weather forced the cancellation of the third round.

He fared better at Rockingham, where he followed up a 14th-placed finish in round four, beset with mechanical problems again on a wet track, with two ninth-placed finishes.

Dyrdal takes to the track at Silverstone next weekend where the Ginetta G5s will line up and race alongside the G40 Cup.