"MOTORSPORT is in the blood" for 19-year-old Northumberland rally debutant Fenwick Norton.
The Stocksfield-native made his Targa rally debut at the 061 Stockport Motor Club Targa Road Rally on Saturday (June 20), driving a self-modified 1.3-litre Suzuki Swift.
He was joined by co-driver Keaton Haydon, with both entrants Motorsport Engineering students at the University of Lancashire and members of Hexham and District Motor Club.
Iain Norton, Fenwick's father and a successful rally competitor himself, said: "It's a great way for young guys to get into motorsport and rallying.
"As a 19-year-old going off to do this, it's just very exciting for him. He won his first 12-car rally event outright, which was great."
At the weekend, the Targa rally at Weeton Army Barracks near Blackpool featured eight timed tests totalling 45 miles and a starting line-up of 57 cars.
Fenwick and Keaton started 45th
A puncture on the second test forced the pair to retire early from the stage, earning a maximum time penalty.
Despite the setback, they posted competitive times throughout the day.
However, route errors on tests five and six resulted in nearly 16 minutes of penalties.
The pair fought back in the final stages, finishing strongly to secure 33rd place overall.
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"He gets stuck in and is a very smooth driver - motorsport's in the blood," Iain added.
"When you support and encourage that bit of local talent, it makes such a difference."
The Targa format, focused on timed tests rather than traditional rally stages, is designed to be accessible for newcomers and is growing in popularity as an entry point to the sport.
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