Bty Russell Atkins

DARTFORD karter Harry Crawley has proved returned to the top step of the podium first time out since an injury which had threatened to derail his season altogether.

Having hurt his ribs at the end of June, Crawley was unexpectedly hit with an enforced eight-week lay-off, cruelly ending his bid for glory in his maiden campaign of international competition in the Euro Max challenge, which he had been leading.

The Hawley-based hotshot headed to Three Sisters near Wigan for a club meeting last weekend, both to settle himself back into the groove and as a warm-up for the British finale at the same circuit in October.

Crawley sped through the pack from lowly grid positions in two of his heats to a brace of fourth-place finishes.

And while a failure to finish his third heat after his chain guard fell off as he was in the lead meant he would begin the all-important final only 10th, the Wilmington Grammar School for Boys pupil went on to demonstrate that he was not in the mood to take any prisoners.

Crawley said: “I got into the lead on the first lap and from there, me and the driver behind pushed each other away to break the tow from the chasing pack.

“It was a tough race and towards the end I just kept my composure and defended well to win.

“For my first meeting back in the kart, I thought that was pretty good.”

For more information on Crawley’s latest results, visit harrycrawley.co.uk