THE two-horse race for the Fiesta XR2 Challenge is approaching the final furlong.

With just two rounds left, championship leader Richard Casey, from Whalley, has a 20-point advantage over his only rival for the title, Wayne Stockton.

Traditionally one of the most competitive one-make series in the country, this year's XR2 Challenge has been monopolised by Casey and Stockton - no-one else has won a race!

"For sheer consistency, this has been my best season ever," said Richard.

"In the 15 races so far, Wayne and I have been swapping first and second places, with little between us." The points system, which allocates 20 to the winner and 19 to the runner-up, rewards consistency and allows little opportunity for drivers to build up a big championship lead.

But a breakthrough came at the 'double header' weekend at Knockhill, when Casey, who qualified on pole, won the first race brilliantly by six seconds - with Stockton sidelined by a blown engine.

Although Stockton recovered to win the second race, with Casey two-tenths of a second behind, it gave him the psychological advantage.

He added: "It's too early to say how it's going to go, but one non-finish could settle it - either way."

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