THE future's looking bright for novice Blackburn rally driver Philip Scholes.

For the 18-year-old, from Wilpshire, has won a coveted Driver of the Day' award - on only his second event, the Millbrook Stages.

Philip, who is contesting this year's Formula 1000 Championship, drove his one-litre Nissan Micra to an astonishing 23rd overall and third in class on the high-speed event, held at the Millbrook testing ground in Bedfordshire.

Lending a helping hand on the pacenotes was new co-driver Steve Pollard, 46, from Bacup, who is a motorsport lecturer at Myerscough College, near Garstang.

And now Philip, who works as an apprentice technician at Mercedes-Benz in Blackburn, is gearing himself up for round three of this series on this weekend's Torque-BAC Stages, held at RAF Swinderby in Lincolnshire.

l The team are sponsored by Rossendale Exhaust Centre; Columbia Motors, Rishton; Polly-Prep Motor Sport; Questmead Friction Specialists; Sign-It of Accrington and Sabelt Safety Equipment.