FORTON youngster Tom Boardman was the talk of the crowd at Oulton Park, Cheshire, on Sunday after his performances in rounds five and six of the www.theAA.com British Touring Car Championship.

The hard-charging 17-year-old especially thrilled the spectators with a masterly drive in the Feature Race (round six), fending off all-comers to return home a severely battle-scarred fourth, his best ever BTCC result.

Boardman, the youngest driver in the history of Britain's premier saloon racing championship, qualified 12th for both races in the BTC Production class Peugeot 306 GTi6.

In the Sprint Race (round five, 15 laps) he made up all his places at the start, slicing past his rivals to claim seventh overall) in a relatively quiet race.

He also claimed some notable scalps by finishing ahead of five more of the BTC Touring machines, including one driven by former BTCC Champion Tim Harvey. It was Boardman's exploits in the 30-lap Feature Race, however, that the Oulton Park fans will take home as the lasting memory from the day.

After another good start he became embroiled in an exciting fight with Mat Jackson's Ford Focus for seventh in class (15th overall).

They were locked together for the entire first-half of the race, swapping places with each other several times on each lap.

That battle ended when Jackson's suspension let him down and he disappeared off the track.

But, not to let down his new-found fan club on the banks of his 'home' circuit, Boardman soon caught up with Peter Cate's Honda Accord.

As others retired ahead, Boardman and Cate were now fighting for fourth in class (tenth overall) and, with much high-speed panel-beating antics, neither was going to give up the place.

Eventually, the close-contact duel finished with Boardman moving ahead after the pair swapped paintwork for one last time.

This action had allowed Rick Kraemer and Richard Meins (both in Fords) to catch up to the tail of the youngster.

But he forced them wide at Old Hall, the first corner of the circuit, and made his escape to finish fourth in class and eighth overall.

He said: "That second race was pretty exciting.

"It was just a mess from the start. Everyone was really going for it and there was a lot of contact.

"I think the only panel not damaged on my car was the roof! I had a TV camera on board so I think the Grandstand viewers will enjoy it as much as I did.

"It'll probably look like a demolition derby! It's great to get fourth after all that. It was so nearly a podium, but I'm getting closer and I can't wait for the next race."

The next rounds of the championship, at Silverstone on Saturday, June 2, will be another learning experience for the teenager - they're at night!