Halesowen race ace Brad Hughes claimed an impressive sixth in the Monster Energy British Motostar Cup at Oulton Park.

But it could have been so much more had the 15-year-old not been penalised with a ride through penalty after a jump start, which saw him relegated to the back of the field.

Friday’s free practice session was largely a washout thanks to torrential downpours but the rain abated for Saturday’s qualifying session, allowing Hughes to string some fast laps together and qualify eighth.

However, he was a little too keen to get Sunday’s race started and jumped the start.

Hughes was fourth heading into the first corner but dropped to seventh on lap two, when he was ordered to come in and serve the penalty.

In last place, the Halesowen man ploughed through the back markers, making it up to 19th on the third lap and then up to 13th on lap 10.

On the final lap, Hughes was right with Xavier Zayat and beat him to the chequered flag just a 10th of a second ahead to snatch 12th place in the main race and sixth in the Motostar Cup, which is run within the main championship for riders under the age of 16.

This result moves him to 14th place in the main championship on 30 points and up to seventh in the Motostar Cup on 53 points.

The next round is at Brands Hatch on July 20-22.