Motorsport: Speed king Andrew Shanley says he has fulfilled a lifelong dream after recording a remarkable racing victory and overcoming an old foe on Easter Monday.

The 39-year-old waste management expert from Trowbridge claimed first place in the Special GT championship at Castle Combe circuit just over 12 months after taking to the track for the first time.

Shanley said he was overwhelmed by his achievement and did not appreciate the magnitude of it straight away.

“It was a bit surreal,” he said. “It only started to sink it when I thought about it the day afterwards.

“It was a really good win and I’m really pleased with myself.

“This is something I have been longing for, for a long time.

“I have been very passionate about racing for years. I only got into doing it last year but it’s a lifelong ambition.

“You try visualising yourself crossing the line and it’s obviously everyone’s goal.”

Shanley, who races for the Phil Williams team in his Group B Radical Prosport car, suffered a puncture in qualifying and had to settle for second place on the grid.

The time still placed him ahead of the more powerful Group A drivers but behind rival racer Simon Tilling.

After regaining his composure for the race he got off to a flying start by roaring into first place.

Then followed a thrilling 15-lap battle with Tilling which saw the pair exchange first place at various time before Shanley narrowly took the crown.

“I had a great start and built up a seven- second lead after only four laps,” he said.

“On lap seven he put in the fastest lap of the entire race at a time I got stuck behind a few back-markers.

“I managed to keep him off, then on the last lap he made his move again. I managed to stay focused and calm and ended up winning by just three tenths of a second.

“I always felt quite confident I’d come in the top three but it was even better to win.”

For Shanley the victory carried extra significance after an altercation with Tilling at last year’s meeting.

However, he says the pair have now put their differences to one side.

“He punted me off on the first corner of the same track last year,” he said. “We had a few words afterwards but there are no hard feelings any more.”

Shanley returns to action at Castle Combe on May 4.