Scott Makin underlined a dramatic improvement with a decisive win in the opening round of the SEMSEC Saloon and Sports Championship at Lydden on Saturday.

The Canterbury driver started racing last season with a rare Sylva Riot kit car and most of the time he remained an unobtrusive tail-ender.

But on Saturday he soon raised a few eyebrows when he claimed pole position and then led from start to finish to beat Ashford’s Bill Richards by more than seven seconds.