Soham racing sensation Lauren Overy will be hoping for the perfect birthday present when she competes in the 1300cc Stock Car World Final this Saturday.

Ely Standard: Lauren in action earlier this year.Lauren in action earlier this year. (Image: Archant)

Despite being too young to legally drive on the road, Lauren, who celebrates her 17th birthday this week, spends her weekends battling with some of the hardest drivers in oval racing in the world of 1300cc Stock Cars and against the odds has qualified for the World Final.

Lauren comes from a great racing pedigree – her father Carl ‘Jack’ Overy is the current Unlimited Banger World Champion and Lauren herself enjoyed a very successful career in the junior MiniStox formula which culminated in becoming ORC Champion at Arena Essex before age forced retirement last August.

Lauren did not race throughout the remainder of 2015 as she recovered from a broken kneecap sustained in the Junior Bangers but this year made her debut in the 1300cc Stock Cars – and enjoyed a fruitful maiden outing in the sport and held her own in Europe’s most aggressive form of motor sport.

She has taken three victories including a meeting final at Coventry, stormed up the grades to the elite ‘star’ grade which means her car now proudly sports a red roof and qualified for the World Final which she will start on the fifth row surrounded by the very best drivers in the sport.

“I’m actually really looking forward to it considering it’s my first one,” she said. “It’s going to be a nerve-wracking one but it shouldn’t be too bad. I’m quite far up the grid so we’ll just have to see how it works out.”

Lauren has a wealth of knowledge to draw from with her father who has achieved so much in the sport. She said: “I’ve never been in a World Final or a race like this one. I was speaking to Dad about it the other day – he said: ‘You’re going to be nervous, your leg’s going to be going, you’re going to feel sick.’ I was like: ‘Yeah, thanks, Dad – great pep talk!’”