THERE was plenty of close racing in the third round of the highly-contested Wight Karting Rental Kart Championship in some of the most challenging conditions drivers have faced yet in the Winter Series, with Newport's Lewis Hallett top of the pile.

In the wet and windy conditions at Ryde, each driver competed in three 15-lap race heats, with their worst result of the three discarded in the final points tally.

Each heat inspired some very close racing throughout the field, which produced an interesting mix of results, with only four points separating the top five places and only a point separating the top three.

Overall, Hallett did just enough to claim the top spot on the podium with his 30-point haul — earning a first and third place.

Ryde youngster, Harvey Yates, took second — also on 30 points — but he was unlucky not to win after notching up two second places, while Dale Hunt took third on 29 points, earning a hard-fought victory in his final heat to compliment a fourth place.

The competition's fourth round, on February 12, will run on a reverse track layout, starting at 10.30am.