Cream rises to the top as Aiden hits gold standard

A YOUNG Staffordshire Moorlands school boy has become a gold top champion driver.

Aged just 11 years old, Aiden Grindey of Ipstones, has won the main annual Gold Top Stox Kart racing trophy at Skegness for the 11 to 16 year old class.

To get to the finals the Churnet View Middle School, Leek pupil has had to go through 10 qualifying rounds at several tracks throughout the country.

He is now following a family tradition which was started by his greatgrandad, Charlie Finnikin of Winkhill.

Charlie’s son Bert followed his dad’s footsteps and he became the stock car world champion. The family tradition continued when his son Craig followed his footsteps and also became the world champion.

Aiden, who is the son of Helen and Dave Grindey, said: “I think I am the youngest in my class to win the Gold Top event. The race was over 15 laps of the oval course.

“I have been racing Stox Karts since 2014. I was shocked to win the major event at the Skegness Stadium as I started about the third of the way down the grid. I did not think at the time I would finish in the top three.

“I used to go and watch Craig racing in his stock car. It was then that I thought that I would like to do it. Stock car racing seems to be a family tradition as it was started by my great grandad.

“I practice at Birmingham and my first win in my Stox Kart was at Buxton.

Mum Helen said that she was emotional at the end of the race.

She said: “I knew how much this meant to Aiden. He drove it like a dream. “The event made me very emotional.” Dad Dave, who is a mechanic, looks after Aiden’s prized asset.

Dave said: “I was so thrilled. It was a brilliant race. I just mend and maintain the car, Aiden does the driving. On the day he did nothing wrong and drove excellently.”

Following his major success Aiden’s Stox Kart top can now be sprayed gold to show off his achievements.

Aiden has also received a large trophy which is engraved with the words: Junior Stock Karts Gold Top Championships Skegness Stadium. Winner August 26th 2018.

Far left, Staffordshire Moorlands schoolboy Aiden Grindey has become a gold top champion driver. Left, Aiden’s great grandad Charlie Finnikin who started the family tradition. Below, Aiden flys around the Skegness track.