Fleet vehicle remarketing specialist Cars Direct scored an unexpected double at the Rockingham Motor Speedway 500 weekend.

As well as selling 90 per cent of 109 ex-company cars in a sealed bid auction while the new oval race circuit hosted the 15th round of the Cart championship, the Cars Direct Torquespeed team achieved a thrilling podium finish in the supporting Ascar series race.

In his first outing for Torquespeed, Ulsterman Derek Hayes drove his Chevrolet Monte Carlo to second place, beating the likes of fellow Ascar first-timer Colin McRae, the former World Rally Champion, and British Touring Car star Jason Plato.

“We were delighted but not surprised at the success of our sealed bid auction,” says Cars Direct managing director Roger Woodward. “However, it was fantastic to give our customers who joined us over the race weekend something else to cheer about. “It was a great result all round.”