Although the 16-year-old’s rookie season in cars this year was noticeably hindered by a range of difficulties, Wooder’s raw pace was undeniable and he confirmed what might have been possible when he took top four results, and a brace of Rookie Cup wins, at Silverstone and Brands Hatch during the season run-in.

Then, in the standalone Winter Championship earlier this month, the multiple karting champion secured his maiden outright podium result on his way to a top four championship finish for the Wednesbury team.

Thrilled to have retained Wooder for 2016, especially with the deal completed so soon after the conclusion of the winter campaign, TCR team principal Lee Brookes is confident – all things being equal – the teenager will be a very real championship threat in his second season in Ginettas.

“It’s fantastic for us to have Dave staying part of the team for next year, he’s a very quick driver and definitely had the pace to win races this season – he was just very, very unlucky”, said Brookes, “I’ve got absolutely no doubt at all he can fight for the championship in 2016. The speed is there, he’s got good racecraft and, with a full year of experience under his belt, he’s going to be very strong.”

Wooder arrived in the popular British Touring Car Championship support category off the back of a glittering karting career, one which delivered Kartmasters Grand Prix and British Open Junior Rotax titles in 2014 as well as the Vice-Champion’s spot in Super 1 and at the World Finals in Valencia.

During his early years in karting, the Chatham racer also won the Formula 6 crown in 2009 and was Vice-Champion in the Super 1 Cadet Series and ABkC National Open the following year. In 2013 he also won the European International Open.

Very happy to have wrapped-up his TCR deal to remain in Ginetta Junior next season, a delighted Wooder commented: “We had a tough season this year with a lot of problems that were out of our control, so we’re all more determined than ever to hit the ground running in 2016 and mount a big challenge for the championship.

“Everyone at TCR did a fantastic job with the car this year, they worked so hard to try and get to the bottom of the power problems we had which did impact a lot of the season. The last few races at Silverstone and Brands Hatch, and then the Winter Championship too, proved what we know we are capable of. I’m focused on nothing other than race wins and the title next year.”

Taking the first class win of his debut season in cars during round 17 on Saturday afternoon, in fourth position overall, Wooder was just a fraction of a second away from claiming a memorable outright podium. In round 18 on Sunday, the youngster raced very impressively again and was in the fight for the overall podium.

Wooder also led the way for TCR in a hotly-contested qualifying session with the third fastest time, having lapped fastest of all in pre-event testing, with team mate Chapman lining-up eighth on the grid for round 17, Roberts 10th and Grady in 20th position.

All bar one of the drivers set their best times of the day in the second of the thirty minute sessions around the National circuit, with Total Control Racing’s Wooder coming out on top with a best effort of 1m 10.471s.

That proved to be over quarter of a second faster than the next best effort by Dan Zelos, with the same margin splitting the next seven cars, led by Cameron Roberts to cap off a strong day’s running for the TCR squad.

Four of the next five cars came from HHC Motorsport, with only Senna Proctor in sixth splitting Devlin DeFrancesco, Jamie Caroline, Patrik Matthiesen and Charlie Fagg.

Lapping second fastest in the first test session on Friday, 5th September, and then topping the times in session two, Wooder went on to lap in the top six during Saturday's final practice and although getting within 0.5 seconds of pole position in qualifying, he had to settle for the 10th fastest time.

Moving into the top eight at the start of race one, Wooder gained two more places on the second tour and then sliced his way through into the top five on lap three with some superb driving. With a three second gap to close to the next group, further progress looked unlikely and with a couple of laps to go he was edged back to sixth – equating to second in the Rookies.

Unfortunately for Wooder though, a propshaft failure on the opening lap of race one ended his challenge for the race win before it had even begun. The rookie was able to show his talent in race two though, producing a sensational drive through the field from 20th on the grid to ninth place. Notably, Wooder did so over the course of just five racing laps prior to the safety car being deployed and the contest ultimately ending under those conditions.

“We can’t believe the bad luck Dave had with the propshaft – absolutely gutted for him,” said TCR team principal Lee Brookes. “Up to that point, the weekend had gone fantastically well and Dave was in tremendous form. Topping testing, practice and qualifying tells its own story, he was the quickest driver out there this weekend and was just very, very unlucky.”

Caroline looked set for his first pole position ever in the championship, but a last gasp effort from Wooder, having previously seen his best time lost for a track limits infringement, gave him the top spot with a 1m 43.834s lap.

Sophia Floersch, the star of proceedings at Thruxton last time out, set the third fastest time in her HHC Motorsport G40 ahead of second year contenders Dan Zelos and Matt Chapman, the top five split by half a second.

The Chatham-based racer also finished as vice-champion in the Super 1 British series and at the World Finals in Valencia.

“I’ve loved my time in karting but the time is right to make the move into cars,” said Wooder, “Ginetta Junior is obviously a good championship, it’s tough and very competitive so it’s a great place to learn.

“It should be a great year and I really am looking forward to it, especially with such a great team behind me.”

The 15 year old joins second year driver Matt Chapman and fellow rookie Cameron Roberts at TCR for the forthcoming campaign.

“We’re over the moon to have Dave in the team alongside Matt and Cameron, it’s a fantastic young line-up,” added TCR boss Lee Brookes.

“The first year in any championship is always a big challenge, especially your first year in cars, but Dave has a fantastic record of success from karting so I’m sure he’ll be on the pace pretty quickly.”