Keith Dempsey, who is one of the drivers that will represent Team Ireland at next month\'s Serpent Nations Cup in Portugal, scored a major 1:1 scale racing success over the weekend when he won the 1600 race at prestigious Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch in England.

The famous end of season event, which has been running for 36 years, has been won by the likes of Johnny Herbert, Eddie Irvine, Mark Webber, Jenson Button & Anthony Davidson all of whom went to make their mark in Formula One.

Dempsey, a former British Formula Renault Championship race winner, only took up rc racing this year competing in the Irish 1:10 200mm with a Mega powered Serpent 720. He was quick to make an impact on the sport claiming a podium finish in the National Championship and 3rd overall in the ORCA Championship.

The Serpent Nations Cup will be his first rc race outside of his home country and he will be joined by 11 other drivers from the Emerald Isle.