KENT's Bill Richards managed to clinch the Dunlop and Motorsport News Saloon Championship at the final round of the series on Sunday, despite a nasty crash at Brands Hatch.

Richards, from Ashford, was a leading contender for the Class E championship with his 1,460cc Mini.

But he suffered a severe setback during qualifying: his car was badly damaged when another competitor cut across in front of him.

He said: "One of the Cosworths clouted me as it came past and it took off a front corner. We lost a front wheel, the suspension, everything."

Slick work from Richards' pit crew put the Piper Cams Mini back on track before the end of the session, and the driver promptly set the fastest-ever lap by a Mini around Brands.

But the car was damaged again on the opening lap of Sunday's final round. The race had to be stopped because of a serious accident and as Richards slowed Peter Crewes, his chief rival for the championship, ran into the back of him.

"He claimed he didn't see the red flags," said the local driver.

Despite a buckled wheel and a damaged rim Richards led his rival after the restart. But then Crewes found a way past and Richards decided to let him go.

"I looked in the mirror and I could see clouds of tyre smoke from the damaged corner," he said. "I knew if I could finish right behind him that would be enough to take the title, so that's what I did."