Veteran racing driver Rod Birley says he is thankful to be alive following a huge 120mph crash at Brands Hatch.

The West Kingsdown resident, 69, was competing in the Classic and Modern Motorsport Club's Super Saloons on Sunday when the "weird" incident occurred on the Grand Prix loop.

Birley was lapping Andrew Stenning's Ford Fiesta on the unnamed straight between Stirlings and Clearways when contact between the pair speared them both into the armco on the right-hand side of the circuit.

Birley says the barrier "acted like a launchpad" and sent his BMW E36 into a violent roll, with the car hitting part of a vehicle bridge which runs across the track.

He was taken to Princess Royal University Hospital, near Farnborough, for scans but was released on Monday morning.

"I'm very sore but thankful to be alive - it's mostly bruising," Birley said.

"It was weird and I didn't expect it at all.

"I hit the barrier at 120mph. It launched me up and I went barrel rolling into the bridge, going end over end."

Birley thinks his BMW was "totalled" in the crash, which saw Stenning's Fiesta roll into the middle of the circuit.

The West Sussex racer’s car landed upside down on the track and was hit by Keith White’s BMW Z4, which flipped the Fiesta onto its side.

Birley's machine eventually came to rest on the grass on the left-hand side of the circuit after the vehicle bridge.

"I was bracing myself as I could feel it rolling - it's a weird sensation as it feels like you're in an aircraft flying," said Birley, who was on the tail of Intermarque category racer Paul Knight when the incident happened.

"The rear wing flew off, as well as a wheel and the suspension, and the track has now got to be resurfaced.

“I haven't had a detailed look, I've only seen a few photographs, but I would think the car is totalled as it was a headfirst impact.

“There's a lot of salvageable stuff - the engine, gearbox and diff should be - and the rollcage was built really strongly."

Birley broke the record for the most wins in British motor racing in 2017 when he surpassed saloon car racing legend Gerry Marshall’s 625 triumphs.

In the same year, his Ford Escort was badly damaged in a 130mph crash on the Brabham Straight at Brands Hatch.

He now has more than 730 victories to his name, but is unsure whether he will compete again this season.

"I really don't know at the moment," Birley said.

"I've had two really big shunts now and it takes longer to recover each time, plus there's the financial aspect.

"I won't be out for a while and will be taking it easy."

Birley had put his Cosworth-powered Ford Escort up for sale but decided to keep hold of the four-wheel-drive machine following advice from British Touring Car Championship legend Andy Rouse.

He says he had “found the sweet spot” with his BMW, which he had guided to victory in the opening Super Saloons race on Saturday.

“The last few years have just been a bit of fun to try different events and see how competitive we can be with the BMW,” Birley said.

“We have been working away with it and it was really flying at the weekend.

“It's no good pushing and pushing for more power, you have got to make the car handle and get through the corners quickly, and we had just got the handling right.”

The Classic and Modern Motorsport Club had put together a 42-car grid for the weekend’s races, which supported GT World Challenge Europe.

The Classic Sports Car Club New Millennium and Turbo Tin Tops thrash, which was due to be held after Birley’s race, was cancelled following the incident.

Brands Hatch will host the second round of the British Touring Car Championship this weekend.