Worthing's Dave Longhurst, driving his Ford powered Renault Clio, won the 2-litre Best in Britain title last weekend.

Unlike most forms of motor racing, in hot rod racing the top drivers start from the rear of the field.

As the current 2-litre world champion, Longhurst lined up last on the grid for the first heat but on a wet track he steadily picked his way through the field to take third place.

In heat two, the Sussex man again worked his way through towards the front and, just as he seemed to have gone as far as he could, he powered past long time leader Kevin Down to take a popular win.

Longhurst was on pole for the final and took an immediate lead and was never troubled as he won by a distance rarely seen in a major final, lapping the field up to third place.

There were good results, too for fellow Sussex drivers Lee Pepper (third), Nick Pagden (sixth), Wayne Mosely (eighth) and Steve Burrows (ninth).

Longhurst's car is now being shipped out to South Africa for the annual Test series which takes place in January.

In the latest round of the National Hot Rod Championship, Longhurst finished 13th in the final which was stopped after 18 of the 35 laps due to a multiple accident.

The result leaves him sixth overall, less than 40 points behind the leader.

Colin McRae expects world rally champion Richard Burns to face a battle for supremacy within his own team, let alone the series itself, next year.

Burns, who pipped McRae for the title at the Network Q Rally of Great Britain last weekend, is joining Peugeot after three years at Subaru.

That will put him in direct competition with the man whose crown he took, Marcus Gronholm, and the Finn is sure to launch a challenge to regain the championship after a strong second half of the 2001 season.