Newly-crowned MSA National Gravel Rally Champion Marcus Dodd had a fiery finale to his 2008 season after crashing out on the Bulldog Rally in Wales.

The Dorset driver, who clinched the title on the previous event in Kilarney, was top seed for the final round of the Hancook Series and looked like adding to his points tally after leading the event in the first few stages with this Hyundai Accent WRC.

But on SS4, while distracted by an overheating warning light, Dodd missed his braking point ahead of a corner and locked the wheels sending the car into a culvert, which flipped it over onto its roof.

An oil leak caught fire as Dodd and co-driver Andrew Bargery were forced to climb out through a window because the doors were trapped shut.

As Dodd went back into the car for the on-board fire extinguisher, brake fluid also caught light on the hot turbo charger adding to the smoke around the car which led to many fellow competitors reporting the Hyundai more severely ablaze.

Eventually, with the help of a fireman with an extinguisher, the fire was put out. His early exit deprived Dodd of winning the rally which 10 years ago marked his first victory in a Class A event.

Dodd's closest championship rival Steve Perez in a Ford Focus finished second on the Bulldog Rally behind Andy Burton in his Peugeot Cosworth special. Perez ended the year six points behind Dodd.

While Dodd junior failed to make it back to the finish his father Harry and navigator Richard Skinner notched up one of their best performances of the season with a top-20 result taking 19th overall in their Hyundai Accent WRC.

DEAN'S TYRE TROUBLE

A bizarre incident denied Bournemouth's Dean Thomas a top-10 finish on the Smeatharpe Stages Rally in Devon.

Driving his home built GTM special Thomas was leading the 1600cc class and setting top six times after three stages when a car ahead clipped a tyre barrier dislodging one of the tyres.

This bounced into and smashed the screen on Thomas car effectively ending his rally as under the regulations he was not allowed to continue.

  • Ex-kart champion George Lovell from Poole successfully turned his hand to saloon car racing at Ringwood Raceway by winning the Thunder Rods final.

Newcomer Lovell held off the challenge of Graham Tizard from Bournemouth with Warlords Banger team member Scott Weldon from Corfe Mullen taking third in the non contact category.

The Sierra Special Rods final was won by Cheddar driver Alan Cambridge, appropriately racing with the number one. With local drivers missing out in the final, second went to Russ Colenut from Andover with Andy Becan from Devises in third.

A strong grid of 25 cars turned-up for the Under 1800cc Rookie Bangers with a £500 prize fund the incentive.

The final was fast and furious with the lead changing several times before John Shiner from Kinston eventually took the flag ahead of Poole's John Frampton and third place Paul Callaway from Southampton.

In the Euro Rods final the honours fell to Southbourne's Dave Mitchel with Jason Keet from Bournemouth in second place.