MOTOR SPORT: Drag racer Ian King has claimed his fourth European Top Fuel Championship crown. Heading into the final round of the 2008 championship at Santa Pod Raceway, the King Racing team found themselves in second place behind championship leader Rika

MOTOR SPORT: Drag racer Ian King has claimed his fourth European Top Fuel Championship crown.

Heading into the final round of the 2008 championship at Santa Pod Raceway, the King Racing team found themselves in second place behind championship leader Rikard Gustafsson from Sweden.

The team's slim chance of a victory seemed to be slipping from their grasp, however, as the first two days of qualifying were rained off.

A third, short qualifying session was quickly arranged for the morning of the race, and the weather held good.

King set a new personal best time of 6.248 seconds at 212 mph while gearbox problems saw Gustafsson roll to the end of the track and out of the title race.

King went on to win the title after beating Dutch rider Rene van der Berg in the day's big race.

The ecstatic rider, whose team is based in Litlington, said: "I'm overwhelmed at the hard work put in by my team of Mick Beaumont, Marius van der Zijden, Chris Powell, Martin Brookman, and Gerard Willemse, and the fantastic products and services supplied by our team of associates.

"I'm just the rider - they are the real difference between success and failure.