A COUNTY driver only found out he had won a national title the day after competing in the final race.

Ed Davies, from Tarrington, won the MG Car Club's Peter West Insurance Cup in his first season and was also named rookie of the year.

But the 28-year-old mechanic was initially told that he had not accumulated enough points to get his hands on the trophy.

However, despair soon joined to joy for Davies when he was informed the next day that he was in fact the champion.

"I thought I had lost by one point, but I had an email from the co-ordinator the next day to say I had won it by three points," said Davies.

"I had no idea I had won it, so was obviously delighted."

Davies said a friend persuaded him to take part in the championships.

"I was going to race in the Castle Combe Saloon Car Championship but he persuaded me to take part in this one," he said.

"My dad Mike used to race in the British Saloon Championships and had intermittent success.

"He paid my entry fee for the last race at Snetterton, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to compete and wouldn't be champion.

"It's been like that all year – I have had a lot of help from a lot of different people."

The Peter Best Insurance Cup is the only series that carers for all MG cars, ranging from T-Types through to Midgets, MGB’s, MGC’s, MG Metro’s, MG Maestro’s, MG Montego’s, MGF’s, MGTF’s, MGZR’s, MGZS’s and MGZT’s.

The series started in the late 1980’s as the Phoenix Challenge when David Doulin and Phil Thompson first pitched the idea of a multi-class MG race series to Charles Butler, then commercial director at Phoenix Petroleum.

The first race at Snetterton comprised of just three rows, but as it has become more popular, an average of between 20 and 30 cars now race at any given time.

Races take place across the country, including famous circuits Silverstone, Brands Hatch and Donnington Park.

At Snetterton, Davies was one of a number of drivers who mathematically had a chance of winning the title.

However, realistically it looked like it would go to either Davies, Paul Eales and Clive Jones.

Despite sustaining a broken clutch, Davies finished third in the first race before coming home sixth in the next one, even though he was knocked off the circuit on the first corner.

But a second place finish was enough for Davies to clinch the title and finish on 137 points – three points clear of Eales in second.

Davies was consistent throughout the six events, only failing to accumulate any points at Castle Combe.

The Herefordshire star, who competed in Class B, which are specifically for modified MG cars, gained a total of 20 points for his two races at the first meeting at Mallory Park, before gaining another 17 at Brands Hatch.

Only one race was held at Donnington Park, but Davies still managed to gain 15 points before he scored 27 points at the two races held at Silverstone.

After failing to score at Castle Combe, Davies knew he had to gain enough points at Snetterton to win the championship.

Both Eales and Jones scored more points than him in the first two races, but Eales only scored three points in the final race, ensuring Davies' 13 was enough,

Davies added that he has also received a lot of help from his race partner Tom Diment.

The Malvern driver finished fourth in the championship on 111 points.

"Tom's company Stone & Moss is our team sponsor and he has been a big help," said Davies.

"It takes a lot of effort to build the cars and he has supplied a lot of parts."