Karting star Bobby DeCosta ended up in intensive care after a horror race smash.

Top-of-the table driver Mr. DeCosta's 60 mph kart flipped over on top of him after his kart clipped another competitor's machine during a competition.

He was rushed to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital after the crash during a race fixture at the sport's St. David's track.

Mr. DeCosta suffered bruising to his liver and a punctured lung after the crash, which happened during the regular race meet last Sunday.

Mr. DeCosta was admitted to intensive care, but later transferred to a general ward before being released mid-week. The other driver is understood to have escaped unhurt.

But yesterday Mr. DeCosta vowed to be back behind the wheel as soon as possible.

Mr. DeCouto, 39, of Smith's, admitted: "I've had better days -- it's something you don't expect.

"You see it happening to other people, but you pray it never happens to you.

It's just one of these things.

"At first, it was fright more than anything else -- the first thing you want to do is get up off the ground.

"I stood up no problem, got in the ambulance and got checked at the track.

"And that's when I started having problems -- everything was numb just after the accident.

"But I'm up and around -- even though I won't be out for the next race.'' Mr. DeCosta said he would miss tomorrow's race on doctor's orders -- but added he planned to be racing again the following week.

Karting Club chairman John Carreiro stressed the fast-growing sport had an excellent safety record.

He said: "They were racing pretty hard when the accident happened.

"I didn't really see exactly, but from what I could gather the two karts made some minor contact.

Mr. Carreiro added: "It bruised him up pretty bad, but it's part of racing, really.'' Mr. DeCosta currently heads his ten-strong class table by a total of seven points.