A FORMER stock car racer whose left-hand drive car collided with the back of a lorry on the A14 has denied dangerous driving.Paul Hoey, 30, was trapped in his two-door Pontiac Transam after the collision and the roof had to be cut off so that he could be released by the emergency services, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

A FORMER stock car racer whose left-hand drive car collided with the back of a lorry on the A14 has denied dangerous driving.

Paul Hoey, 30, was trapped in his two-door Pontiac Transam after the collision and the roof had to be cut off so that he could be released by the emergency services, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Robert Sadd, prosecuting, told the court that Hoey had been driving in the near-side lane of the A14 at Wherstead, heading towards Felixstowe at the time of the accident.

In front of him in the near-side lane was a lorry with a trailer which was being overtaken lawfully by a Nissan car.

Mr Sadd alleged that Hoey had come up behind the lorry at an excessive speed and had collided with the back of the lorry.

He said the accident happened about 2pm on a dry and sunny afternoon in August last year and it was impossible to say why or how the defendant drove into the back of the lorry.

Hoey, of Bramford Road, Ipswich, who was the only person injured in the accident has denied dangerous driving on August 22, last year.

Giving evidence Hoey said he was a stock car racer until retiring six years ago.

He said at the time of the accident he was on his way back to work at Fox's Marina after his lunch break and he had no recollection of the accident.

He denied driving at an excessive speed before the accident.

He said that a witness who was travelling at 75 to 80 miles per hour, and described Hoey as going so fast that when he passed him it was as if they were standing still, as being mistaken about the speed.

Hoey told the court that he had a clean driving licence.

The trial continues today.