Australia's Brock killed in crash

One of Australia's most famous motor racing drivers Peter Brock was killed in a rallying accident yesterday, officials said.

Brock's death comes just four days after another famous Australian, "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, was killed by a stingray barb to the chest in a diving accident.

"I was shocked and saddened to hear of Peter Brock's death," Australian Prime Minister John Howard told reporters in Sydney.

"It's been a pretty sad week for Australia and Brocky will be very sadly missed."

Brock, who won Australia's famous touring car race at Bathurst a record nine times and many other endurance racing titles, was killed when his car slammed into a tree during a rally race at Gidgegannup near Perth in Western Australia state.

Television footage showed Brock's badly damaged silver Daytona coupe resting near the tree, a blue tarpaulin draped over its windscreen and heavily dented driver's side door.

Brock's co-driver Mick Hone was taken to hospital where he was reported to be in a stable condition.

Brock, 61, was one of Australia's most famous motoring figures behind former Formula One triple world champion Jack Brabham. He was also a tireless campaigner against drink-driving.

Nicknamed "Peter Perfect", Brock won six of his Bathurst 1000 titles in seven years, including a record-breaking six-lap victory in 1979. He retired from full-time racing in 1997.

His death came as Australians grieve after Irwin, whose documentaries were seen by 200 million people around the world, was killed on Monday off Australia's northeast coast.