FORMER Scottish champion Barry Johnson turned on the style in his local event to win round two of the MSA National Gravel Rally Championship last weekend.

He emerged triumphant in the Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally, based in Jedburgh and held in an unseasonably mild and sunny Kielder Forest complex.

Driving the ex-Petter Solberg Barrier Surveillance Subaru Impreza WRC with Channel Islander Stewart Merry on the notes, the Shildon driver edged out the Stobart Ford Focus WRC of Penrith's Paul Bird and his Northallerton co-driver Ian Windress by just over 17 seconds.

Former champion Marcus Dodd finished third in his Hyundai Accent WRC, half a minute further adrift.

Making a welcome return north, the second round of the ANCRO series was eagerly anticipated after the opening round in Bournemouth. But with Rallye Sunseeker winner David Higgins not making it to the Jedburgh start ramp, there was even more at stake.

Johnson stopped the clocks ten seconds faster than his nearest rival on SS1 before increasing his advantage over Bird on all of the next three stages to reach the half-distance regroup some 19 seconds to the good.

Johnson was again fastest on SS5 before a combination of a cracked front disc and some spirited driving by Bird saw the deficit reduced to just nine seconds going into SS7.

However, Johnson responded despite no rear brakes and reported no major dramas on the final two stages to clinch victory and maximum points in both the National and Scottish Championship, the opening round of which he won a month ago.

The result means that all three drivers are separated by a single point going into the next round in the Isle of Man in May, with Dodd and Bird sharing the lead and Johnson a point adrift in third.

While the lead may be shared in the drivers' championship, the co-drivers table shows Hove's Andrew Bargery at the top ahead of Windress, with Merry two points further adrift.

Steve Petch and stand-in co-driver Aled Davies were pleased to bring the SGP Hyundai Accent WRC home in fifth after the Scorton driver's big Kall Kwik accident. Apart from a broken intercom on SS2, they reported no major problems.

Petch hopes to be reunited with regular co-driver John Richardson from Northallerton for the next round.

In the supporting Mitsubishi Ralliart Evo Challenge, just a tenth of a second separated winner Phil Morrow from Castleton's Ryan Champion after nearly an hour and a half's competition.

After three successive retirements, Champion and York co-driver Craig Thorley overcame a puncture which robbed them of 30 seconds to nearly wrest a sensational victory with fastest time on the final stage. But it wasn't quite enough and they had to settle for runner-up spot and eighth overall in the MSR Motorsport-prepared car.

Fellow Mitsubishi Evo Challenge runner Tim Pearcey from Topcliffe and Pickhill co-driver Mick Johnson also picked up their first points of the season with 22nd place, despite a puncture on the final stage which cost them three minutes in their Kerridge-backed Lancer.

Hamsterley's Stephen Petch and co-driver Michael Wilkinson from Tow Law clinched the under-25 awards on their way to 14th overall and fifth in class in their SGP Subaru Impreza.

JPM Motorsport's Tristan Pye from Bishop Auckland only made it as far as SS5 when he suffered suspension failure on his Subaru and Durham driver Garry Johnson also retired in the supporting National event, leaving Morton on Swale's Charlie Taylor (Ford Escort) to finish 24th overall and second in class.

* The first round of the North East Motor Cycle Racing Club's championships kicked off at Croft last weekend with Chester le Street rider David Bell stealing a march on the opposition by recording four straight wins aboard his 1000cc Suzuki.

As well as both open class races, Bell was unbeaten in the opening round of the Ken Redfern Trophy class as he saw off some strong opposition during the weekend.

Chris Coates from Gateshead also scored four wins in the F600 class on his Yamaha and another local winner was Crook's Keith Taylor, who ended up with victory in the final F400 race on his Yamaha.

Rostrum finishes also came the way of Paul Noble from Redcar, whose best result was third aboard his 1000cc Aprilia in the Sound of Thunder class, while Barnard Castle rider Rob Brown took third in his final outing on his 125cc Aprilia.

Other locals in action included Alex Spence from Bishop Auckland, who managed a pair of eighth place finishes on his 1000cc Honda, with Thirsk rider Peter Swales recording a best result of sixth on his 400cc Honda.

Justin Waring from Whitby claimed a tenth place on his 600cc Honda, one better than Leyburn's James Brackenbury, who was out on a similar machine, and Mike Minns from Bishop Auckland finished 11th in the third F600 race of the weekend.

In the sidecar contingent, Darlington's Ruth Laidlow and passenger Lisel Amos recorded a fifth place finish in the second Mac Hobson trophy race, with Tony Thirkell from Rainton and passenger Roy King finishing fifth in the second open race.

l The opening round of the 2005 SBD Motorsport British Sprint Championship makes its annual visit to the high speed and demanding Croft circuit on Monday.

With the largest single entry assembled for a British Championship round in over 15 years set to converge on the popular North Yorkshire venue, the competition is expected to be fierce.

As well as competitors travelling from all over the country, there is a healthy local contingent who will be looking for glory in the first of the 13-round series which also incorporates rounds of the Northern Speed, Redline Midland, Michelin Porsche, Westfield Speed and Yorkshire Car Speed championships.

Yarm's Rob Wilson will be at the wheel of his 1800cc Reynard, with Northallerton driver Stuart Clough competing in an Alpine Renault A110.

Darlington is well represented with the likes of Mark Leybourne (Westfield SE), Colin Middleton (Westfield Megabusa) and Terry Stockwell's Van Dieman all expected to figure well.

Dave Pearson from Guisborough will be in action driving his unique Formula 27, as will Richmond driver Rhys Palmer in his Rover 114, and other local competitors to look out for include Swainby's Colin Stewart (Austin Healey), Masham driver Mark Anderson (MK Indy) and the Topcliffe pairing of Paul Taylor and Tony Jameson-Allen, who share a Renault 5 GT Turbo Coupe.

Unlike conventional circuit racing, each competitor will instead have two practice runs and then a further three attempts to better their times, with the top 12 heading for a run-off to determine who takes home the spoils.

The multi-discipline Darlington and District Motor Club is in charge of proceedings, with practice starting at 9.30 and the first runs following on straight afterwards.

Admission is £7 for adults, with accompanied children aged 15 years and under admitted free. More details are available from Claire Jones at Croft circuit on 01325 721815 or Terry Wright on 01325 359895.

l Two major motor sport championships get the green light this Easter weekend, with both events taking place in Kent.

The eagerly-awaited Bennetts British Superbike Championship gets under way at Brands Hatch on Monday, with Guisborough's Dennis Hobbs and Richie Harrison from Darlington in action.

Monday also sees the British Rallycross Championship kick off just down the road at Lydden, with Northallerton's Dave Bellerby and Hartlepool driver Des Wheatley expected to be among the front-runners.