CASTLETON rally driver Ryan Champion will take to the start line of Sunday's Kall Kwik National Rally in a brave bid to defend the title he won last year on the annual De Lacy Motor Club event.

The 29-year-old will again be driving the Champions of Castleton Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 which took him to victory 12 months ago. He won the 2004 event by 30 seconds, but the rally was curtailed early due to a tragic accident which claimed the life of Malton co-driver Christine Francis.

Champion said: "Last year's victory was a bit hollow under the circumstances and everyone's thoughts were quite rightly with Chris' friends and family at the time. Hopefully, this year we can all enjoy a safe and trouble-free event with the emphasis on enjoyment".

A quick look down the entry list reveals that Champion will face a major battle with a pair of WRC's hunting him down on the fast Yorkshire stages.

Former triple winners Steve Petch, from Scorton, and co-driver John Richardson, from Northallerton, will be a big threat in their Hyundai Accent WRC, while Ripon's Charlie Payne and York co-driver Craig Thorley will be gunning their newly-acquired Subaru S7 WRC in pursuit of victory.

"Realistically, if Steve and Charlie have no problems, then the basic Group N Lancer shouldn't be a match for their cars, but we'll be doing our best to keep them on their toes," admitted Champion, who beat the bogey time on three of the six tests last year.

He is primarily using the event as a shakedown in preparation for a concerted effort in the 2005 Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge. He will kick off his campaign on next weekend's Rallye Sunseeker in Bournemouth.

Champion will be joined by the experienced Craig Thorley throughout the eight-round series and will start as one of the favourites for outright victory.

Petch won the Kall Kwik event three years in succession until mechanical problems thwarted his bid for a fourth successive crown last year. Like Champion, the Durham motor dealer is using the event in preparation for his assault on the MSA National Gravel Rally Championship, which also gets under way in Bournemouth.

Keeping it in the family will be Stephen Petch, who teams up with Mike Wilkinson in their Subaru, while late entries include Guisborough's Dave Craven and Hartburn co-driver Ian Jackson (Mitsubishi Lancer) as well as Chris Blake, from West Rounton, and co-driver Tony Walker, from Barnard Castle, in their Ford Escort Cosworth.

Tony Thompson, from Ingleton, is another driver who has decided to contest the event at the last minute and will team up with York's Jon Dunning in the Mark Robson-prepared Mitsubishi.

Just 25 cars have entered the Kall Kwik National Rally, but the clubman's section has healthier numbers as it comprises the opening round of the MSA National Gravel Clubman's Rally Championship.

The Pickering pairing of Steve Magson and Geoff Atkinson will be among the favourites in their rear-wheel drive Vauxhall Astra, while Sutton's Amanda Cornforth teams up with her father Derek for another outing in their Ford Ka.

The Kall Kwik Clubman's Rally gets under way in Pickering at 9.30, followed by the National competitors half an hour later. There will be seven stages totalling about 45 miles, with spectator access available in both Dalby and Cropton.

SS1: 9.49 Dalby 1, access via Low Dalby (Forest Drive) with viewing in quarry; SS2: 10.08 Newclose, access as above, car park close to stage; SS4: 11.29 Cropton, access via Cropton village, car park at Spiers House; SS5: 1.29 Dalby 2, as Dalby 1.

Top ten clubman's competitors: 101 George Collister/Rob Fagg, Ford Escort Mk2; 102 Alan McDowall/Gavin Heseltine, Opel Kadett; 103 James Potter/Bob Stoke, Ford Escort Mk2; 104 Alistair Adams/Andy Ballantine, Ford Escort RS; 105 Philip Burton/Mick Fallows, Ford Escort RS; 107 Geoffrey Crabtree/Liz Jordan, Porsche 911; 108 Dave Hemmingway/Guy Waddington, Ford Escort; 109 Peter Rayner/Richard Bonner, Ford Escort Mk2; 110 Steven Finch/Stanley Graham, Ford Escort Mk2; 111 Steve Magson/Geoff Atkinson, Vauxhall Chevette.

Top ten national competitors: 1 Ryan Champion/Larry Carter, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6; 2 Charlie Payne/Craig Thorley, Subaru Impreza WRC; 3 Steve Petch/John Richardson, Hyundai Accent WRC; 4 Callum Guy/Andy Bull, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7; 5 John Bannister/Graham Wilcock, Subaru Impreza; 7 Donovan Jenkin/Ian Bass, Ford Escort Cosworth; 8 Mike Stephenson/Kevin Bardon, Ford Escort Mk 2; 9 Keith Turner/Steve Ward, Subaru Impreza; 10 Adam Ellerker/Andy Welborn, Mitsubishi Lancer.

* Promising Bishop Auckland rally driver Tristan Pye made the long trip south to Chepstow in order to contest the opening round of the BTRDA Rally Championship last weekend and came away with a superb result.

Driving the JPM Subaru with Tow Law's Michael Wilkinson alongside, the youngster brought his Subaru home in 12th place overall and seventh in class after the nine Forest of Dean stages which comprised the Wyedean Rally.

Boldon's Gavin Spencer and co-driver Steve Waggett, from Sedgefield, took their www.gsrally.co.uk-backed Vauxhall Nova to seventh in class on their way to 77th overall, including setting a fastest class stage time, while the Darlington-based CS Automotive Ford Escort of Geoff Whittaker and Susan Brown finished 85th overall and fourth in class.

Ripon co-driver James Bullock partnered Wayne Radford to 122nd overall and ninth in class in their Peugeot 205 as last classified finishers out of the 150 starters.

The next round of the championship takes place in the Lake District when the Malcolm Wilson Rally gets under way in two weeks' time.

l Suzuki rally team manager Risto Laine praised driver Guy Wilks following his outing in Sweden last weekend, when he finished second in the A6 class in the Suzuki Ignis.

The second round of the world championship was the first time the Suzuki team had competed outside the junior championship, and the two-wheel drive cars were constantly struggling for traction in the snow and ice.

Nonetheless, the 1600cc cars in the hands of Wilks, from Heighington, and world champion team-mate Per Gunner Andersson proved to be faster than most of the four-wheel drive Group N cars with larger two-litre engines and, on the final day, the pair beat all of the Group N machinery on stage times.

Laine said: "Everybody expected Per to be quick, but the times that Guy has been setting proves what a quality driver he is as well. Also the class A6 was at a high level with strong local opposition from Peugeot driver Jimmy Joge and another very competitive Suzuki driven by Peter Zachrisson.

"We have achieved our goal in Sweden in gaining experience on logistic level as well as on pure performance. This will be useful for us in the future."

Wilks was also happy despite finishing 22nd overall, four places behind Andersson, who finished his home event 18th and who is rather more accustomed to the snow.

"It's been a big adventure, and a fantastic learning experience," said the County Durham man, who was taking part in the Swedish Rally for only the second time.

"My car did not feel quite right after our off on SS5, but the mechanics did a fantastic job to get it pointing straight again. Conditions here were very difficult, and completely different to the last time I drove in Sweden.

"I feel that I'm improving all the time and we've also proved the speed, strength and reliability of the Ignis in some of rallying's toughest conditions.