LAST year's winners Kevin Procter from Leeming and co-driver Mike Gilby from Northallerton will lead the 70-car field away from the start as the 2005 Ripon Land Rover Riponian Stages Rally roars into action on Sunday.

After winning his local event for the first time in 2004, Procter changes from a Subaru Impreza to a Ford Puma Evo 4x4 for the annual Ripon Motor Sport Club event and, after looking at the entry list, he expects a tough battle to try to hang on to his crown.

He said: "Obviously I'd love to win the rally again, but there are a number of drivers in top cars who will be just as determined as me.

"The Motoscope Puma has been recently rebuilt and is more than capable of matching the speed of the other cars, but it's going to be very tough when you are up against such quality as is the case this year."

The quality that Procter was referring to includes many of the country's top drivers, who are using the first major forest event of the year as a shakedown for both themselves and their cars in readiness for the 2005 season.

Having driven for the works Mitsubishi team in 2004, Ulsterman Brendan Crealey will be a formidable force in his newly-acquired Ford Focus WRC, with Jon Ingram debuting a similar car on the event.

Local hero Charlie Payne from Ripon has swapped his Hyundai Accent WRC for a Subaru Impreza and, having won the event many times in the past, will be looking to get back to winning ways.

Scottish champion Barry Johnson from Shildon has made a surprise late entry in his Subaru WRC, while Harrogate's Tim Pearcey makes the transition from his venerable Ford Escort to a Mitsubishi Lancer in his four wheel drive debut.

His fellow Yorkshiremen Matt Yeadon (Pickhill) and Jeremy Nolan (Leeds) will also be gunning for honours on home ground, but watch out for Scotsman Malloch Nicoll in his Mitsubishi, who is sure to be on the pace.

Thimbleby's David Brown makes a rare outing in his Ford Puma 4x4 and other local drivers hoping for success include the Ripon contingent of Jonathan Kitchen (Escort), Paul Walker (Subaru) and Chris Wise (Ford), while Bedale and Masham are represented by Mick Welford (Ford), Nick Dale (Talbot) and Eric Kent (Daihatsu).

Northallerton drivers include the Ford Escorts of Charlie Taylor and Darren Grimston, while the fairer sex is represented by Sutton under Whitestonecliffe driver Amanda Cornforth (Ford Ka) and Easingwold's Nicola Harper in a Skoda Felicia.

Chasing the established names will be Durham's Stephen Petch in a Subaru and Dave Craven from Guisborough at the wheel of his Mitsubishi.

Three regional championships, including the Walkers Garage/Tecno 2 ANECCC Stage Rally Championship, the Kent Cams ANCC Forest Rally Championship and the Road Runner Phoenix Awards ANEMMC Stage Rally Championship are incorporated into the rally, which gets under way from Lightwater Valley at 8.30.

Spectators can catch the action at three venues during the day at a cost of £5 per car. Only the stages listed below are accessible, all others are on private property or out of bounds with no official car parks.

North Yorkshire Police have advised the organisers that they will take action against any illegally-parked cars or those that they consider are causing an obstruction at any venue, so all spectators are advised to park as instructed.

Timetable. - 8.30 and 2.30: Lightwater Valley. Two stages around the tracks and perimeter roads of the famous theme park. Off the A6108 near North Stainley on the Ripon to Masham road. Signposted from all major routes.

9.45 and noon: College Moor. The first forestry stage of the event over 2.34 miles. Situated just off the A170 at Tom Smith's Cross, equidistant between Sutton Bank and Helmsley, parking in the official car park only.

11am and 1.20: Roppa. Fast and tricky 5.22-mile forest stage over high ground, particularly susceptible to ice and snow. Turn off A170 in Helmsley and follow minor road past Carlton to official car park.

Clerk of the course Lee Hudson said: "The quality of the entry is fantastic and is testament to the established reputation of the Riponian rally nowadays.

"We always try to put on a challenging event for the drivers and this year it has been a major task with a number of organisational changes and price increases. The roads are in good condition generally and, hopefully, everyone will enjoy their day and we can all have a safe and successful rally."

Top ten entries: 1 Kevin Procter/Mike Gilby, Ford Puma Evo 4x4; 2 Barry Johnson/Stewart Merry, Subaru WRC; 3 Brendan Crealey/Steve Harris, Ford Focus WRC; 4 Jon Ingram/Shaun O'Gorman, Ford Focus WRC; 5 Charlie Payne/Craig Thorley, Subaru Impreza; 6 Jeremy Nolan/Paul Nolan, Ford Escort Cosworth; 7 Matthew Yeadon/Richard Shores, Mitsubishi Lancer; 8 David Brown/Matthew Whattam, Ford Puma Evo 4x4; 9 Tim Pearcey/Mick Johnson, Mitsubishi Lancer; 10 Malloch Nicoll/Robert Lumgair, Mitsubishi Lancer.

Further information can be found at www.riponmotorsportsclub.co.uk.

* Northallerton Automobile Club, in conjunction with Kirkby Lonsdale and District MC, will be running two stages on next month's Border Counties Rally in Kielder Forest, which forms the second round of the MSA National Gravel Rally Championship.

The event takes place on Saturday, March 19 and stage commander Geoff Balls is on the lookout for prospective marshals to assist with the event.

The first car is due at the stage start at 9.03 and marshals will be expected to sign on at least one hour before. The competitors revisit the Wauchope stage near Hawick for second run at 4.58, so again all officials need to be in place in plenty of time.

The organisers will be providing food and refreshments for the marshals between the two runs of the stage and there will be the opportunity to spectate elsewhere between the two runs.

For further information call Geoff Balls on 07974 373367.

* Bennett's Insurance Services, the UK's number one motorcycle insurance provider, have announced a major deal to be the title sponsor of the 2005 British Superbike Championship.

A six-figure deal finalised in London last week was negotiated through BSB series promoters DORNA UK, whose managing director Tony Partis said: "The championship will benefit greatly from Bennett's involvement. A reputable and fast-moving company, Bennett's has been very active in motorcycle sport, sponsoring high profile riders and individual British Superbike rounds."

The 2005 Bennett's British Superbike Championship will take place over 13 rounds between March and October, beginning and ending at Brands Hatch. Following the major success of last year's inaugural meeting, Croft circuit will host round six of the series on June 5.

Dates. - March 28: Brands Hatch; April 10: Thruxton; April 24: Mallory Park; May 2: Oulton Park; May 15: Mondello Park; June 5: Croft; June 26: Knockhill; July 10: Snetterton; August 21: Silverstone; August 29: Cadwell Park; September 11: Oulton Park; September 25: Donington Park; October 9: Brands Hatch.