SHILDON'S Barry Johnson had only intended it to be a run out, but instead he came away victoriousfrom the North Humberside Forest Rally at the weekend.

Johnson, who competed in his Subaru Impreza World Rally Car formerly owned by Petter Solberg, finished the six stage race three seconds ahead of Chesterfield's Steve Perez in a Ford Focus. Charlie Payne of Ripon was third in a Hyundai Accent WRC.

"We were supposed to be testing the car before a championship event next weekend, " said Johnson, who is not actually competing in the BTRDA Championship of which the North Humberside is one event. "So instead of testing we took the car along for a run out.

"We had one on the Border Counties the week before but we had a bit of a problem with it, hence we went testing. It wasn't quite set up correctly."

Though the set-up was more to Johnson's liking at the weekend, the run wasn't without a spot of trouble.

"We actually finished the rally with only the first four gears of six, " said Johnson, whose co-driver is Stewart Merry.

"Everybody was starting to catch us up very quickly. I only had a three-second lead going into the last stage and I managed to keep it coming out. The car would only do 90mph rather than 120mph.

"We were going crazy on the corners and just sitting there like idiots on the straights."

Johnson heads for the Astra Stages Rally in Wales at the weekend in confident mood. The event is round two of the Kumho National Rally Championship.

"That's a championship we need to win on and then we are off to the British Championship (in Gateshead) after that, " he said.

This is the fifth year that 40-yearold Johnson has competed in the sport and he aims to make this the best yet.

"This year is the big push, hence the new car, " he said. "We have the best car, privateer-wise, in the country now."

Former world rally champion Colin McRae will try his hand at circuit racing this summer after signing a deal to drive a Ferrari in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The Scot, who is without a world rally drive this season, has already competed in the Dakar Rally and will try another different discipline when he lines up on the grid in France in June.

McRae will drive a Care Racing Ferrari 550 alongside former British Touring Car champion Rickard Rydell and ex-Formula One test driver Darren Turner.

Mark Webber believes Jaguar are on the brink of a major breakthrough despite enduring a frustrating start to the Formula One season.

Webber has retired from both races this season, throwing away superb qualifying efforts which threatened to make the Australian a contender for the podium.

However, Webber has taken encouragement from the two races so far and expects an improvement in Bahrain this weekend.

''I am frustrated that I have yet to finish a race, but it is not through a lack of trying by myself or the team, '' said Webber.

''The Jaguar was four seconds a lap faster round the Sepang track than it was last year so our hard work over the past year is certainly paying off.

''Progress at this level does not happen overnight, but we are starting to see the rewards of our winter testing programme and although we are still learning we are so far ahead versus where we were last year.

''I am really looking forward to this next race, a new track, new conditions and quite a few unknowns for us.

''I am confident that the team will take steps forward between now and Bahrain and our goal for the weekend will be to be competitive and to highlight the continuous improvement of the car.'' Send your motorsport news to Matt Westcott at matt. westcott@nne. co. uk or telephone (01325) 505089.

Published: 30/04/2004