DESPITE an indifferent start to the new season, Cleveland rider Russell Hodgson remains confident of challenging for the Virgin Yamaha R6 Cup.

The 23-year-old, known as Rusty and from Skutterskelfe, near Hutton Rudby, came a creditable eighth in the championship's inaugural season last year when he debuted on a four-stroke.

Hoping to improve on that this year, things have not gone exactly as planned so far.

Hodgson was knocked off his machine while leading during the first round at Silverstone three weeks ago and then the weekend before last at Brands Hatch he made a mediocre start after a difficult qualifying session saw him begin on row two.

After finding himself bunched in during the opening laps the Alan Haywood Haulage-sponsored rider had to battle throughout and it is to his great credit that he managed to hold down sixth place and claim his first points of the term by the end.

Now with one of his more favoured tracks, Snetterton, the venue for this weekend's round he is hoping to build on that finish and get his challenge firmly back on track.

"I qualified third in the first round, was second off the line and took the lead on the second lap, " he said. "I led the whole race but then the guy in third or fourth dropped it and his bike hit me as I was exiting the corner. That took me out and I hurt my leg a bit.

"That was a real disappointment because I had it in the bag really.

"Then in the second round at Brands I qualified seventh but it was three-tenths of a second off pole, so it was very close. I didn't get a very good start and it was very hard getting through.

"Again it was a disappointment because I am expecting podiums every time this year. I could have pushed harder but if I had ended up on my backside like it would have been another DNF (did not finish) and I didn't want to start the season with two crashes."

Hodgson says the transition from smaller machines to the Yamaha R6 has not been easy but he is getting better and better with each run-out.

"I find it quite challenging, " he said. "I have been on 125s for my whole career and it's a lot different riding style - you carry a lot more corner speed and on the 600 you have got to get it turned quickly and then get it stood up and get on the power again. I am doing now but last year I was skating around on the edge of the tyre a lot.

"It took a while to get used to and with it being a road bike as compared to an out-and-out GP racing bike, it's a lot softer and not as responsive as a 125."

The decision to move up was pretty much made for Hodgson.

"Racing in England completely revolves around four-stroke these days, " he said. "If you are very young you might be able to get into GPs but I am 23 now and feel a bit long in the tooth with all the young teenagers flying around."

Despite being relatively new to the class, Hodgson is already looking further ahead and with the incentive for winning the title a ride in the Virgin Mobile Yamaha British Superbike Championship Team in 2005 he is aiming high.

"This is just a stepping stone, " he said. "Hopefully I can win it and go into Superbikes or Supersport."

Shildon's Barry Johnson was forced to settle for second in the latest round of the County Saab Scottish Rally Championship after a top drive from Raymond Munro.

Subaru driver Munro twice found himself in a ditch in the Aberdeen-based MultiWage Granite City Rally at the weekend and dropped a massive 42-seconds.

However, despite being fully eight seconds behind Johnson going into the final stage he eked out a sevensecond win which left his rival scratching his head in disbelief.

"I honestly don't know how Raymond did it, " said fellow Impreza driver Johnson.

"I felt we were full-on right through the last stage and I honestly can't believe he managed to take 15 seconds out of me."

Published: 21/04/2004