TOPCLIFFE rally driver Tim Pearcey and co-driver Mick Johnson, from Pickhill, have made it two wins from two starts in the 2004 Kumho Clubman Rally Championship.

Despite engine problems prior to the event and a very unwell co-driver, the pair took a fine victory on the soaking wet Astra Stages Clubman Rally last weekend.

The Yorkshire duo followed up their excellent form on the recent Kall Kwik Rally to win the event by just over 41 seconds from Midlanders Alistair Adams and Andy Ballantyne.

Pearcey started well, along with another series regular, Steve Magson, who was third overall after the first stage of the day. But it was to be the first and last full stage of the day for the SM Autocare-backed driver from Pickering.

A broken halfshaft on his unique Vauxhall Astra RWD meant that Magson and co-driver Geoff Atkinson would take an early bath in the Welsh forests.

But Pearcey was flying. The Z Farm-sponsored Ford Escort driver was well in command after the first three stages, despite an engine problem prior to the event which Magson sportingly helped to rectify.

Co-driver Johnson wasn't in such good form, however. He was physically sick after the fourth stage and felt unwell inside the car all day long.

But the problems didn't detract from the crew's performance as they took the winners' laurels at the finish in Llangollen.

The Kumho Clubman Rally Championship does not follow the national series to the Isle of Man, so the championship battle will continue in the forests of mid-Wales on the Mutiny Rally on June 5.

l Former national champions Steve Petch, from Scorton, and John Richardson, from Northallerton, had to overcome a number of setbacks before finishing in a battling fifth place on the Astra Stages Rally, which comprised round two of the Kumho Tyres National Rally Championship last weekend.

With the forests of North Wales wetter and muddier than at the same time last year, when dust was a major problem, the Hyundai Accent WRC pairing started well.

But they needed a gearbox change at second service after they experienced bad vibration on SS3.

The SGP Motorsport team worked wonders to replace the offending unit with minimal time loss and Petch set about reducing the gap between himself and the leaders as the crews headed out for the pair of Penmachno tests.

But his hopes were dashed when a spark plug tip came off and, with a very sick-sounding engine, the pair thought their rally was over. But the team again managed to fix the problem at service and they headed out to the final loop.

With just 27 miles of competition remaining, the best they could realistically hope for was fourth place. But, as conditions worsened, their planned charge up the leaderboard was halted and they had to settle for fifth.

However, they scored sufficient points to move up to second place in the standings going into next month's Manx National Rally.

Team-mates Stephen Petch, from Hamsterley, and Tow Law's Michael Wilkinson also had their problems in their Peugeot 206 as they battled to 48th place overall.

A broken gear linkage and gearbox problems cost them about nine minutes in total, but they soldiered on to pick up tenth position in the Peugeot 206 Cup and now lie seventh in the table.

Ingleton's Tony Thompson and co-driver Ian Windress, from Northallerton, battled through the mud and rain to clinch 22nd overall and eighth in class in their MSR-prepared and Tidybike-sponsored Mitsubishi Lancer, while Sunderland driver Chris Moore took 34th overall and third in class in the Peugeot 206 Cup category.

Ripon dairy farmer Charlie Payne overcame the loss of second gear in the second half of the rally to claim ninth overall in his Hyundai Accent WRC.

But, for the second championship round in succession, Shildon's Barry Johnson failed to see the finish ramp after damaging the radiator on his Subaru WRC on SS2.

Ripon driver John Parker finished 15th overall in the Historic section in his Saab 96, claiming third in class in the process.

* The MSA British Sprint Championship makes its annual visit to the demanding and high speed Croft circuit on Easter Monday.

With 21 of Britain's top sprint drivers and a further 120 competitors in supporting championships, the competition will be fierce.

Each competitor will 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.

With last year's winner moving away from sprints, it could be Tony Eyles (Force V6), Martin Dowling (Reynard 88D 3500) or Terry Holmes (Reynard Tegra SF84 1998) on the top step of the podium.

But it could also be one of the many 2-litre single-seaters who plan to conquer the 1.9-mile track.

Local solicitor Simon Cole, from Moulton, is another driver vying for honours. He will be hoping for victory in his venerable TVR.

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

Admission is £6 for adults, with accompanied children under 15 admitted free. Further details are available from Croft circuit on 01325 721815 and entries are still available by calling Terry Wright on 01325 359895.

* Drivers of Lotus, Mini and Mitsubishi Lancer Evo cars can benefit from a special ticket offer at two rounds of the MSA British Rallycross Championship to be held at Knockhill on May 30 and at Croft on June 20.

Drivers arriving at the events in the chosen type of car will receive one free adult admission ticket for each one bought.

At Knockhill, the offer is open to drivers of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions, Minis and any type of Lotus, while at Croft the offer is open to Lotus and Mini drivers only.

l Following their success at Oakington Barracks, near Cambridge, earlier in the year, the Teesside pairing of Keith Davison, from Stockton, and Eaglescliffe's Ian Jackson took another victory on last weekend's Spring Stages.

In the venerable Darrian T90, Davison overcame a strong challenge from a number of competitors during the early stages before a string of fastest times towards the end of the rally netted them victory.

Davison's winning margin at the end was just three seconds and it gave Jackson his first ever win as a co-driver