Local drivers dominated the opening round of the ANECCC Winter Rallycross Championship at Croft Circuit, with Redcar's Adrian Horsley emerging with the series lead after a superb display in his Citroen Saxo.

Despite retiring from the 'A' final, Horsley clinched victory in the Stock Hatch category to record maximum bonus points and take a slender five-point lead into the next round at Blyton in Lincolnshire on February 1.

Dominating at Croft, however, was Northallerton property developer Dave Bellerby, who remained unbeaten in his five races. The Vauxhall Nova driver easily won the 'A' final, but with his Modified car not being eligible for bonus points he had to settle for second in the standings behind Horsley.

Making a long-awaited debut in the region was the Ford-powered BMW Mini of Gosforth's David Binks, who progressed throughout the day to take second place behind Bellerby and third in the series. Lance Foster, from Washington, took his older Green and White Mini Spares version to fourth position with Great Ayton's Ian Horn clinching fifth in his Modified Nova.

Sunderland driver Jon Olds (VW Golf), Stockton's Martin Hawkes (Peugeot 205) and the Renault 5 of Michael Bourner, from Bishop Middleham, all scored well to leave the region with the top eight drivers in the championship after round one.

Croft hosts the penultimate round of the series on February 28, meanwhile drivers who finished first, second and third last year are set to do battle again as entries rapidly fill up for the Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally to be held at the North Yorkshire track on Sunda, December 28.

Ducati superbike team boss Paul Bird, from Penrith, will be defending the title he won last year in his new Hyundai Accent WRC. But he'll face strong opposition from runner up in 2002, Scotsman John Bogie (Metro 6R4), and third-placed Tony Bardy (Scotch Corner) in his rapid Nissan Sunny GTI-R.

With a week to go until closing date, 60 crews have so far applied for entries for the Northallerton AC event and with a total of 80 permitted starters, it looks as if a capacity field will again be contesting the rally

Tarmac rally ace Ian Colman from Saltburn (Nissan Sunny GTI-R), Northallerton rallycrosser Dave Bellerby (Vauxhall Nova) and former winner Charlie Payne from Ripon (Mitsubishi) have all entered.

* After couple of seasons in the 125cc class, Middlesbrough teenager Paul Veazey will contest the 2004 British Supersport Championship next season.

The 17-year-old has just landed a deal which will see him ride alongside former 250cc British champion Jamie Robinson in the JR Motorsport team running the very latest Yamaha R6 machines.

A former runner-up in the ACU Superteen series, Veazey will make his debut on the four-stroke at the opening round at Silverstone in March.

* The 1995 world rally champion Colin McRae has admitted that a return to Subaru in 2004 is currently not 'looking very good'.

McRae, who was dropped by Citroen following changes to the regulations, has been in negotiation with the Banbury-based squad since news broke that Richard Burns would not be able to take up his place with the team because of a brain tumour.

The Scot visited Subaru last week and allegedly tested the Subaru Impreza WRC but has gone on record as saying he was a little pessimistic about concluding the deal.

"I've nothing to say at the moment. It's not looking very good," said the Scot.