DRIVING a Mitsubishi Space Star 1.3, West Auckland driver Nicky Porter and his co-driver Malcolm Sinclair took a resounding victory in this year's World Cup Rally.

The pair finished the ten-day, 2,000-mile endurance event nearly 15 minutes ahead of their nearest rivals.

Now into its third year since it was resurrected from the original two World Cup Rallies in the Seventies, the event saw entrants encounter a variety of terrain - from smooth asphalt roads to bumpy sand and gravel tracks - all in intense heat.

Starting from Aix Les Bains in France on September 28, the event took competitors to Marseilles, across the Mediterranean and into Tunisia - a total of ten days driving and 1,850 miles. More than 300 miles of timed special tests were tackled, many in and around the Sahara Desert.

Having finished the event on both occasions since its resurrection in 2001, Porter, who runs Bishop Auckland Mitsubishi dealers Oakley Service Station, was eager to record another top ten finish in his almost standard specification Space Star.

He said: "I can't believe we've done it. We knew the Mitsubishi would get us through, but to win as well is just fantastic. I'm very pleased with our personal performances, but just can't praise the Space Star highly enough, it never missed a beat throughout."