CATERHAM Academy driver Bill Addison, from Yarm, recorded his best result of the season last weekend with a superb second place at Silverstone in round five of the eight-round series.

Remarkably, it was only his second-ever circuit race as most of the championship rounds to date have included sprints and hill climbs. The latest result puts the Addison Plant Ltd of Thornaby-sponsored driver up to fourth in the standings with three races left.

Addison's results have been even more impressive given this is his first year of four-wheeled competition after a number of years in motorcycle trials.

Having scored just one point in the opening sprint at Hethel, near Norwich, Addison followed up that disappointing result with a much improved seventh place in the next round at Lydden in Kent before going one place better at Goodwood in round three.

A second place at the Harewood Hillclimb course, near Leeds, saw him up the pace even further before last weekend's performance cemented his growing reputation in the class. He heads off to Snetterton in Norfolk next weekend to try to add to his impressive points tally.

Addison has also racked up a brace of third positions in the support challenge cup races this season and is hoping to secure a guest drive at Croft this weekend in one of the Supergraduate B class Caterhams to gain more circuit-racing knowledge for his end-of-season assault.

Designed solely for novice drivers, the Caterham Academy was set up in 1995 to create a unique introduction to motor sport.

Since its inception, it has provided the first rung on the ladder for numerous competitors at a reasonable cost.

This season has seen an increased number of competitors register for the series and 56 applications have already been received for the 2004 series.

* With a total of 190 drivers set to do battle this weekend, Croft circuit, near Darlington, is sure to be a busy place when the Darlington and District Motor Club host their annual race meeting around the 2.127-mile North Yorkshire track.

With packed grids the order of the day, the action is bound to be fast and furious, especially in the Northern Sports and Saloon Car Championship, which sees rounds eight and nine out of the ten-round series.

Newcastle's Neil Gregory narrowly leads the series overall in his Westfield, but breathing down his neck are the Ford Fiesta of Hartlepool driver Mick Starkey, Yorkshireman Robert Pritchard (Caterham) and Scot Tony Caig in his modified Ford Fiesta, all within two points of the championship leader.

As ever, the mighty Skoda 130RS of 72-year-old Doncaster veteran Tony Sugden will be a major threat for class honours, as will the Lotus Elan of Yarm's Mark Campbell, while Darlington duo Terry Wright (Rover 100) and David Cox (Rover Tomcat) will be looking for a class victory at their local track, as will David Bone from Durham in his Westfield and Guisborough's David Pearson (F27 Kawasaki).

The Caterham marque is well represented, with Warrington's Charlie Hunt leading the Graduate class while the Supergraduate A class sees a close battle for the lead between Welwyn driver Simon Lambert and Jamie Elwood from Leicester. Luton's Andy Bailee leads the B class and, with two rounds set to be fought out, all is still to play for.

The Primrose Engineering Monoposto Championship represents the single-seater action, with Exelby driver Chris Lewis having a rare 2000cc outing in a Van Dieman Scholar.

Whitby's John Johnsen drives a Swift Renault and lies second in the 1600cc class behind Whitminster driver Jim Timms, while other Monoposto championship leaders in action at Croft include the Stroud pairing of Jim Blockley (2000cc) and Geoff Pashley (1800cc), Rob Horsfield from Salisbury (1200cc) and Ibstock's Chris Robinson in the 600cc category.

Two rounds of popular Scottish championships make the trip south of the border, with Penicuik's Colin Noble hot favourite to take victory in the Scottish Legends series while Stonehaven driver Michael Connor hopes for further success in the Scottish Mini Cooper Challenge Cup.

Qualifying starts at 9.30 tomorrow, with the first of eight races commencing at 1.45, and the host club plans a barbeque in the evening to mark the social ambience of the weekend before the action gets under way on Sunday from 12.10 with a ten-race programme.

Adult admission is £6 (tomorrow) and £12 (Sunday), with children 15 years and under accompanied by an adult admitted free.

* Advance tickets are now on sale for the British Rallycross Grand Prix to be held at Croft over the weekend of October 11 and 12.

With interest in the meeting gaining momentum for the second year in succession, drivers from across Europe, including all the top British drivers, will compete for the crown of Grand Prix champion over the weekend, which also hosts the Internations Cup.

Pre-booking the Saturday action will cost just £10, with an advance ticket for the Sunday costing £14. A weekend saver costs just £19 per adult and all need to be ordered before September 29.

Accompanied children under 15 are admitted free and more details are available from the ticket hotline on 01325 721815.

l There was a smaller than normal entry for the penultimate round of the Auto 66 Yorkshire Speed Championship event at Oliver's Mount, Scarborough last weekend.

There were only three cars in the over two-litre road-going sports car and saloon class, but Scorton driver Simon Cole emerged victorious to win the class by nearly seven seconds and improve his personal best time at the venue.

The victory saw Cole gain a maximum points haul and the result means he has secured the title once again.

Peter Herbert, from Moulton, was again unable to get on terms with the extremely light and powerful 1300 Hayabusa-engined Sylva Stryker of Louth driver Tony Brumsfield and had to settle for second place in the modified class in his Cosworth BDH-engined Westfield.

l Scorton rally driver Steve Petch and co-driver John Richardson, from Northallerton, settled for a safe second place on last weekend's Woodpecker Rally based at Ludlow in Shropshire.

The Hyundai Accent WRC pairing, who are not contesting the BTRDA Championship which comprised a round on the event, followed home local ace Andy Burton in his Peugeot Cosworth.

Petch slotted in behind Burton on the opening stage, but the eventual winner steadily pulled out a gap at the front as Petch fought off the attentions of former champion Jon Perrott and Shildon ace Barry Johnson, who climbed up to third in his Subaru Impreza WRC.

Johnson exited on SS5, leaving Petch to cruise to the runner-up spot just a couple of minutes down on Burton and 37 seconds ahead of third-placed driver Shaun Gardener.

Petch's next outing will be next weekend when he contests the Park Systems Stages in Scotland on Saturday before returning overnight to take part in the SG Petch Tour of Hamsterley Stages on Sunday.

A top quality entry has so far been received for the Ripon MSC event, including local drivers Barry Johnson, Kevin Procter and Charlie Payne.

Entries are still available by calling Lee Hudson on 01423 880008, but are set to close this weekend.

A full preview will appear next week as rallying returns to Hamsterley for the first time in a decade.

l Well-known rallycross commentator Arthur Debenham is hanging up his microphone at the end of the year after an amazing 35 years in the job.

The Suffolk resident is still a regular visitor to Croft and, during the sport's heyday in the mid-Eighties, he regularly entertained thousands of spectators with his intimate knowledge of the sport.

He was instrumental in setting up the Rallycross Trust, which helps out under-funded competitors, and the British Rallycross Grand Prix at Croft next month is set to be his swansong