SCORTON rally driver Steve Petch ended a traumatic season on a relatively high note when he claimed fourth place in last weekend's Bulldog Rally to end up third overall in the Kumho Tyres National Championship rankings.

In their all-new Evolution 2 version of the Hyundai Accent WRC, Petch and co-driver John Richardson from Northallerton had an eventful rally. It started well with a good time on SS1, but the organisers' clocks turned out to be faulty and the eight-mile test was scratched from the results.

The next batch of stages took in the Welsh classics of Myherin, Tarenig and Hafren before a service at Sweet Lamb and Petch drove well in the frosty and slippy conditions to lead the rally by just four seconds after 25 stage miles.

Stages five and six were longer tests and Petch's advantage was negated when he slid wide on a corner and the time lost in the ditch dropped the pairing back to fifth overall.

Petch tried his best to regain some of the time on the next two stages, but his luck was out when he visited another ditch, this time hitting the car on the side of a tree.

Once again the lost time hindered their challenge and, with no more stage mileage left, the pair headed back to Shrewsbury and the finish relieved that they had secured fourth place overall.

Two of the region's other crews were also in action, but neither saw the finish. Kepwick businessman Peter Stephenson and co-driver Allan Whittaker suffered clutch problems on their Subaru Impreza WRC which forced them out on stage five, while Bishop Auckland's Tony Thompson and co-driver Richard Myers lasted two stages further before retiring with mechanical problems on their Mitsubishi Lancer.

l Saltburn brothers Ian and Neil Colman made the long trip north to the Island of Mull worthwhile when they posted a superb sixth place overall on the 33rd Phillips Tour of Mull Rally recently.

Driving their Nissan Sunny Gti-R, the pair battled against a 150-strong field over two nights and a day to briefly hold a top five position before emerging from the 150-stage mile event in sixth and fifth in class.

Easingwold's Pat Johnson recorded 16th overall and tenth in class along with co-driver Graham Harper in their Subaru Impreza, with Newton Aycliffe driver Geoff Wright and co-driver Tony Walker from Richmond finishing 23rd overall and fourth in class in their front-wheel drive Nissan Almera Kit Car.

But it was bad news for one of the pre-event favourites, Tony Bardy from Scotch Corner, who was hoping for success in his four-wheel drive Nissan Sunny. In only his second event of the year, the former British Rallycross champion went out on Saturday night after experiencing problems on the Mishnish stage.

* Darlington road racer Jonathan Harrison edged up to fourth in the Honda CB500 Cup after a great weekend's work in the final rounds of the championship at Snetterton.

Lying fifth in the standings going into the meeting, Harrison qualified in second place on the grid before posting a pair of runner-up finishes during Saturday's races despite the wet conditions.

Sunday saw the youngster record a brace of fourth places on a dry track despite the machine suffering from severe vibration.

The results were enough to secure Harrison fourth in the championship and he rounded off a good meeting by claiming a pair of 13th places on the Adrenaline Moto Buell Firebolt in preparation for a championship assault next season.

* Ferryhill driver Tony Bell proved he'd lost none of his old form when he romped to an impressive victory at the BRDA Rallycross meeting at Knockhill in Scotland last weekend.

Driving the Toyota Corolla WRC for only the second time this year, the former bike racer led home Northallerton's Dave Bellerby in his Vauxhall Nova and Des Wheatley from Hartlepool in his Rover Metro to make it a successful podium for the region.

* Ryan Champion from Castleton will get his first taste of a Super 1600 Ford Puma on this weekend's two-day Michelin South of England Rally.

The 2002 Ferodo Ford Puma Championship winner will contest next year's British Rally Championship in a works-backed S1600 Puma and has been given the opportunity to gain experience in the car after tying up the Puma series on the Trackrod Rally.

He said "It has been just the year I needed. I haven't had too much luck in the past but I've had a good season this year, and to finish it off with a drive in a S1600 car is great.

"I am going to this event to learn as much about the car as possible as I know I need to be well prepared for next year. It's the opportunity I have been after for the last few years, now I have to make the most of it".

Champion has already tested the ex-Martin Rowe car in Wales and is seeded at number three on the Aldershot-based event behind the two factory Peugeots of Justin Dale and Rory Galligan.

The 27-year-old part-time rally instructor will be co-driven, as he has been all year, by Ian Windress from Northallerton, who won the series for the second successive year after guiding Durham's David Henderson to success last season.

* Croft circuit has lined up the largest group of Supercars seen in Britain for more than five years for this weekend's British Rallycross Grand Prix.

The 20-strong entry list for is led by ten-times European rallycross champion Kenneth Hansen, whose Citroen Xsara has never been seen in England. The Swede has been beaten just four times in 14 events so far this year and comes to Croft looking to take his fourth British Grand Prix win.

Britain's Will Gollop will race his brand new Ford Focus at Croft, ending a five-year retirement to return to competition.

The support races are provided by the Inter Nations Cup contest in which teams of two-wheel drive rallycross cars from Britain, Ireland, Sweden and Norway will compete.

Tomorrow's programme also features races for the Minicross and Stock Hatch rallycross classes. Starting in the latter will be Darlington motor sport enthusiast and regular Croft marshal Mark Leybourne, who has won the chance to race a Stock Hatch Peugeot 205 GTi in a competition promoted by camshaft manufacturer Kent Cams.

Advance tickets are still available at £10 for tomorrow, £12 for Sunday or a weekend saver costing £17 for adults by calling the ticket hotline on 01325 721815. Tickets on the day will cost £10, £15 and £20 respectively