AFTER winning the first four rounds of the Ferodo Ford Puma rally championship, Castleton driver Ryan Champion's successful run finally came to an end on the Isle of Man when transmission problems forced him out of last weekend's Manx Rally.

The 26-year-old had high hopes of continuing his winning run in round five of the series on a rally he knows well. That confidence seemed justified when, in very wet conditions, he completed the first stage of the event no less than 48 seconds quicker than his nearest Puma rival over the 14-mile test.

But things went wrong soon after and Champion, co-driven as usual by Ian Windress from Northallerton, was left on the sidelines as his car lost all drive.

Despite the setback, the pair still comfortably lead the championship going into the next round later this month in Ulster. If they cannot wrap up the series around the tarmac lanes of the province, they will be hoping for success on the Trackrod Rally, which takes in the North Yorkshire forests in September.

Meanwhile, Scorton ace Steve Petch and his Northallerton co-driver John Richardson put the disappointment of retiring on the Manx National Rally earlier in the year behind them by recording a top ten placing on last weekend's three-day event, which covered 210 stage miles.

The pair initially struggled to fine tune the set-up of their Hyundai UK-backed Accent WRC, but after a few suspension changes they started to get the handling better for the bumpy, narrow roads of the island.

The stage times started dropping by day two, but just as they started to climb the leaderboard Petch was caught out by a slippy approach to a tight left-hander and went straight on, parking the car on top of a small dry stone wall.

With the help of some very enthusiastic spectators, who were on holiday from Wensleydale, they lifted the car off the wall into the field at the other side before opening a gate to allow the former national champions back on to the stage.

The incident cost them over two and a half minutes, but the pair had climbed up to tenth overall at the end of the 24 stages.

It was double disappointment for the Ford Junior Rallye Super 1600 Team for the second event in succession when Heighington's Guy Wilks was forced out on day two with a blown engine on his Ford Puma, while Sacriston driver David Henderson lasted until SS11, when he went out with a holed radiator in his similar car.

Bishop Auckland driver Tristan Pye and co-driver Chris Thirling posted 17th overall on the supporting Manx Trophy Rally in their JPM Ford Ka, claiming fourth in class.

Sophie Robinson and Castleton's Joyce Champion were also fourth in class in their VW Polo on their way to 19th overall. Paul Hudson from Darlington guided Costa Rican Gigi Bettencourt Gomez to 29th overall and seventh in class in their Polo.

l Darlington road racer Jonathan Harrison consolidated his fourth place in the Honda CB500cc cup with a brace of top ten positions in the recent rounds.

Unable to attend the scheduled test day at Oulton Park due to work commitments, Harrison qualified in fifth place prior to the two races at the Cheshire track.

In race one, he held a safe fourth place until the flag, but had to settle for fifth in race two after a poor start.

The team moved on to Silverstone for the next two races, where Harrison again missed out on valuable testing time. Despite this, the youngster posted seventh fastest time in practice before being muscled out in a very physical race one, eventually finishing eighth.

Race two saw him lapping with the leaders before the race was stopped prematurely and he was awarded fifth place.

Bishop Auckland's Barry Burrell ventured to Snetterton for the latest round of the RS125cc Aprilia Superteen series last weekend and managed a sixth place finish in the opening race before the heavens opened, causing flooding which resulted in the second leg being postponed.

* Machines from a bygone era will once again grace Croft circuit this weekend when the Classic Motorcycle Racing Club hosts round six of its championships, incorporating the Classic Race of the Year.

Heading the entry is multiple champion Vernon Glashier aboard his rare 500cc Tickle Manx Norton.

He can expect a strong challenge from former British Championship racer Colin Breeze on his Summerfield Manx as well as French visitor Eric Genni aboard his John Oldfield Norton and former national 250cc champion Lea Gourlay.

As well as the pre-1972 classic machines, there will be action in the increasingly popular Post Classic class, which will see machinery from 1972 to 1981, including such relics as the Peckett and McNab Kawasakis and the awesome Yamaha TZ 750s.

With a total of 11 races each day for both solos and sidecars, fans will not be short of action on the track, while the event will also include two parades each day, trade stands and displays.

Tomorrow also sees round five of the National Classic series, while any enthusiasts bringing their own Classic machines for display on Sunday can expect half price admission.

The action gets underway tomorrow from 9.30, with racing from 11am, while gates open on Sunday at 10.30, with racing starting at 12.10.

Admission is £5 for adults tomorrow and £10 on Sunday, with accompanied children under 15 admitted free.

* After meeting for a number of years at Northallerton Football Club, Northallerton Auto Club is now holding social evenings at Elders Bar in the town. Members and enthusiasts are welcome to come along.

The next meeting is on Monday at 9pm, when the main topic of conversation will be the Specsavers Stages Rally to be held later this month.

Competitors and marshals are welcome to obtain details and regulations from the organisers or by calling Ian Jackson on 07977 565559