AFTER an hour and a quarter of rallying, less than a minute separated three local crews as they put on a good show in the opening round of the Kumho National Rally Championship held in Bournemouth last Saturday.

Leading the way on the 65-mile Rallye Sunseeker were former national champions Steve Petch, from Scorton, and his Romanby co-driver John Richardson, who came home in a battling fifth place overall in their Hyundai.

They finished 14 seconds in front of the York crew of Warren Philliskirk and Eurig Evans (MG Metro 6R4), with the Mitsubishi of Ripon's Charlie Payne and Craig Thorley (Stamford Bridge) just over half a minute further back in seventh.

But it wasn't such good news for two other local teams, who endured a day of problems and mixed fortunes on the 16-stage event.

Kepwick businessman Peter Stephenson and co-driver Stephen McAuley were vying for a top ten spot all day until rolling their Subaru WRC on SS12, while Hornby's Anth Eaton and co-driver Ian Jackson, from Eaglescliffe, survived a minor fire and a dubious time penalty to bring their Autotest Ford Escort Cosworth home in 17th position.

With three-times winner and event sponsor Marcus Dodd's Subaru WRC failing scrutineering due to incorrect insurance, the locals were hoping to capitalise despite the intermittent rain, which made the opening loop of tarmac-based stages very slippery.

Fastest of the locals on the opening test along Bournemouth promenade was Stephenson in ninth, ahead of Payne (13th) and Eaton (20th) out of the 92 starters.

Petch was taking it easy with the car not ideally suited to tarmac and ended up 28th after SS1. Two runs through Matchams Park saw Petch battling with fuel pressure problems, but at service he and Richardson were up to 11th overall.

Stephenson lay in 12th, two places up on the MSR-backed Lancer of Payne, with Eaton - after a year out - holding station inside the top 20.

Petch continued his attack through the next loop and had the SGP Motorsport Accent up to eighth after SS9, just behind the 6R4 of Philliskirk, but one place and three seconds up on Payne, with Stephenson holding 11th. Eaton, despite an overheating engine, was up to 15th.

Petch clawed more time back on the next few stages to edge clear of Payne as Stephenson rolled out of contention. Going into the last loop, he was a single second down on local driver Steve Hendy, with Payne and Philliskirk trading blows in the battle for sixth place.

A final attack saw Petch wrest fifth place from Hendy as Philliskirk maintained his half-minute advantage over Payne, with Eaton settling for 17th at the finish ramp out of 59 finishers.

Irishman Kenny McKinstry won the event in his Subaru ahead of David Mann (Subaru), with Riponian winner Mark Perrott third in his Escort WRC.

Fourth was former champion Steve Hill in a Mitsubishi, while Petch won class eight with Philliskirk and Payne taking second and third in the same class respectively.

Results. - 1 K McKinstry/N Orr, Subaru Impreza WRC, 1hr 12min 48.0sec; 2 D Mann/A Cook, Subaru Impreza, 1:13:14.3; 3 M Perrott/G Mansell, Ford Escort WRC, 1:14:44.5; 4 S Hill/A Bargery, Mitsubishi Lancer, 1:15:06.9; 5 S Petch/J Richardson, Hyundai Accent WRC, 1:15:16.4; 6 W Philliskirk/E Evans, MG Metro 6R4, 1:15:30.8; 7 C Payne/C Thorley, Mitsubishi Lancer, 1:16:03.1; 8 S Fleck/G Thaw, Subaru Impreza WRC, 1:16:09.8; 9 G Middleton/J Morgan, Toyota Corolla, 1:16:41.6; 10 J Easson/N Gardner, Mitsubishi Lancer, 1:16:45.5.

l Despite the heavy snow which made conditions treacherous, Shildon driver Barry Johnson came away with a superb fifth place overall on the aptly-named Snowman Rally based in Inverness last weekend.

Co-driven as usual by Middleton Tyas resident Peter Croft, the pair overcame the worst conditions for 20 years in the opening round of the New Pig Scottish Championship to gradually climb the leaderboard after a steady start in the Barrier Surveillance Subaru.

Seventh fastest through the opening stage at Millbuie, Johnson dropped a place on the next test at Scotsburn before storming up to fifth on SS3 (Tarlogie), just 14 seconds down on the car in front.

The pair then dropped ten seconds on the fourth stage at Carbisdale before pulling five seconds back on SS5 (Balblair).

But it was on the penultimate stage at Morangie (SS6) that Johnson excelled, setting the third fastest time through the eight-mile test to lie just nine seconds down on former Scottish champion Brian Lyall in the ex-Steve Petch Ford Escort WRC going into the final stage.

Despite his best efforts, Johnson couldn't claim any more time back and ended up fifth overall and second in class, more than a minute ahead of his nearest rival. The event was won by Edinburgh's Callum Guy and Neil Dashfield in a Mitsubishi.

l The plush surroundings of Romanby Golf Club hosted the annual Northallerton Auto Club awards. Despite the ravages of foot-and-mouth, the club still managed to run a successful championship in 2001.

2001 Christmas Stages awards. - Best class 1 driver (Moody Bros. Cup): Derrick Fawcett. Best class 1 co-driver (Grainger Cup): Trish Fawcett. Best class 2 driver (Myers Cup): Mark Constantine. Best class 2 co-driver (Howst Cup): Andrew Constantine. Best class 3 driver (Dixon Cup): Charlie Taylor. Best class 3 co-driver (Ashby Cup): Amy Taylor. Best class 4 driver (End of Season Cup): Martin Coates. Best class 4 co-driver (End of Season Cup): Lee Blackbourn.

2001 Stage Championship awards. - 1st driver (Crusher Cup): David Henderson. 1st co-driver (Motor Delivery Trophy): Ian Windress. 2nd driver (Arthur Wilson Rosebowl): Paul Bird. 2nd co-driver (Twilight Trophy): Larry Carter. 3rd driver (Blewitt Trophy): Anth Eaton. 3rd co-driver (Wilson Navigator's Rosebowl): Ian Jackson. 4th driver (Walkers Garage Shield): Mark Constantine. 4th co-driver (Ayres Cup): Andrew Constantine. 5th driver (Horner Cup): Charlie Taylor. 5th co-driver (Gamble Cup): Paul Hudson. 1st novice driver (JW Cameron Trophy): Derrick Fawcett. 1st novice co-driver (Northallerton Shield): Jeff Talbot.

Club awards. - Jupiter beerglass: Mark Constantine. Lyn Owen merit award: Ian Cartwright. Wooden spoon: Richard Elcoate. Reid and Wright award: Larry Carter (D&S Times). Chief marshal's award: James Bullock.

l Leeming Bar driver Kevin Procter heads back to one of his favourite haunts when he contests the Co-op Motor Group Robin Hood Stages Rally around Mansfield on Sunday.

The Ford Cosworth driver is a regular visitor to the Sherwood Forest area, with a list of impressive results. He has once again recruited Northallerton rallycrosser Dave Bellerby to act as co-driver on the 45 stage mile event.

With the event also forming the opening round of the British Historic Rally Championship, there is a capacity entry, with the older cars running in front of the modern competitors.

Spectator information. - 9.44am, Blidworth 1, south of Blidworth village off A614. 10.44, Clipstone North 1, Sherwood Pines forest park to the east of Mansfield off B6030. 11.03, service, Clipstone North horsebox park off B6030. 1.13pm, Thieves Wood south of Mansfield off B6139. 1.52, service, Whitepost Wonderland to the west of the A614 near Farnsfield. 3.10, Blidworth 2 (modern cars only). 3.22, Clipstone North 2