BIG time rallycross returned to the region in a recent two-day event at Croft circuit near Darlington when Irishman John Haffey won the inaugural European SuperPrix driving a Ford Escort Cosworth.

Despite a number of top international runners failing to show for various reasons, Darlington and District Motor Club still managed to assemble a quality field, including new British champion Dermot Carnegie in his Ford Focus WRC and Danish champion Torben Moller, making his UK debut in his four-wheel steering Seat Cordoba WRC.

With the weather cold, but dry - and with a revamped circuit layout approved by most competitors - the organisers were immediately under pressure when the newly laid loose section started to unexpectedly deteriorate, exposing sizeable rocks after the first set of qualifying runs. This led to numerous shattered windscreens along with oil cooler and radiator damage.

Despite this, Haffey set fastest time of the day, followed by former British champion Tony Bardy from Scotch Corner, having a one-off outing in John Maloney's Escort Cosworth.

Quick rectification of the track took place, but not before the second set of timed heats were run in pursuit format. But Haffey once again emerged fastest, ahead of Dublin-based Carnegie and the Ford RS200 of Pat Doran from Kent.

With the third heats back to the normal format, the grid was determined for the finals. Haffey was on pole, with Carnegie and Doran completing the front row alongside him.

The Peugeot 306 of Irishman John McCluskey sat on row two alongside Ferryhill driver Tony Bell, who was enduring a traumatic weekend in his Toyota Corolla WRC.

Gearbox problems had relegated local favourite Bardy to row three, where he was joined by the Metro 6R4 of Lol Gibson and John Cross' Ford Focus, with Moller's Seat claiming the final outright place in ninth.

With the remaining grid place to be filled by a repecharge through the qualifying finals, Des Wheatley's Rover Metro emerged victorious in the C final after fending off the hard-charging Paul Broatch from Leeming Bar in his up-for-sale Peugeot 205.

Stockton's Ken Hall in his Escort Cosworth was edged out of the B final by the Ford Focus of Steve Mundy to complete the grid, after early pacesetter Andy Grant had spun out in his Escort Cosworth.

With darkness rapidly descending and the wind chill factor at sub-zero, the lights went green and the multi-thousand horsepower pack charged into Clervaux on the opening lap, with Doran out dragging Haffey into the corner.

Haffey managed to nudge past the RS200 in the slickest of moves, but former British GP winner Doran matched the yellow Escort as they pulled away from the pack on the back straight.

Behind the leading pair, the drama was already unfolding when Cross's Focus failed on the dummy grid and all local hopes went west when first Bardy's Escort broke its gearbox on the line and then Bell's Toyota cried enough in the complex on lap one.

Carnegie was closing in on the leaders as they crossed the line to start lap two when he suddenly came upon Doran's Ford with front wheels askew after contact with Haffey's rear.

McCluskey, in the 4wd Peugeot, seized the opportunity to pass his fellow countryman Carnegie and set about closing down Haffey, who was controlling things from the front.

Haffey fended off the challenge from McCluskey's 306 to take an impressive win, with Carnegie settling for a safe third ahead of Gibson's battered 6R4 and Moller - a deserved fifth on his British debut.

Mundy rounded out the top six, despite completing only three laps.

A delighted Haffey praised the circuit afterwards. He said: "There were some problems with the loose, but the circuit did a good job to sort it out.

"The track is one of the best in the sport and the more laps I did, the better it got".

In the popular Stock Hatch class, local driver Adrian Horsley romped to victory in his Citroen Saxo ahead of Gary Dixon's Vauxhall Nova and early pacesetter Kirk Twyman in a Peugeot 205.

DDMC is already planning next year's event, which is scheduled for November 16/17, and it is hoped that all the top European drivers will contest the event after the success of this year's meeting.

l Bike racing fans are in for an early Christmas present when two of the sport's top names visit Northallerton this week for the latest in the series of chat shows organised by the North Yorkshire Road Racing Supporters Club.

Works Yamaha rider Steve Plater will be joined on stage by European Superstock champion James Ellison at Northallerton Football Club, Ainderby Road, Romanby on Tuesday.

Admission is just £2 per person, with all proceeds going towards club funds, and the chat show gets underway at 8.30pm.

For more information ring Sue Symons on 01904 339647