MIDDLEHAM brothers Stuart and John Adamson put in an impressive performance to finish tenth overall in the Premier Stages Rally held last weekend in Sherwood Forest.

The pair, contesting their first event for a number of months, were up to sixth overall in their Mark 2 Ford Escort at half-distance.

But the second run through some of the stages saw them struggle for grip in the ruts and, with only two-wheel drive, they dropped down the order late on.

To their credit, they managed to hang on to claim a class win, as well as being the first two-wheel drive car home at the finish in Mansfield.

But last year's winners, Kevin Procter and Mark Lawson, had to retire their Procter's Coaches Sierra Cosworth.

The Bedale pairing, running at number one, were in trouble from the early stages with noises coming out of the front differential, which eventually failed on stage three.

The result continued Procter's run of bad luck, which has seen him retire from his last three events.

l Local drivers filled seven of the top ten places when the MEM Guitel Dalby Gravel Sprint took place in the forest complex near Pickering last weekend.

Intermittent rain made the stages slippery on the Malton MC event, which saw drivers traverse a set route in both directions, and it was Ripon dairy farmer Charlie Payne who ended up third overall in his Mitsubishi.

Just eight seconds down on Payne and taking fifth place was Easingwold driver Warren Philliskirk in his Subaru.

Osmotherley's David Brown, debuting the brand new Ford Puma 4x4, was less than a second behind in sixth.

Northallerton garage owner Steve Smith brought his Walkers Lancia Delta home in seventh, one place ahead of Bedale's Chris Lewis in his Food Weighouse Mitsubishi Lancer.

Kepwick driver Peter Stephenson finished ninth, with Castleton's Ryan Champion rounding off the top ten in his two-wheel drive Total-backed Peugeot 106.

The Northallerton pairing of Charlie Taylor and usual co-driver Murray Foster took the shared drivers award in their Ford Escort, proving Foster is just as good at the controls as on the maps!

l Darlington rider Mark Burr continued his recent good form with a pair of battling fifth place finishes in the British Privateers Superbike Championship at the brand new Rockingham Motor Speedway facility last weekend.

In difficult, wet conditions, the 20-year-old overcame a crash in qualifying on Saturday aboard the 750cc Hawk Racing Kawasaki, but even trickier conditions followed on Sunday.

Burr finished 11th overall before going one place better in the second race to consolidate his seventh place in the series standings with just one round to go.

The outright British Superbike Championship was decided in race one at Rockingham when series leader Steve Hislop (MonsterMob Ducati) crashed out, breaking his lower leg and ankle as well as his collarbone. That handed the title to main rival John Reynolds (Red Bull Ducati).

The only other racer from the region in action at Rockingham was Hutton Rudby's Russ Hodgson, who posted yet another top ten finish aboard the 125cc Castle Eden-backed Tillston's Honda.

The 20-year-old struggled in the wet conditions all weekend and could only set 15th fastest time in qualifying, but edged up the leaderboard in the race to claim ninth place at the chequered flag.

Hodgson maintains tenth place in the championship going into the final round at Donington next weekend.

l Some seven months after it was originally scheduled, the Malcolm Wilson Rally has been cleared to run this weekend in Cumbria and a number of local competitors will be taking to the start ramp in Cockermouth tomorrow.

The rally forms a round of the BTRDA Championship and will see reigning national champions Steve Petch, from Scorton, and his co-driver John Richardson, of Romanby, head the field away in their recently acquired Hyundai Accent WRC.

Also taking part in the Lake District forests will be Shildon's Barry Johnson and co-driver Peter Croft, from Middleton Tyas, in their Subaru. Kepwick driver Peter Stephenson will also be in action in his Mitsubishi.

Simon Rippon, from Darlington, and his co-driver Ian Jackson, from Eaglescliffe, have entered the event in their Astra GTE, while D&S Times correspondent Larry Carter, of Northallerton, will aim to maintain the ANECCC Stage Championship lead with Penrith driver Paul Bird in their Subaru Impreza.

l The penultimate round of the Northern Saloon and Sports Car Championship, organised by Darlington and District Motor Club, takes place at Croft Circuit tomorrow, with the series heading for an exciting climax.

Only Middlesbrough's Mark Chapman, driving his Lotus Elan, has secured any of the titles and, with a host of drivers battling out the various championships, the action is sure to be hectic.

The Autumn Trophy Race day also sees MGs, Formula Fords and four different classes of karts taking part.

The action gets underway with practice at 9.30am, with racing straight after.

Admission is £12 for adults, with children under 15 admitted free.