Mikkelsen Ford Focus WRC, two times Scottish champion, Barry Johnson, claimed victory on the Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally last weekend, despite only competing on a part-time basis this year.

The Shildon driver and codriver Stewart Merry, from Jersey, finished 5.6 seconds ahead of the Subaru Impreza WRC of Cheshire driver Jon Ingram and Ian Allsop on the Jedburghbased event, after they edged into the lead on stage six and maintained it to the finish of the Whickham and District Motor Club and Hawick and Border Car Club event.

gIfm very pleased to finish first on the Border Counties Rally,h Johnson, who has won the event before, said. gItfs a long time since Ifve been out in a car so itfs great to get the win.h Also in action on the second round of the Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship were Stephen Petch, from Hamsterley, and Tow Law co-driver Michael Wilkinson, who finished eighth in their SGP Motorsport Hyundai Accent WRC, despite suffering a problem with the throttle sticking early in the day and a spin on stage five which also lost them some time.

Bishop Aucklandfs Tristan Pye and Scottish co-driver Kirsty Riddick brought their JPM Subaru Impreza home in 12th overall, a minute ahead of fellow County Durham driver Tony Thompson, from Ingleton, who finished 13th overall in his and York co-driver Jon Dunningfs Chameleon-backed Mitsubishi Lancer.

Ripon driver Charlie Payne and co-driver Craig Thorley, from Pocklington, finished 17th overall and a class win in their MSR prepared Mitsubishi WRC despite a brush with the scenery, and Exelbyfs John Richardson guided veteran Brian Bell to 20th overall in their Ford Focus WRC.

Ripon co-driver Henry Richardson had a traumatic day, along with Andoverfs Rod Bennett in their Walkers Garage-sponsored Fiat Punto and could only manage 28th overall as a result of a timing error.

TRACKROD Motor Clubfs Lookout Stages Rally took place at Melbourne, near York, last weekend with a number of local competitors in action to good effect.

Posting an impressive eighth place overall on their way to a class win, West Rounton driver Nigel Keen, along with Brompton co-driver Barry Atkinson were the pick of the bunch in their Keenspeed Ford Escort MkII.

County Durhamfs Derrick Fawcett co drove Charles Blair to seventh overall and third in class in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII, with Easingwold driver Steve Sanderson bringing his Ford Escort MkII home in 17th overall and also taking a class win.

Durham pairing Drew and Pete Gibson recorded 35th overall and second in class in their Vauxhall Nova, but Darlingtonfs Kev Tennick and Hartburn codriver Ian Jackson saw their hopes of a good result dashed when they retired on the final stage in their Peugeot 106.

THE opening round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship fell victim to the freak weather, when six inches of snow fell in just a few hours on Sunday at Brands Hatch, which caused its postponement.

Up until then, local riders and teams were giving a good account of themselves at the Kent circuit, with Guisboroughfs Dennis Hobbs slotting his Centurion Honda onto row two of the British Supersport grid.

Darlingtonfs Jonathan Harrison was well up in Saturdayfs damp session, but he ended up qualifying his HBR Yamaha in 35th position on the grid and tenth of the Supersport Cup competitors. It wasnft such good news for brother Richie, though, who missed out on the cut in 43rd position at the track where he suffered serious injuries a couple of years ago.

Now fully recovered form the broken leg he sustained last year, Hartburn rider Jamie Ferguson slotted his TFR Honda onto row seven of the 125cc grid, whereas Newcastlefs Jonathan Dickson set 17th fastest time out of the 53 riders attempting to qualify for the Superstock 600 race but sadly for Rob Brown, from Barnard Castle, he missed out in 47th with just 40 bikes going onto the grid.

In the British Superbike category, Newcastle rider Chris Burns powered his near-standard specification MV Agusta to row seven of the grid, while Guisborough-based Hydrex Bike Animal Honda riders Guy Martin and James Ellison qualified in 14th and 18th place respectively for Shaun Muirfs team.

The meeting has been rescheduled to take place over the weekend of May 10/11 but in the meantime, all the riders will be in action at the fast and flowing Thruxton circuit in Hampshire next weekend where they hope that the elements will allow some track action after two snowed off meetings.

AFTER the excitement of the opening round at Croft last month, round two of the Rallycross Open Championship heads to Blyton, in Lincolnshire, on Sunday with all the major protagonists set to do battle again.

Mark Watson won a dramatic Division 1 final, and the Barnard Castle Hotelier is favourite to add to his points tally in his Citroen Xsara, but hefll be expecting a battle with half a dozen other Supercar drivers including Tony Bell, from Ferryhill, in his Toyota Corolla WRC and Newcastle ace David Binks (Mitsubishi Lancer).

Wallsend driver Michael Boak is back in action in his VW Lupo and other locals looking to make a stir include Teessiders Martin Peters and Neil Maynard in the Procar 1600 class.

Matthew Thompson, from Ingleton, will look to continue his winning ways in the junior class, as will Stokesleyfs Kelly Bird who is back in action after making her debut at Croft.

David Bell from Ferryhill will once again contest the Minicross class whereas Borrowbyfs Brian Thornton will be back in action in his Revivals BL Metro.

AFTER their opening salvo at Brands Hatch over Easter, round two of the popular Derby Phoenix Motor Cycle Club Championship series visits Croft Circuit, near Darlington, this weekend.

There are several club champions who are expected to be in action, including former National Superstock Cup rider Darron Bellworthy, who is hoping to continue his good start to the season and which saw him rack up a double victory at the Kent track last time out.

However, one rider who ran him close was a lad with local connections in the shape of Bishop Aucklandfs Barry Burrell, and hefll be looking to improve on his two podium places at his local track this weekend.

As usual, there will be a healthy North East and Scottish contingent mixing it up with the DPMCC regulars over the twoday meeting which includes action for various classes for Solos from 125cc to 1300cc, Thunderbikes, F400, F600, Twins, Triples, and both F1 and F2 Sidecars.

Practice gets under way at 9.30am on Saturday, with racing straight afterwards and on Sunday, the action gets under way at noon.

Further information is available from Claire Jones at Croft Circuit on 01325 721815 or at www.croftcircuit.co.uk