AFTER over a year out of the sport, Bishop Auckland rally driver Barry Johnson showed he had lost none of his talent by claiming a superb third place on last Sunday’s SG Petch Tour of Hamsterley Rally.

Along with fellow County Durham co-driver Chris Thirling, the twice Scottish champion secured a last-minute deal to drive the MSR Motorsport Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX on the Barnard Castle-based event which was organised by Stockton & District Motor Club, and after a day of drama in the little-used forests of Hamsterley and Stang, a battle royal ensued.

At first service, Irishman Michal O’Brien led in his Ford Focus WRC ahead of Ingleton driver Tony Thompson and York co-driver Jon Dunning in their Chameleon-sponsored MSR Mitsubishi, with Johnson in third as the crews headed off for two tricky tests in Stang Forest.

There, the Mitsubishi of Hexham’s Tony Arnsby and co-driver Chris Purvis had a big shunt and, although both emerged without serious injuries, as crews slowed to offer assistance, it threatened to shake up the leaderboard.

Going into the final three stages in Hamsterley, the heavens opened and made the tracks even more slippery and whereas O’Brien had sufficient an advantage to ease off, both Thompson and Johnson were scrapping it out for runner-up spot.

However, it nearly ended in disaster for both crews as they each survived a 90mph excursion into the undergrowth as they pushed on the final stage, Johnson lucky to emerge with only foliage decorating his car, but Thompson sustained a cracked windscreen and at the finish, O’Brien took an easy victory with Thompson edging out Johnson for runner-up placing.

Behind the leaders, there were plenty of local crews in action with Morton-on Swale garage proprietor Charlie Taylor taking sixth overall in the Ford Escort MkII he was sharing with Steve Bielby and in doing so, took maximum points in the Motoscope Northern Historic Rally Championship.

West Rounton’s Chris Blake overcame a couple of spins to bring his and Barnard Castle codriver Tony Walker’s NTB Subaru home in a fine ninth place, four places ahead of Finghall driver Errol Bairstow who claimed 14th place in his Mitsubishi Lancer.

Thirsk driver Mat Smith finished 18th overall and took the class win in his 1600cc Peugeot 205, one place ahead of Richmondshire brothers Mark and Andrew Constantine who also took class honours in their 1400cc Vauxhall Corsa.

The Barnard Castle pairing of John Bainbridge and Giles Dykes ended up 21st in their Subaru, ahead of Ripon siblings Gary and Kirsty Beckwith’s Ford Escort with Guisborough co-driver Mike Scrimgour guiding Alan Hughes’ Ford Escort to 23rd overall – whereas Middleham brothers, Stuart and John Adamson brought their Millington-powered Ford Escort home to a class win and 25th overall.

Redcar co-driver Chris Roe guided Alan Richardson to second in class and 27th overall in theirVauxhall Nova, just ahead of Mickleton’s Alistair Hutchinson and Barnard Castle co-driver St John Dykes who were making a rare forest outing in their LPGpowered Renault Clio, with Brompton driver Paul Atkinson brining the Vauxhall Nova home in 30th place and claiming third in class.

Nigel Keen, from West Rounton, ended up 33rd overall in the Keenspeed Ford Escort he was sharing with Ripon’s Mark Casey, with Birtley’s Kevin and Keith Knox finishing 34th in their Ford Sierra. Kepwick driver Peter Stephenson would have finished inside the top 20 in his MG S2000 had it not been for a timing error by co-driver Jimmy Burns which cost them four minutes and dropped them to 37th overall.

Northallerton’s John Tillett survived to finish in 41st overall and eighth in class in his Ford Escort with Mark Thompson, with nephew Matt on the notes, bringing his Peugeot 206 home to 47th overall.

Pickhill’s Mick Johnson got no further than the opening loop in the Escort he was sharing with Graham Haigh which also saw the demise of Masham pairing Shaun Wilson and Mick Welford in their Ford Fiesta with a fuel leak and Northallerton shopkeeper Darren Grimston who along with Tanfield co-driver Richard Ross, saw their Busby Stoop Garage-backed CMJ prepared Ford Escort suffer engine failure on SS3.