COUNTY Durham businessman Barry Johnson at last overcame his Riponian Rally jinx to secure his first victory after a day of high drama on the stages around Thirsk and Helmsley last Sunday.

Driving the ex-Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza WRC S9 on the annual Ripon MSC event, sponsored by Ripon Land Rover, the Shildon driver and his Channel Islander co-driver Stewart Merry recovered well from a bad start.

The pair endured electrical problems on the opening stage, which dropped them 20 seconds behind the leaders and threatened to continue their traditional bad luck on the rally.

However, some spirited driving in difficult conditions swept them into the lead on the fifth stage and they were never headed from then on.

They eventually won by ten seconds from defending champions Kevin Procter, from Leeming, and Northallerton's Mike Gilby in their Motoscope Ford Puma Evo 4x4.

Ulsterman Brendan Crealey and co-driver Steve Harris claimed third in their Ford Focus WRC.

Victory was all the more sweet for Johnson, who retired on the start line of the event last year with engine problems and was excluded a couple of years previously due to a technical infringement.

"When the car ground to a halt on SS1, I couldn't believe it was happening again. I stopped the engine and started it up again and whatever the problem was disappeared, but I'd dropped a lot of time," said the former trials rider, who was left languishing in 25th place as a result.

"But it was a cracking event on some very tricky stages and very enjoyable. It was the first time we've been on maps in a long time and it was Stewart's first ever time in those forests, so we're delighted with the victory," added the 2002 Scottish champion, whose only worrying moment was an indiscretion with a tree on Boltby 2 which damaged a side window.

In his first outing since damaging the Puma in an accident before Christmas, Procter was magnanimous in defeat despite nearly wresting victory with a superb effort on the final two stages, where he clawed 20 seconds back from his rival.

He said: "I really wanted to win it again, but a finish was more important to us after the recent problems and that's what we settled for. We took it steady in the morning and pushed a bit harder in the afternoon and clawed some time back, but it wasn't enough in the end. All credit to Barry, he drove really well on what was another fantastic event."

Other local crews to feature well included former winners Charlie Payne from Ripon and York co-driver Craig Thorley, who led the event early on in their Subaru before finishing fourth.

Topcliffe's Tim Pearcey and co-driver Mick Johnson from Pickhill ended up fifth overall on their four-wheel drive debut in their DSM-prepared Kerridge Mitsubishi Lancer, while Guisborough's Dave Craven and Ian Jackson from Stockton claimed seventh in their NSS Mitsubishi, prepared by MSR Motorsport, after a late turn of speed.

The Ripon pairing of Paul Walker and Jeremy Thomas claimed a superb eighth place overall in their Subaru ahead of York drivers Adam Ellerker (Mitsubishi) and Andrew Johnson (Subaru), while Northallerton's Charlie Taylor and co-driver Steve Beilby from Malton secured a top 12 placing in their Ford Escort Mk 2 and the honour of being the first two-wheel drive car home.

Stephen Petch from Durham and Tow Law co-driver Michael Wilkinson enjoyed their debut four-wheel drive gravel outing to bring the SGP Motorsport Subaru home in 11th, with Topcliffe's Jonathan Kitchen claiming his traditional class win in the 1600cc Escort on his way to 18th place overall.

Hunton driver Paul Lawson and Northallerton's Dave Bellerby (Ford Escort) came home 20th overall, with Nick Dale and Kevin Hare (Talbot Sunbeam) from Bedale finishing 29th. Eric Kent from Masham brought his Daihatsu to the finish in 32nd, while Sutton Bank driver Amanda Cornforth was the last classified finisher in 38th in her and father Derek's Ford Ka.

Retirements included former winners Matt Yeadon from Nether Silton and co-driver Richard Shores from Boltby, who retired their Nu Era Mitsubishi at half distance with a broken rear differential, while Thimbleby's David Brown and co-driver Matt Whattam went out on the penultimate stage after a minor fire in their Ford Puma.

The tough Roppa stage accounted for the Ford Escorts of Masham builder Mick Welford and Northallerton shopkeeper Darren Grimston, who were listed among the 27 retirements.

Clerk of the course Lee Hudson said: "All in all, we've had a really enjoyable day and the competition was fantastic. My thanks go to all the marshals, sponsors and organising team that have made this event possible and we look forward to building on this success for next year. Special thanks go to Ripon Land Rover for their support and sponsorship once again this year."

Paul Mortimer, representing Ripon Land Rover, said: "We're proud to have been associated with Ripon Motor Sport Club's blue riband event once again and would like to offer our congratulations to both the competitors and the organisers."

Results. - 1 B Johnson/S Merry, Subaru WRC, 50min 03sec; 2 K Procter/M Gilby, Ford Puma Evo 4x4, 50:13; 3 B Crealey/S Harris, Ford Focus WRC, 50:51; 4 C Payne/C Thorley, Subaru Impreza, 51:46; 5 T Pearcey/M Johnson, Mitsubishi Lancer, 52:41; 6 M Nicoll/R Lumgair, Mitsubishi Lancer, 53:21; 7 D Craven/I Jackson, Mitsubishi Lancer, 54:51; 8 P Walker/J Thomas, Subaru Impreza, 54:55; 9 A Ellerker/M Ellerker, Mitsubishi Lancer, 54:58; 10 A Johnson/N Colls, Subaru Impreza, 54:59.

* Heighington rally driver Guy Wilks travels to Scandinavia this weekend for Rally Sweden as part of a two-man works Suzuki team.

While the snowy event does not form part of the Junior World Rally Championship, both he and team-mate Per Gunnar Andersson will contest the event in order to accumulate experience for a possible assault on the world series at the highest level.

Although Sweden is probably the slipperiest rally of the World Championship, it is also one of the fastest. The snowy stages are lined by thick snow banks, meaning the challenge is even greater for the two-wheel drive Suzuki Ignis.

Wilks, 23, has driven Rally Sweden only once before, with a Group N car in 2002. However, a mechanical failure put him out after day one and a Super 1600 Ignis will be a very different experience on snow. Nonetheless, the County Durham driver is a very quick learner and he feels confident of a creditable result.

He said: "Obviously Sweden is Per Gunnar's back garden and I have to respect that, but we have always been competitive with each other everywhere in the past, so I see no reason why it shouldn't be the same now.

"We only have two-wheel drive in a Super 1600 car, so the key will be to keep everything neat and tidy in order to carry speed through the corners. If we have a firmer surface - such as ice or gravel - that will probably suit our car better than a very loose surface."

The Rally Sweden got under way last night with a ceremonial start in Karlstad, but the real action starts this morning with the first of 20 stages. Centralised service takes place to the north in Hagfors, with the finish back in Karlstad on Sunday afternoon.