CASTLETON rally driver Ryan Champion overcame the loss of two gears to clinch his second successive victory in the Ferodo Ford Puma 1400 Championship after a dramatic Rally of Wales last weekend.

Co-driven by Northallerton's Ian Windress, the 26-year-old followed up his convincing win on last month's Pirelli International Rally with another faultless driving display on the Wrexham-based event. He now has a 14-point lead in the championship.

The problems started for the Yorkshire pairing on the very first stage when the car started to jump out of second gear. Things got worse on the following stage when they also lost third gear, leaving them languishing in third place.

But luck proved to be on their side when mechanical woes sidelined the two crews in front of them, leaving the path clear for them to claim the class win by over four minutes on their way to fifth overall at the end of the six-stage event.

Two places further back were Bishop Auckland's Tristan Pye and co-driver Hayley Selby, who ended up fifth in the accompanying Autosport Ford Ka Championship in their JPM Ford Ka.

Pye, who has recently secured backing from CD Bramalls, overcame a number of minor problems, including catching cars on stage, to record a good result on his unfavoured gravel.

Joyce Champion made it a double cause for celebration in the Castleton family when she guided Sophie Robinson to runner-up spot in the Volkswagen Polo series.

A fine performance netted the ladies 11th position overall, but three of the region's other crews in the one-make series didn't see the finish ramp.

Alun Pearson from Swainby exited from the Peugeot 206 Cup on SS3 and Lanchester's Trevor Gamble and co-driver Ken Bills retired their Ford Ka with engine problems.

Stephen Petch's horrendous run of luck continued when he broke a driveshaft on his and Tow Law co-driver Mike Wilkinson's SGP Ford Ka on the penultimate stage.

But his father, Steve, also from Scorton, and co-driver John Richardson from Northallerton put the woes of the previous week's Manx Rally behind them with a solid tenth place finish in their Hyundai Accent WRC.

The British Rally Championship contenders had to overcome a broken driveshaft on the second Saturday night stage in Clocaenog East, which dropped them to 15th overall, before clawing their way back through Sunday's daylight stages with a sterling performance through the final 15-miler.

The Super 1600 battle saw David Henderson from Sacriston and Heighington driver Guy Wilks battling for supremacy in their identical MSR-prepared Ford Rallye Junior Team Pumas.

Wilks had an overshoot on SS1, while Henderson damaged a front corner on the following stage. Last year's Ford Puma 1400 champion then suffered a couple of offs on SS4 and a broken steering arm and a puncture on the following stage.

Wilks also encountered problems late on, but managed to secure second place in the class, with Henderson hanging on to third a couple of minutes down on his team-mate.

Kepwick businessman Peter Stephenson was running well in his Able UK Subaru WRC, but went out with gearbox problems one stage from home.

l Middlesbrough rider Paul Veazey, 15, emerged as the best of the locals when round five of the National Road Racing Championships took place at Silverstone last weekend.

Aboard the GV Decorators/Banks Racing 125cc Honda, Veazey improved from his tenth place qualifying position to run in sixth position for much of the 12-lap race.

Tyre problems slowed the teenager and he was caught by the half dozen riders behind him, but he gamely held on to claim seventh at the flag, his best result of the season so far.

Yarm's Russ Hodgson had a torrid time in qualifying, but still ended up on the front row. But a poor start left the 20-year-old salesman struggling with his Cameron's Castle Eden Honda and he ended up in 12th position.

Earlier in the weekend, both riders took part in the rescheduled round four of the series. Hodgson scored 13th place, two ahead of Veazey, who just scraped into the points.

Guisborough rider Dennis Hobbs also suffered problems after qualifying his Hobbs Honda in ninth place in the Superstock class. The 21-year-old went out on lap five of the 12-lap race.

l Northallerton rallycrosser Dave Bellerby (Vauxhall Nova) finished third in the modified final at Blyton, Lincolnshire, one place ahead of Hartlepool's Des Wheatley in his Rover Metro.

* Former circuit racer Steven Coates from Scorton took his Vauxhall Nova to a class win on the S&M Roofing Stages Rally at Binbrook airfield.

l Darlington's David Cox, driving his Honda Civic, ended up ninth in the Northern Sports and Saloon Car Championship at Oulton Park.

* Richmond driver Mark McAleer ventured across the English Channel to France and came away from Croix-en-Ternois with a fourth place finish in his Northgate V6 Mondeo.

* Ryan Champion takes to the co-drivers seat this weekend when he hopes to guide Lealholm's Nick Cook to success on the York MC Wheelmeister Rally at RAF Leconfield on Sunday.

* The opening round of the British Autograss Series kicks off at Green Hammerton near York over the weekend, with Catterick driver Martyn Tinker among the favourites in his Millington-engined Renault Clio.

* Richmond's Mark Constantine will be hoping to defend his lead in the BTRDA Rally Championship when the series visits South Wales tomorrow, but he can expect stiff opposition from Stokesley student Jonny Milner, also driving a Nova, on the Red Dragon Rally based near Port Talbot.

l Fastrax Northern are holding a motorcycle track day at Croft on Monday, June 17.

Riders are encouraged to book early as places are limited.

There will be various ability classes, with the experienced riders being instructed by top national Superstock rider and former Laird of Croft Dennis Hobbs. For more details and to reserve a place contact 01325 378950