SCORTON racing driver Max Coates was back in action in the Renault UK Clio Cup last weekend, taking his first podium finish of the season in front of a huge crowd at Oulton Park.

Coates qualified his Primex Plastic, PLASgran Recycling-sponsored and Ciceley Motorsport-prepared car in fifth position for the weekend’s races and was confident a podium position was on the cards.

He made a great start in race one, but settled into fifth position in the early laps before he passed two cars at Hislop’s Chicane. He then closed the gap on the second-placed car, but was unable to overtake.

After showing great race pace, Coates was fired up for another podium in race two, but a bad start put him back to eighth. He charged his way back into contention to reel in the battle for the podium, but couldn’t repeat his heroics of the earlier race and had to settle for fifth place.

The 22-year-old is now up to fifth in the main championship, but also leads the Graduate Cup element, having taken five wins from the eight starts going into his home round at Croft next weekend, when he is planning a special promotion.

Anyone purchasing merchandise from his website in advance will receive an invitation to a unique garage tour and he is also encouraging local businesses to "sponsor a tyre" which, for a £350 donation, will include a logo on the car as well as two Max Coates Racing T-shirts and a pair of weekend passes to Croft for the meeting. Further details at maxcoatesracing.co.uk.

Other local drivers in action at Oulton Park included Stokesley’s John McCullagh, who took his Redline Racing Porsche to a pair of 12th place finishes in the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain races, while Durham teenager Charlie Fagg claimed a best result of second place in the Simpson Race Products Ginetta Junior Championship.

LEEMING rally driver Kevin Procter made his annual trip to SOL Rally Barbados last weekend and came away with a top seven finish following the tough two-day event.

Driving his newly-acquired ex-Euan Thorburn Ford Fiesta WRC for the first time, the Procter’s Luxury Coaches-backed driver, along with local co-driver Phillip Hopkins, held second after the opening evening’s action around Bushy Park before taking to the closed roads around the Caribbean island.

Up against World Rally Championship regulars such as Elfyn Evans and Simon Jean-Joseph, Procter crossed the finish ramp in seventh overall, taking third in class for good measure.

Closer to home, Northallerton’s Ian Windress took third while co-driving for Ollie Mellors on the Severn Valley Stages Rally in their Proton Satria. In the historic class, Thirlby driver Terry Cree and Boltby co-driver Richard Shores claimed a class win in their Mini en route to 38th overall. Ripon’s Matthew Robinson was out of luck again when he retired his Fiat 131S on SS2.

Northallerton pair Graeme Bell and Russ Radford had a good run to finish third overall in their Clarion Homes-backed Proton Satria Millington on the Abingdon CARnival Rally, while Steve Retchless, also from Northallerton, claimed a superb fifth place overall in the Ford Escort he was sharing with Sasha Heriot. Pickhill’s Bruce Lindsay was co-driving for trainee stunt woman Elizabeth Curtius at Down Ampney and they came away with 58th place overall and a class win in their 1000cc Nissan Micra.

REDCAR SG Petch Bears speedway team took on Newcastle Diamonds in the return leg of their league cup match on Thursday last week looking to make amends for their heavy defeat in the away leg.

The Bears were using former rider Ulrich Ostergaard as a guest replacement for Lasse Bjerre, who was racing in the Danish Championship, and he got the meeting off to a great start with a victory in the opening heat.

In a close match which saw wins for Bears riders Robert Radford and Hugh Skidmore, there were only two points in it at the halfway stage. Bears were trailing going into the final couple of heats, but a great ride by Jonas B Anderson in the penultimate heat saw them lead by four points going into the final heat. However, the Diamonds managed to score a 5-1 to leave the scores level on 45-45.

The following night, the Bears were away to a strong Somerset Rebels side and just missed out with a 47-43 defeat.

CROFT Circuit is offering a special Fathers' Day gift with tickets to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship next weekend.

But anyone wanting to take advantage of the attractive advance tickets offer will have to get their skates on as today is the final day they are available.

Croft’s open paddock policy and Sunday morning pit lane walkabout allows fans to get up close to the cars and grab a picture or two with the stars, making it a weekend of family fun.

Advance race day tickets are available at £11 for Saturday, June 18, and £24 for Sunday, June 19, with weekend passes at o£33. Accompanied children aged 15 and under are admitted free and grandstand seats costing an additional £8 are selling fast.

For further information or to buy tickets, call 01325 721815 or visit croftcircuit.co.uk.