RAPIDLY rising rally star Guy Wilks overcame a lack of four-wheel drive experience as well as some top quality competitors to land an amazing victory on last weekend's Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally in Kielder Forest.

The 23-year-old from Heighington, who is contesting this year's Junior World Rally Championship as well as the Pirelli Kwik Fit British Championship in a Suzuki Ignis, decided to enter the event for some much-needed practice in readiness for the opening round of the British series which takes place in the same region next month.

Along with Welsh co-driver Phil Pugh, he seconded Steve Petch's 2002 Hyundai Accent WRC into action for the Jedburgh-based event, his first in a four-wheel drive car.

Wilks stormed to victory ahead of defending Scottish champion Raymond Munro, with former title holder Barry Johnson from Shildon a distant third in his newly-acquired Subaru Impreza WRC.

Overnight storms and heavy rain had left the roads in the Kielder forest complex awash with rivers of running water, with the opening stage being particularly bad.

However, Wilks emerged from the Wauchope test some eight seconds to the good over Munro, with Johnson fourth fastest.

Munro clawed a couple of seconds back in SS2 before Wilks extended his lead to nine seconds on the Wainhope stage as Johnson, in the ex-Petter Solberg 2003 car, hung on to the leaders, albeit nearly a minute adrift.

Neither Munro nor Johnson had any answer to Wilks as he continued his charge in Chirdonhead before increasing his advantage to 38 seconds at the end of the final Riccarton test.

Bishop Auckland driver Tristan Pye brought his JPM Subaru home in 15th place overall, with Pickhill's Matt Yeadon and co-driver Richard Shores from Boltby claiming 27th overall in their DSM-prepared Nu Era Mitsubishi.

Four places further back was Morton on Swale garage proprietor Charlie Taylor, who recorded fourth in class in his Ford Escort Mk 2, while Ingleton driver Tony Thompson suffered problems to end up a disappointing 47th overall in the MSR-prepared Tidybike Mitsubishi he shared with Northallerton's Ian Windress.

SS2 proved to be the downfall for four other local crews who ended up retiring on the same stage, including Hamsterley's Stephen Petch and co-driver Michael Wilkinson from Tow Law in their SGP Motorsport Peugeot, West Rounton driver Chris Blake and co-driver Tony Walker from Mickleton (NTB Ford Escort Cosworth), Consett driver Barry Renwick (Subaru) and the Birtley pairing of Kevin and Keith Knox (Ford Sierra).

* Thirsk sidecar driver Tony Williams and passenger Peter Hill, from Leyburn, were on top form at Croft last weekend, taking the chequered flag in both open races at the first of the North East Motorcycle Racing Club's championship meetings.

But their joy was tempered by the fact they were adjudged to have jumped the start in the opening race, resulting in a 20-second penalty which relegated them to third.

The pair made amends by coming from the back of the field in the final race to take a comfortable win aboard their 1000cc Suzuki outfit and take the lead in the series.

After the whole of Saturday's programme had been abandoned due to high winds and driving rain, the organisers did well to get a full complement of races in on Sunday.

The feature race was the Laird of Croft trophy, which saw Scotsman Les Shand take a comfortable victory on his 1000cc Suzuki.

Sunniside's Colin Gelston took a best result of sixth in the F600 race on his Suzuki, while Chester le Street rider Dave Bell claimed a second place in the 1300cc open event on his Suzuki.

Keith Taylor from Crook took a victory in the F400 class on his Yamaha, with Ripon's Jason Dobson doing likewise on his 125cc Honda in the 125GP class.

Bedlington ace Ian Bell took a close win over Midlander Roy Hanks in the opening round of the National F2 Sidecar Championship, while Scotton driver Greg Lambert ended up with a pair of retirements to compound a miserable weekend for him.

* After a long and eventful winter, the Darlington-based HBR road racing team made their way to Snetterton in Norfolk for the first round of the MRO Championships with rider Richie Harrison hoping for a good start to the season.

With gale force winds sweeping the ex-airfield circuit, conditions were extremely difficult on Saturday and Harrison struggled to a 16th place on his recently-acquired Yamaha R1 before the meeting was abandoned when a bridge suffered structural damage.

Sunday dawned with slightly better weather and, after a positive practice session, Harrison lined up 25th on the grid for the opening round of the MRO Powerbike Championship.

After a first-lap sort out which saw him in 21st position, Harrison made his way through the field to take 18th place at the flag with consistent lap times which were on average two seconds a lap better than they had been all weekend.

Harrison is now looking forward to round two at his local Croft track next weekend. In the meantime, he returns to Snetterton again this weekend for the first rounds of the Derby Phoenix MCC Club Championships.

* The Willingham's Recovery North Humberside Forest Rally gets under way tomorrow morning with a capacity entry set to tackle the classic Yorkshire stages which comprise round three of the BTRDA Championship.

Series leader Graham Middleton will be a major threat in his Hyundai Accent WRC, but the Welshman can expect a stiff local challenge headed by three-times winner Warren Philliskirk from York in his MG Metro 6R4.

Also in with a shout will be Leeming's Kevin Procter and his Northallerton co-driver Mick Gilby, who have made a great start to their BTRDA title bid with top ten finishes on the opening two rounds in Gloucestershire and the Lake District.

With a victory to their credit in the Yorkshire forests already this year in the shape of the Riponian Rally, the Motoscope Subaru Impreza pairing are expected to challenge for overall honours.

Winner of the Kall Kwik National Rally last month, Ryan Champion from Castleton will team up with regular co-driver Cliff Simmons as he guns for victory in the same forests at the wheel of his Mitsubishi Lancer.

Ripon driver Charlie Payne and co-driver Craig Thorley from York will also hope to challenge for honours in their Hyundai Accent WRC.

With Helmsley's Martyn Harrison also in action in his MG Metro 6R4 along with Bishop Auckland driver Tristan Pye (Subaru), the battle is sure to be intense.

Other locals to look out for include Tim Johnson from Welbury and his Barnard Castle co-driver Tony Walker (Subaru), Lealholm's Nick Cook (Mitsubishi) and Finghall driver Errol Bairstow (Ford Cosworth).

Great Broughton's Jonny Brown will be behind the wheel of a Ford Puma on the 45-stage mile event, with another two-wheel drive challenge coming from Ripon pairing Nick Dale and Kevin Hare in their Talbot Sunbeam.

From the start in Hull, the route takes competitors out to Scarborough and a trip around the motorcycle race track at Oliver's Mount before heading on to the gravel tracks of the forests around Pickering for the majority of competitive mileage before returning to the finish in Willerby.

Spectator information. - Start: 8.30am Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Willerby. SS1: 10am Oliver's Mount. SS4: 12.50 Dalby (access via Low Dalby Forest Drive). SS6: 1.55 Cropton (access via Cropton village and parking at Spiers House caravan park. Finish: 4.15 Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Willerby. Forestry Commission car park charges of £5 per car will apply.

* The British Superbike Championship roars into life this weekend when the opening round of the 13-round series gets under way at Silverstone on Sunday.

Local hopes rest with Superbike Cup rider Dennis Hobbs from Guisborough, who was runner-up in last season's Privateer Cup following a huge crash in the penultimate race. The 21-year-old will be out to go one better this season on his Hobbs Racing Suzuki.

Also in action will be Middlesbrough teenager Paul Veazey, who rides for the JR Motosport team in the British Supersport Championship, and Russell Hodgson from Hutton Rudby, who goes for glory in the Yamaha R6 Cup