SCORTON'S Steve Petch emerged with a superb runner-up placing on last weekend's Mutiny Rally, based in Llandidrod Wells, which comprised the fourth round of the KUMHO National Rally Championship.

But the SGP Motorsport Hyundai Accent WRC driver and his co-driver John Richardson from Northallerton were made to work hard for their result, which boosted them to joint third in the championship standings.

Third fastest on the opening stage, the 2000 champions were soon embroiled in a titanic scrap with a host of series regulars as positions chopped and changed in the opening half of the rally.

Petch clawed his way up from fifth to third as the crews tackled SS7 with just one second separating them from the previous round winner David Mann in his Subaru.

Petch held on to third and gradually increased his advantage before his cause was aided when second-placed driver Bob Ceen exited on SS10, allowing the Yorkshire pairing to move into second position.

Going into the final stage, Petch's advantage over Mann stood at just eight seconds, but a determined drive through the six-mile Cefn test saw Petch and Richardson set fastest time to increase their advantage over Mann to 13 seconds.

The pair finished just 34 seconds down on winner Roger Duckworth (Subaru) from Towcester, with Norfolk mushroom farmer Mann in third to maintain his championship lead.

Another North Yorkshire driver, Martyn Harrison, also moved up the standings when his sixth place finish saw him overtake early series leader Andy Burton, whose radical Peugeot Cosworth succumbed to gearbox problems on the event.

Harrison, from Nunnington near Helmsley, had enlisted Easingwold's Plug Pulleyn for the event and, despite a very steady start which had them down in 24th after SS1, the pair climbed the leaderboard throughout the day in their immaculate Pete Sleights-prepared MG Metro 6R4.

Ingleton's Tony Thompson continued his hectic schedule with another solid performance in his Tidybike Mitsubishi Lancer to take 13th overall. With Northallerton co-driver Ian Windress alongside, he ended up third in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Challenge to move into third place in the series, just one point behind current second-placed driver Paul Alexander.

Pickhill driver Matt Yeadon was giving his Nu Era Ford Cosworth a rare outing and ended up in a battling 20th overall after problems on the opening three stages had him and co-driver Richard Shores, from Boltby, down in 34th place overall.

But Ripon's Charlie Payne retired from his second successive event when a wheel sheared on the Subaru he was sharing with Craig Thorley.

Harrogate driver Tim Pearcey and co-driver Mick Johnson, from Thirsk, were setting the pace in the Clubman's event when they had to retire their Ford Escort on the second stage.

The series now takes a ten-week break before action recommences in mid-August with the Swansea Bay Stages Rally.

KUMHO National Championship standings after four rounds: 1 David Mann 83 points; 2 Martyn Harrison 67; 3 Andy Burton 60; 4 Steve Petch 60; 5 Brendan Crealey 58; 6 Roger Duckworth 43.

l Moulton sprint racer Simon Cole was in action at Carnaby Two near Leconfield over the recent bank holiday weekend, contesting rounds of the Yorkshire Sprint and Hillclimb Championship as well as the Nottingham Sports Car Speed Championship.

Although there was only limited opposition in the over 2000cc road-going saloon and sports car class, Cole was successful in claiming his first class victory of the year.

He won by a margin of more than eight seconds in his trusty 4.6 litre TVR 350i convertible, gaining a 1.8-second improvement on his previous personal best time at the venue.

The result also meant a maximum points score for the Yorkshire Sprint and Hillclimb Championship run by Auto 66. Cole's next event is on June 28 at Aintree.

* Darlington road racing brothers Richard and Jonathan Harrison have recently secured help in the form of a caravan loaned by local dealership, High Grange Leisure, who are also Royal Enfield dealers. They are currently building a road race machine which will be out on the track soon.

Currently, Jonathan leads the Auto 66 Club Sound of Thunder Championship aboard the Adrenalin-sponsored Buell Firebolt and holds second after the recent round of the New Era SuperClub Honda CB500 series.

Elder brother Richard made the switch to a 1000cc Yamaha R1 at the start of the season and, after impressing in the early stages of the season at club level, has moved on to the prestigious National Superstock Championship.

Last time out at Knockhill, Richard was inside the top 20 during Friday qualifying but two crashes in the inclement weather conditions on Saturday put paid to his chances of making the grid. But he hopes to be out at the next round at Brands Hatch in two weeks time.

* Sixteen-year-old Bishop Auckland rider Barry Burrell continues to improve after another sterling performance in the most recent round of the BMW Motorrad Boxer Cup held at Le Mans in France, where he emerged as top British rider in the international series.

In only his third ever race aboard a four-stroke, Burrell rode a calculated race in difficult, damp conditions to take fifth place at the end of the 16-lap race.

The runner-up in last year's Aprilia RS125 Superteen series now lies in eighth place after rounds at Daytona, USA and Oulton Park as well as in France. The next round takes place this weekend at Mugello in Italy.

* Easingwold's Steve Webster notched up his second win of the Superside World Championship at Oschersleben in Germany last weekend to move to within 11 points of leader Klaus Klaffenbck going into his home round next weekend at Silverstone.