STARS of both Moto GP and World Superbikes will be heading for Northallerton over the next few weeks when the North Yorkshire Road Racing Supporters Club hosts a series of chat shows in the town.

This Tuesday sees Spanish works Marlboro Yamaha Moto GP rider Carlos Checa, fresh from a superb third place in last weekend's Dutch TT, visit Elders Bar with his team manager Geoff Crust.

Checa, originally from Barcelona, has recently acquired a property in Great Ayton, not far from Crust's Redcar home, and the pair of them will be on hand to tell fans about life in the Moto GP class prior to the British Grand Prix at Donington Park next weekend.

It will be Checa's second visit to the club, having drawn a record crowd two years ago, and a bumper turnout is expected once again to see the rider who currently lies third in the world championship.

Just two weeks later, on July 23, it's the turn of the world superbike elite when former world champion Colin Edwards will be at Club Amadeus for the Honda Night With The Stars.

The American also proved a big hit when he visited the town after clinching the 2000 world title and, despite currently lying in second place in the standings behind Aussie Troy Bayliss, he is still very much a force aboard his SP2 1000cc superbike.

The annual event, co-ordinated by club founder and former Northallerton resident Chris Herring, who acts as Honda Racing Corporation's public relations and marketing manager, has in the past seen such luminaries as Carl Fogarty and Neil Hodgson grace the Northallerton night club.

This year's event will also include Australian Karl Muggeridge and Britain's John McGuinness, who race for Honda in the World Supersport Championship.

British Eurosport commentator Jack Burnicle will compere the evening, which will include a raffle and an auction as well as the traditional forum and chat show.

The third of the summer bonanzas takes place at Elders on August 27, when MonsterMob Ducati stars Steve Hislop and Stuart Easton will be live on stage.

Hislop currently leads the British Superbike Championship and Easton the UK Supersport class and the pair will be hoping to have made some good progress towards their respective titles at the previous day's August bank holiday meeting at Cadwell Park.

The club is hard at work securing other star guests who are likely to appear at the trio of summer shows, with all proceeds being donated to local competitors as a means of sponsorship.

Admission is just £5 at Elders and £6 at Club Amadeus for adults, with accompanied children £1. More details are available from Sue Symons on 01904 339647.

* Paul Gibson from Maltby was the star of the show at the recent BRSCC Car races held at Croft circuit. The GPC Motorsports driver made up for spinning out of the opening national supersports championship race with a superb win in race two in his Nemesis RME02, setting fastest laps in both races just for good measure.

In the VSR 6 championship, Darlington's Keith Penman powered his way to sixth in his Penman Cars 2.9 litre Toovey and local honour was upheld in the Lodge Sports Porsche 924 championship with Guisborough driver Alyn Robson following up his ninth place finish in leg one with a superb sixth in race two. Alistair Reed from Stockton claimed a pair of ninths in the same class.

The ever-popular Northern Saloon and Sports Car championship saw another packed grid with notable performances from Winlaton's George Tweddle, who took sixth overall and second in class C driving his Ford Zetec, and Durham driver Simon Blanckley, who followed him home in his 1900cc Thompson's Peugeot.

Eighth overall was the class A Porsche 924 of David Botterill from Stockton, while Darlington's David Cox claimed a class D victory on his way to a superb tenth overall driving his Honda Civic.

l The annual Auto 66 Club Bike Week festivities get underway on Sunday at Oliver's Mount, Scarborough.

The week-long festival starts at 11am with a round of the British Super Moto Championship combined with a stunt show, followed by a live band and the resplendent Parade of 1000 Bikes around the sea front from 7pm.

Tuesday sees the Super Cracker Motocross taking place, with practice from 4.30pm and racing from 6.30. On Wednesday, a Sprint commences at 11am, while Thursday's action revolves around the spectacular Hill Climb course, again starting at 11am.

The climax to the week is the popular Cock o'the North road races, which take place on both days next weekend and will see the likes of TT winners Ian Lougher and David Jefferies vying for honours around the narrow parkland circuit.

Throughout the week there will be parades of classic and vintage bikes, as well as the biker's village campsite featuring a disco and late bar on Friday as well as live music on Saturday. For more details call the eventline on 01723 500653.

* Local competitors on two, three and four wheels have been busy up and down the country in recent weeks, recording considerable success along the way.

Bedale sidecar aces Mark Allison and Mark Pickering were in action at the recent Derby Phoenix MCC Championship at Cadwell Park, taking a hat-trick of wins aboard their 1000cc Windle Yamaha.

The pair took victory in both F1 races before adding the Neil Miles Trophy and, but for a mystery electrical problem which sidelined them with a 15-second lead in their fourth outing, the pair would have emerged with a brilliant quadruple win.

Scotton's Greg Lambert and passenger Ivan Murray took a well-deserved eighth place aboard their 600cc Tee Bee DMR Yamaha at round four of the ACU/FSRA Formula 2 Sidecar Championship held at Snetterton after some spirited riding following a poor start.

Fifteen-year-old Barry Burrell from Bishop Auckland continues to be one of the major players in the Aprilia RS125 Superteen series. He followed up a second and third place at the previous round at Snetterton by setting pole position at the most recent round at Brands Hatch. However, the youngster couldn't capitalise on his first pole of the year and crashed out on lap five to dent his championship challenge.

Driving his 4.5 TVR 350I, Moulton solicitor Simon Cole scorched to a class victory at the recent Carnaby Sprint held at RAF Leconfield near Beverley.

Aiskew stock car racer Paul Broatch emerged with a best result of fifth place in the heats at the recent BRISCA F2 Championship event held at Barford Raceway, near Barnard Castle.

The part-time rallycrosser went on to score a fourth place finish in the final and followed that up with a similar result in the grand national