STEVE Petch made it a hat-trick of titles in the Kall Kwik Rally when he returned to the forests of North Yorkshire on Sunday.

Having won the title in 1999 and 2001, Petch and his co-driver, John Richardson, from Northallerton, held off the challenges of 70 other crews to retain their crown.

Driving the newly-acquired ex-Kenneth Erikkson Hyundai World Rally Car, the duo, who were the 2000 Mintex National champions, crossed the finish line in Pickering Market Place clear of the second-placed team of Raymond Munro and Neil Ewing.

Shildon's Barry Johnson, who had teamed up with Peter Croft, had to settle for third spot.

The De Lacy Motor Club event took in stages around Pickering, Newclose, Dalby, Gale Rigg, Cropton and Staindale.

RESULTS

De Lacy Motor Club Kall Kwik National Rally 2002

Top 20 overall: 1 Steve Petch/John Richardson (Hyundai Accent WRC) 43:36, 2 Raymond Munro/Neil Ewing (Subaru Impreza) 43:59, 3 Barry Johnson/Peter Croft (Sabaru Impreza 555) 44:10, 4 Ryan Champion/Cliff Simmons (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO) 44:20, 5 Charlie Payne/Craig Thorley (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO) 44:35,

6 Brian Bell/Paul Morris (Ford Focus WRC) 44:44, 7 Steve Bannister/Julie Stephenson (Ford Escort) 45:18, 8 Andy Elliott/Graham Wilcock (MG Metro 6R4) 45:27, 9 David Brown/Paul Hudson (Ford Puma 4x4 EVO) 45:47, 10 Paul Benn/Richard Cooke (Ford Escort Cosworth) 46:06,

11 Richard Watts/Christine Parling (Ford Escort Cosworth) 46:21, 12 Jeremy Nolan/Paul Nolan (Mitsubishi EVO V) 46:47, 13 Callum Guy/Fred Bell (Mitsubishi EVO VI) 47:10, 14 Richard Hill/Daniel Stone (Ford Sierra) 47:12, 15 Darell Staniforth/Mick Johnson (Mitsubishi EVO 3) 47:20,

16 John Bannister/Plug Pulleyn (Ford Sapphire Cosworth) 47:22, 17 Alan Millard/Chris Dewsnap (Mitsubishi EVO 3) 47:29, 18 Shaun Woffinden/Martin Carter (Subaru Impreza) 47:51, 19 Pat Johnson/GrahamHarper (Subaru Impreza WRXRA) 48:23, 20 Stuart Adamson/John Adamson (Ford Escort MkII) 48:31.

Class A1: 1 Alan Richardson/Christopher Roe, 2 Mark Simpson/Kevin Bardon 3 Jonathan Atack/David Atack

Class A2: 1 Paul McMullan/Jane Cowling, 2 Luke Pinder/Andy Shaw, 3 Rob Pilcher/Roger Burkill

Class A3: 1 Steve Bannister/Julie Stephenson, 2 Paul Daniel/Alec Warters, 3 Chris Leeming/Raymond Guy

Class A4: 1 Stuart Adamson/John Adamson, 2 Steve Magson/Geoff Atkinson

Class A5: 1 Ryan Champion/Cliff Simmons, 2 Charlie Payne/Craig Thorley, 3 Brian Bell/Paul Morris.

Two-wheel Drive: 1 Nick Cook/Stephen Robson

First on First Stage Rally: Christopher Draycott/Stephen Peake

First mixed crew: Richard Watts/Christine Parling

First De Lacy crew: Martyn Hawkswell/Nick Welch

Updated: 11:55 Monday, February 18, 2002