Yorkshire's Jonny Milner in his Toyota Celica GT4 won the MEM Guitel Dalby Gravel Sprint by just 0.7 seconds from the event's sponsor Chris Mellors in his Ford Escort WRC.

Mellors, from Bakewell, in Derbyshire, and three-times Mintex National Champion was 'inch perfect' on the final run until he over shot a junction right at the end, losing about five seconds. Third overall was Ripon's dairy farmer Charlie Payne, in his Mitsubishi Evo 6.

Other local drivers on the event had mixed fortunes. Easingwold's Andrew Johnson failed to make the start in his Subaru Impreza when the gearbox blew on the way to the start, while Craig Dykes from Selby finished 12th and first in class in his over 21tr Escort Mk11. Pickering's Steve Magson finished 14th overall in his RWD Astra. But Bob Hammond from Sheriff Hutton was forced to retire early on when he hit some logs and bent his rear axle.

Updated: 11:54 Thursday, October 04, 2001