Peugeot one-make rallying starts this week at the Esso Ultron Rallysprint at Silverstone.

The eight-round championship has attracted nearly 40 drivers, including Green Hammerton's Miles Johnston, 34, who has previously enjoyed a successful career in circuit racing single seaters.

He began his rallying career in 1991. That year, he finished second in the Peugeot 205 GTi 1600 championship, and two years later qualified as a Peugeot Master Works supported driver.

Three years later he contested the Peugeot 306 Challenge, and followed this by leading the 306 SI6 Challenge before having to withdraw from the remaining four rounds.

Jeremy Smith, the Breighton, Selby, driver who competed in the Formula Ford series last season, has jumped into F3 racing this season and will be competing in the first round of the Autosport F3 Championship at Donington, driving his Dallara F398 Spiess-Opel in the National Class.

Donington is also the venue for the first round of the BMW 4-Plus Championship, and this line-up will include York driver Peter Emson.

This is a new venture for Emson after racing in the Colourprint Saloon and Sportscar Championship staged at Croft last season.In Class C in his 325i, he faces the challenge of other 325is, M3 and M 535s. He is supported by his employers, Castle BMW, with fuel and tyres, and is seeking further sponsorship.

At the Croft circuit on Sunday, the British Rallycross Championship kicks off, with the Supercars and Modified classes replacing the original eight-class structure.

Defending champion Helmut Holdfeld will be there with his title-winning Peugeot 306.

Next weekend sees the only championship rally to be held in Yorkshire this year, the third round of the British Trials and Rally

Drivers Association Gold and Silver Star series. It is organised by North Humberside Motor Club and will be based in Hull.

The Peugeot Sport backed Gold Star event features cars in the two-wheel drive F2 category, while the Clear System Solution Silver Star series attracts the more powerful and four-wheel drive cars.

In addition to the main event, the rally's loose surface forest stages will also be covered by other crews contesting regional rally championships. The first cars are timed to leave Hull for the North Yorkshire forests at 8am on Saturday, March 27.

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