RUFFORTH driver Alistair Ginley gets his first taste of the United Kingdom's biggest annual sporting event when the Network Q Rally of Great Britain gets underway tomorrow.

Ginley, aged 22, will be joined by navigator Greg Haynes, 29, from Stamford, in the prestigious three-day race which this year is being held in Cardiff.

Ginley finished seventh in the recent Trackrod Rally Yorkshire and fifth in this year's Kall Kwik Rally.

He is one of several north Yorkshire drivers who will be going for glory in the highlight of the rally calendar, which doubles up as the 14th and final round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Green Hammerton's Miles Johnston, 36, and co-driver Mark Andrews from Chelmsford, will be taking part in the event for the second time. Johnston will forsake his normal Peugeot allegiance in favour of a Vauxhall Astra.

It is the first time the pair have entered the event as a team, having both competed last year with different partners.

Johnston, P&O Formula Ford champion in 1987 and 1989, was going well last year when he came to a fiery end within sight of the finish of the last stage.

At the time he was running just behind his new team-mate, Andrews, who finished second in his class alongside Kevin Furber.

It is the fifth attempt for Harrogate barrister Paul Kirtley, 41, and York's Simon Redhead who will both be driving Subaru Imprezas.

Redhead's best finish was 25th three years ago. He has failed to finish the last two because of mechanical problems.

This year hands a new challenge to 31-year-old Redhead and his Cardiff co-driver, Alan Thomas, as they will be up against the world's best in the A Group class.

They originally entered the A group because they expected to be in a more powerful car but that fell through. However, it was too late to switch to their usual N group so they must pit their wits in the top category.

"It means our overall position will be higher," explained Redhead, after his third day of reconnaissance in Cardiff yesterday.

"We will be able to go quicker. We would usually be fighting for a Group N category win but this time we will be going for overall position only. We will be fighting the likes of Colin McRae and Richard Burns for the victory.

"My car's nothing like their car - it's a Group N car with a slightly bigger restrictor. Everything is quite well down on theirs - it's only got a Group N engine - but the car is more fun to drive."

Redhead would be satisfied with a top 20 win, is aiming for top 15 but has not ruled out doing even better. "Top ten would be the ultimate. I would be doing cartwheels if that happened but it is a realistic hope," he added.

Peter Stephenson, 53, from Kepwick, near Thirsk, goes in his sixth Network Q in a Mitsubishi Lancer.

Steve Smith, 48, from South Otterington, Northallerton, and co-driver John Richardson, 39, also from Northallerton, will be in a modified Lancia Delta Integrale Evolution car.

A total of 150 drivers will be taking part in the three-day 938-mile rally.

Among them are Finland's Tommi Makinen and some of Britain's leading contenders - last year's winners, Richard Burns and Robert Reid, make up the Subaru World Rally team while Colin McRae and Nicky Grist represent Ford.

This year's event features 17 stages on roads around South and Mid-Wales.