TOMORROW'S Dalby gravel sprint car rally promises an event of some drama.

With drivers desperate to get behind the wheel again following the lifting of the foot and mouth restrictions this event, organised by Malton Motor Club, has not only brought out the home-turf drivers, but also several from other parts of the country.

It has also been brought forward from its earlier scheduled November dateline because it would have clashed with the famous Jim Clark Memorial Rally staged in the Borders.

The sprint, four miles of forest gravel track through the Pickering forests, will see the competitors first driving three rounds clockwise and then three anti-clockwise, with the major spectator area the Wood Yard. The first car away is set for 9am.

Mellors and Elliot Motorsport and Guitel Castors are the rally sponsors.

Drivers to watch out for include Johnny Milner (Fridaythorpe) in his world rally Celica which he is expected to share with Mark Higgins, the Volkswagen/Vauxhall rally driver.

The 30-year-old Manxman Higgins, who now lives in Wales, was 1994 British Junior Rally Champion with Honda and 1997 British Rally Champion with Nissan.

In 1999 he drove for Volkswagen in the Rally of Great Britain and took the Formula 2 title and last year he retained the title in a Vauxhall.

He has also taken third and one fourth on World Championship events in a Nissan. This year he was due to rally a Malcolm Wilson prepared Ford Focus RS World Rally Car in the British Championship - but foot and mouth put paid to his fun.

Other notable North Yorkshire entries for the Dalby outing include Warren Philliskirk (Green Hammerton) in his world rally Subaru Impreza, Craig Dykes (Hemingbrough) in the Ford Escort Mark II, Angus Waudby (Haxby) in the Simpson Salvage-sponsored Escort Mk I, Mick Ploughman (Wigginton) in a Escort Mk II, Bob Hammond (Sheriff Hutton) also in a Mk I Escort, and Steve Morgan (Pickering) in the Vauxhall Astra rear-wheel drive.

Also in the line-up is Richard Watts, the Bridlington-based ex-British rally cross champion, driving his Escort Cosworth.

Updated: 12:01 Saturday, September 29, 2001