NORTH Yorkshire's leading drivers will be among the national line-up of stars battling for honours in tomorrow's Kall Kwik national rally.

Mintex national champion, Steve Petch, of Northallerton, driving his Ford Escort world rally car, is first away from Pickering at 10am.

Petch, who also plans to contest the British Rally Championship this year, is followed by the Subaru Impreza of 1998 Mintex Champion, Roger Duckworth.

Charlie Payne, winner of the recent Riponian Stages rally, will be keen to show off his local knowledge and good form in his Mitsubishi Evo 4.

Also back in the frame is Stamford Bridge driver Jonny Milner in the Toyota Celica GT4.

There are plenty of top class local drivers on show including Malton's Steve Bannister returning in his trusty Mk2 Ford Escort.

York's Andy Elliot wheels out his Metro 6R4 and another ex-national champion, Green Hammerton's Warren Philliskirk, will be taking his new Subaru to the limit to prove who is the best in North Yorkshire.

Spectator stages are at Gale Rigg with the first car expected at 10.29am, then on to Cropton for 10.55am, with the third stage at Dalby (follow the signposts from Forest Drive) at 12.47pm. The final forest stage is at Langdale at 13.29pm.

It will be Kall Kwik's eighth year of sponsorship of an event which began almost 40 years ago as the Seven Dales Rally.

The annual forest rally sees a change of format. Although there will be fewer road miles and forest stages, there will be more than 40-miles of forest to negotiate on longer stages.

Organised by De Lacy Motor Club, the event will start and finish at Pickering and take in the forests of Dalby, Cropton and Langdale.

Pickering's Market Place will be closed off, and the main service area will be nearby Flamingo Land.

Updated: 14:17 Saturday, February 17, 2001