MOTORSPORT fireworks are expected on November 4 when a full field of 90 cars will take on the MEM Malton Forest Rally in North Yorkshire.

The event - a joint promotion between Malton Motor Club and Clitheroe Motor Club - has been oversubscribed, with six reserves waiting in the wings in case of withdrawals.

Indeed, it is the highest entry ever received for the MEM-backed rally and is evidence of the high regard held by competitors from all over the country for Malton MC events.

The teams will tackle six special stages on Forestry Commission roads in Cropton, Gale Rigg and Langdale forests in.

Entries have come from the British and BTRDA champion Matt Edwards, runner-up in the BTRDA series Stephen Petch, and Ollie Mellors, in the soon to be homologated Proton Iriz R5. They will give strong opposition to reigning champion, Charlie Payne, from Ripon, who returns to defend his title.

Two-wheel drive cars will lead the field away from the start from the Municipal Car Park at Thornton le Dale at 8.30am on Sunday.

There is a superb field in this category, including Edwards, from North Wales, who forsakes his usual Fiesta R5 for a ride in the Malton-built Fiat 131 as used by the works Fiat teams in the RAC rallies in the 1970s.

Ripon highway engineer Matthew Robinson will compete in his historic spec Ford Escort Mk II guided by Sam Collis. They are recent winners of the Trackrod Historic Cup.

They will be followed by legendary local potato farmer Steve Bannister guided by Callum Atkinson from Scotland.

In the four-wheel drive category, last year's winner, dairy owner Payne, will bring his Fiesta at number one, co-driven by Carl Williamson. Payne has won the event for the last three years so is hoping to continue the trend.

Also aiming high is Mellors, the son of Chris Mellors, who owns event sponsor MEM (Mellors Elliot Motorsport). The company specialises in preparing works cars for Far East manufacturer Proton and the car Mellors junior will be driving is an Iriz R5 which is expected to be homologated for international competition on December 1. It is also the car that put up the fastest time on the Goodwood Festival of Speed rally stage this year.

BTRDA runner-up Petch, from Durham, with Michael Wilkinson alongside, will be in a WD40-sponsored Fiesta WRC.

The field is littered with a host of regional drivers including Le Mans winner Guy Smith in a Fiesta R5, Peter Stephenson in an Able UK Focus WRC, Steve Magson, from Pickering, in his unusual Mercedes 190, Ian Jemison, from York, in his Porsche Boxster, and Nick Cook, from Lealholm, in his very quick MkI Escort.

A full entry list is available at www.maltonforestrally.co.uk together with live online results during the day.

Spectators will be catered for with two car parks in both Cropton and Gale Rigg forests. No spectator facilities are available at Langdale.

Car parks will be arrowed from the public road near Stape going north from Newton upon Rawcliffe. This will give access to one of the Cropton car parks and two at Gale Rigg further north. The other Cropton car park is at Spiers House just north of Cropton Village on the road to Rosedale.

The charge for car parking will be £10 per car with a proportion of the proceeds going to local charities.

Spectators are asked to drive slowly and considerately through any villages, particularly Newton upon Rawcliffe, Cropton and Stape.