There can only be one Pirelli British Rally Champion (or, more accurately, two, as we must never forget that other often overlooked but vital component of a successful crew - the co-driver), so this weekend it was inevitable that one of the teams fighting neck and neck for the prestigious British title would be ecstatic, and the other thoroughly dejected at the end.

So, by the time the field arrived back at York racecourse on Sunday afternoon after 110 competitive stage miles, it was Yorkshire's own Jonny Milner and regular Welsh co-driver Nicky Beech who were clearly the ecstatic ones.

Milner and Beech were also the popular overall winners of this final official round of the PBRC, beating Julian Reynolds / Ieuan Thomas (Impreza WRC) into second place by over 44 seconds. In third place were Steve Petch / John Richardson in their Hyundai Accent WRC Evolution 2. Petch and Reynolds had enjoyed a fantastic scrap throughout the event, with Reynolds finally getting ahead on the penultimate stage and winning the battle by just five seconds. Although Steve had admitted early on Saturday morning that ''these stages are too fast for an old b****r like me'', he certainly convinced everyone that there's still some life, and a fair amount of skill, still left in him.

In the 1600 Category, Gwyndaf Evans / Chris Patterson, giving their usual Ulster-winning MG ZR another outing, took over after Dale's demise, beating Guy Wilkes / Roger Herron (Ford Puma) into second pace after a typically dogged drive plagued by mechanical problems which included two gearbox changes. Third was the S-Mac crew of Kris Meeke and Glenn Patterson in another Puma, Kris also wrapping up the British Junior Drivers' Championship after another consistent performance.

In the Production (Group N) category, Phil Morgan / Martin Douglas (Impreza WRX) were the winners from the Nolan brothers - Jeremy and Paul. Leon Pesticcio / Howard Davies were the unlucky ones. They had been the quickest Group N runners until a roll on stage 5 dropped them from an excellent fifth overall to 22nd. They then set a string of fast times but failed to make the finish after a driveshaft broke on stage 11.

Before all the drama unfolded, there had been much to talk about as the PBRC circus moved up to Yorkshire to contest the last round in the 2002 PBRC Drivers' and Co-Drivers' Championship. For many it was a welcome return to gravel stages, and an exciting prospect considering the challenges to be faced in the famous North Yorkshire forests of Cropton, Langdale and Dalby. Some of the season's contests had already been resolved: Jonny Milner had won the A8 championship class; Justin Dale the Super 1600 category; Peugeot was triumphant in the Manufacturers' Championship; and David Higgins had taken the Production Cup. But the really big title was still very much open - and tantalisingly close, with Dale leading Milner by just one point when their lowest scores had been deducted. So the important question was: who would be the 2002 Pirelli British Rally Champions?

Milner and Dale are both cool characters, outwardly at least, but both must have found it supremely difficult to keep their jangling nerves under control as they lined up for the first stage at 8am on Saturday morning - the first of a series of spectator stages at the Pickering Showground. On paper, at least Milner didn't have Andrew Nesbitt or any other serious rival to spoil his points haul on this event, but Dale must have been concerned with Gwyndaf Evans' late entry, especially after Gwyndaf's storming performance on the Ulster.

But as so often happens - especially in this unpredictable sport we all love - the end wasn't quite as the script intended: a real battle right up the final stage. As Milner stamped his authority on the event form the start, poor Justin Dale and Andrew Bargery experienced a terminal engine failure in their works Peugeot 206 Super 1600 half-way through the second timed stage.

''We were on the rev-limiter in 6th gear when the car suddenly started losing power and pulling to the right,'' said a desperately unhappy Dale. ''I changed down to 5th, then oil began to pour out of the engine and onto the windscreen. This was followed by clouds of thick smoke and then flames, so we quickly stopped, baled out and put the fire out. Clearly the engine had suffered a catastrophic failure, so any chance of challenging Jonny evaporated on the spot.'' (The incident was clearly captured by Dale's Greenlight Television in-car camera, as the windscreen mists up and he punches the dashboard in terrible frustration).