Clive Wheeler goes head to head with rival David Bateson as the Volkswagen Polo Rally Challenge reaches a grandstand finish at the Banbury Rally this weekend.

Wheeler, from Albourne, is battling with Bateson to decide who will wear the champion's crown.

At stake is a superb prize - a road-going Volkswagen Polo GTI worth £14,000 - and the honour of emerging on top in what is the UK's most keenly fought one-make rally series.

Bateson reduced Wheeler's series lead to just ten points last Saturday with a dominant Polo Challenge class win, this time on the all-tarmac Jim Clark Memorial Rally in the Scottish Borders.

Bateson and his co-driver Guy Carlisle took the lead on the first of the 13 special stages and held it all the way.

Wheeler, who is backed by Volkswagen retailer Rycliff, was pleased to have finished second with his Hurstpierpoint co-driver Ken Bartram, 1m 45s behind Bateson.

Wheeler said: "It's been quite easy, although slippery and unpredictable the whole rally. Now we have to concentrate on the final rally and making sure we get to the finish safely."

Wheeler and Bartram have only won twice this season but have racked up their championship leading points tally with a further four second-place finishes.

CRAWLEY teenager Ollie Merrilees produced a strong finish to the season which bodes well for next year.

In the final MRO Superstock meeting of the season at Brands Hatch, Merrilees qualifyed 12th on his 600cc Yamaha, which was impressive as he was up against mainly 1000cc machines.

In the race, Merilees finished 15th, which made him the fastest 600cc rider in the race.

He said: "I could not believe how fast these bigger machines were coming past me. They were so fast that the series is to be dropped next season as they are doing the same times as the Powerbikes which are finely tuned machines on slick tyres."

The previous day Merrilees produced his best performance of the season in the first race of the BEMSEE series meeting.

The Langley Green youngster, starting 35th on the grid in the Clubman 600 class, finished second.

In race two, Merrilees suffered from suspension problems and pulled off.

Next year the Dot.Com Racing team, run by Ollie's father Paul, will be running two machines, both Yamaha R6s. The team are looking for sponsors for the 2002 series, which will be televised. Contact Paul Merrilees on 01293 407823.

HOVE karting Sean Tomsett made a superb start to the Winter Championship at Lydd with victories in the first two heats starting from second and sixth on the grid respectively.

That put Tomsett, 17, in pole position for the final and he held off all opponents to claim an excellent triumph.