THIS WAS THE BIGG ONE!

DROMARA'S Stuart Biggerstaff, who only started rallying less than 12 months ago, has secured the 2010 Hankook MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship title!

While Banbridge's Kenny McKinstry and Noel Orr won Saturday's F&M Contracts Down Rally, fifth overall for 22-year-old Biggerstaff and navigator Anthony Nestor was enough to seal another maximum points haul, putting the title beyond reach of their rivals.

In winning the title, Biggerstaff has become the youngest ever champion, beating the previous record held by 2008 champion, Connor McCloskey, by four months.

It is also the first time in the series history that a father and son have both claimed the championship laurels. Just nine years ago, Stuart's father, Denis, secured his second Northern Ireland Championship title.

"I can't believe it!" a jubilant Biggerstaff said after the event. "It will take a while to sink in! Twelve months ago I could never have imagined winning the Hankook Northern Ireland Rally Championship.

"I have to say a big ‘thank you' to everybody who has helped throughout the year!"

The hunt for the 2010 title had become a two horse race, as Stuart Biggerstaff went head to head with Mark Donnelly. Such was the close competition, the two young hopefuls finished equal fourth at September's Bushwhacker Rally.

It was Donnelly who claimed maximum championship points on that occasion, courtesy of his faster time on the opening stage of the event. That left Biggerstaff needing maximum points at Saturday's F&M Contracts Down Rally to stay in with a chance of sealing the title, but again it was Donnelly who was quickest out of the blocks.

Second behind rally leader Kenny McKinstry after stages one and two, Donnelly was really making life difficult for Kinallen's Biggerstaff, who had been knocked out of his stride after clipping a tree stump on stage two.

But there was also trouble just around the corner for Donnelly, as his Mitsubishi Lancer ran out of petrol before arriving at first service!

He had to call for help, and was towed into the service park. Outside assistance is not permitted in rallying, and Donnelly was later awarded a 10 minute penalty as a result.

The penalty dropped him to the bottom of the results tables, while Biggerstaff and navigator Anthony Nestor assumed fourth overall and the top points scoring position in their Subaru Impreza WRC.

Suddenly, the championship battle was swinging in Biggerstaff's favour but he still had to secure maximum points and hope that Donnelly failed to score to wrap up the 2010 title ahead of the final round.

The odds were certainly swinging in Biggerstaff's favour, but his hopes of success almost went up in smoke during the sixth stage - literally!

A blown turbo towards the end of the test filled his Impreza with smoke, and the crew lost more than 30 seconds. They limped to the finish and managed to reach service in the nick of time.

"My heart sank when that happened," Biggerstaff admitted. "I thought it was all over. When we got back into service, we checked the oil level and there was no oil on the dipstick."

With another turbo borrowed from Kenny McKinstry, Biggerstaff's Subaru was restored to full health, and he went back on the attack through the final two stages.

Second among the Hankook championship registered crews, Biggerstaff had to regain the number one position to seal the title. He swiped one second out of Cyril Doherty and Vinnie Boyd on stage seven, leaving five seconds between the two crews going into the final stage.

Another massive push through the final test saw Biggerstaff take an impressive 11 seconds out of his rivals, promoting him into fifth overall.

He also regained the top points scoring position, and with rival Mark Donnelly finishing out of the points, Biggerstaff and Nestor sealed the 2010 Hankook MSA Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship title with one round remaining.