STEVE Johnson is glad that motorsport is turning its attention to little cars, and little budgets.

The Accrington firefighter said the cost of stage rallying was beginning to price some drivers out of the market.

That is why he is delighted to be involved in a championship specifically for 1000cc rally cars.

"Stage rallying costs were spiralling out of control, but this championship has been devised as an effort to put the club man back into rallying," Johnson said.

"Cars can only be 1000cc engines and can't be tweaked.

"Already there are over 20 cars competing in that class which, for the first year, is quite good.

"You can only use tyres by one manufacturer, which cost £31 per tyre.

"Mine have already done four and a half events, and compared to some that's good going and pretty cheap.

"The whole idea of this championship is to focus on driving skills, not how much money you've got."

Johnson, who is currently lying second in the championship, races his white Nissan Micra at the Weeton Stages on Sunday in a non-spectator event.

He is already leading the overall championships and the Association of North Western Car Clubs' stage managing championship. Should he finish in the top two and leader Matt Davis end way down the pack, Johnson could also go to the top of the pile in the eighth round of the proposed 10-round 1000cc class.