In what many people are describing as the best one yet, the 2012 Roger Albert Clark Rally was settled by just 17 seconds when Martin McCormack and Phil Clarke overhauled Steve Bannister and Kevin Rae on the penultimate stage of the rally.

The pace of the two Ford Escort Mk2s crews thrilled thousands of fans as they battled furiously from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. Bannister took the advantage in Yorkshire despite an early puncture, but McCormack chased relentlessly and really turned up the pressure on Sunday, the toughest day of the rally with a whopping 85 stage miles.

McCormack closed in for the kill in the pair of stages in Craik and grabbed the lead with only the concluding 17-mile Kershope stage to run. Then, a mile from the finish, Bannister had a quick spin and the result was finally settled.

What a battle, said Irish ace McCormack. Its been unreal and it is incredible to finally win this rally. Bannister had given his all. I didnt expect to live with him: in the end he just pushed that bit harder, said Bannister.

Will Onions and John Millington survived a last stage gearbox drama to take third as others hit dramas, including Matthew Robinson and Mick Gilby who had been running third until a fuel drama put them out on Sunday morning.

The irrepressible Bob Bean and Malcolm Smithson topped Category 1 in their Lotus Cortina, winning by 18 minutes after a faultless drive. In the Open section of the rally, Martyn Hawkswell and Nick Welch repeated their 2011 win in their Ford Escort Mk2 after pacesetters Allan McDowall and Gavin Heseltine crashed out.

At the awards evening, rally manager Colin Heppenstall paid tribute to all those who work so hard to make the event work as well as to the thousands of fans who help to make this the best rally of the year.