STRENSALL speedster Mike Cutt is back in pole position.

Three years after winning the Northern Sports and Saloon Car Championship, he again seized the silverware.

But unlike his triumph in 2011, second time around it was a far more tight and tense tussle.

The 32-year-old, who is a member of the Darlington & District Motror Club, stormed home for his first success in which he amassed a huge and unassailable lead.

But in repeating the feat in his standard engine BMW Mk III machine, the 42-year-old Cutt was locked in an up close and personal battle with Scotland's Andrew Manning.

"Andrew has been my nemesis over the past season. It's been him winning, then I won, then him, then me - it's been very hard racing between us all year," said Cutt.

"But while it has been a competitive rivalry, it's been very friendly as well."

The NSSC championship comprised 14 rounds raced on testing circuits such as Croft, Cadwell Park, Mallory Park and Knockhill.