Best sporting sponsor.

MARK SMITH - North East Bearings & Transmissions - Winner

MARK, boss of North-east Bearings and Transmissions on Middlesbrough's Riverside Park Industrial Estate, became involved in sports sponsorship purely because of his love for speedway.

He helped both the Redcar Bears Premier League team and their junior team, the Cubs, last season and is now co-sponsor of the club.

He helps the team through product placement as well as financially and his involvement is particularly important to the Bears as their future was thrown into doubt due to the financial problems of the previous promotion.

"It was a close call," he said. "Too close. so I'm very pleased to be involved.

"When I first came to watch at South Tees Motorsports Park I bumped into Steve Harland, the club's commercial manager, and I approached him with an offer, which the riders were pretty grateful for.

"But I don't do it for the glory - I do it for going there on a Thursday and being entertained. If speedway wasn't here on Teesside, I don't know what I'd be doing on a Thursday evening!" Mark said: "I'm overwhelmed. I'm a proud Teessider so it's an absolute privilege to be given this award.

"My wife, Michelle, has been really ill for the last two years and I dedicate this to her.

Being involved in speedway has given me the freedom and relaxation to concentrate on other things.

"It's a shame for Barry Simpson, who was also nominated, because he's a friend and I thought he deserved it too! But I got involved because I'm a proud fan and, at the end of the day, it's a win for Redcar Speedway."

KEVIN BODDY - Boddy Printers FORMER grassroots footballer and manager Kevin, below, knows exactly how hard it is to run a Sunday team.

So when he was asked to put his name to the Middlesbrough & District Sunday League - the oldest Sunday set-up in the country - he was delighted.

"That was eight years ago," said the Middlesbrough-based printer who supplies match balls and pays half of every team's affiliation fees.

"Every year they ring and ask if I want to continue and I say yes. I am happy to continue for as long as they need me.

"I was at Guisborough Town in my prime and then played and ran teams in this league.

"I know how costs can quickly mount up with pitches and refs and washing the kit and I know how hard it is to find the cash to keep teams going so every little helps.

"The game at this level isn't the most glamorous - it isn't the Premiership - but there are a lot of good people involved who love football and work hard to support their teams.

"When I was nominated I was pleasantly surprised. I don't do it for recognition. I just want to make it a bit easier for people to play the game they love."

BARRY SIMPSON - Simpson Racing UK 

SIMPSON Racing UK became joint main sponsor of the Redcar Bears speedway team this season - despite owner Barry, above, being made redundant from his full-time job at the end of last year.

But the Darlington speedway fan says he's happy to continue his involvement because of his passion for the sport.

"It's an expensive sport to compete in," he said, "and an engine blow-up can wipe out a week's wages.

"So if I can supply these riders with a high quality oil for their engines and methanol at the right price, it's helping everybody.

"I don't profess to be anybody - I just enjoy what

I'm doing.

"I used to ride speedway myself and I know what it's like for these riders so if I can help, I will." Barry began sponsoring speedway with a fuel deal for the nomadic Boro Bears junior team during the decade when the sport was absent from Teesside.

Now he supplies the Bears Premier League team with oil, fuel and other racing products and has also financed work around the South Tees Motorsports Park stadium.

He also helps Pickering and District Motorcycle Club plus other speedway riders and a young kart driver in the Midlands..