SIXTEEN crews from the region made the trip over the A66 for the 40th anniversary Malcolm Wilson Rally last weekend and barring two of them, all made it to the finish as the second round of the BTRDA Rally Championship took place in the Lake District on Saturday.

Leading the way was Hamsterley’s Stephen Petch and Northallerton co-driver Ian Windress who brought their WD-40 sponsored Ford Fiesta home in fourth place, just missing out on a deserved podium by four seconds. The pair had suffered with an intercom problem and incorrect tyre choice during the day but added a solid points haul to improve their chances in the title race.

Putting in his usual customary performance was Ripon driver Matthew Robinson who had Kim Baker on the maps in their historic specification Ford Escort Mk 2. The pair took a class win en route to tenth overall as well as being the first two wheel drive car home.

Teessider Peter Stephenson and co-driver Chris Williams continued their busy 2015 season with 12th overall and fifth in class in their ABLE UK-backed Ford Focus WRC whereas Thirsk’s Mat Smith and Barnard Castle co-driver Giles Dykes once again performed brilliantly to bring their 1400cc Proton Satria home to 15th overall and a class victory.

Crook co-driver Michael Wilkinson was back alongside Lancastrian driver David Wright and the pair were looking good until a problem in Grizedale dropped their Mitsubishi down the order but they recovered to finish in 22nd overall and eighth in class. Tied on time was the SGP Motorsport duo of Steve Petch from Scorton and Exelby co-driver John Richardson in their Mitsubishi Lancer. The pair also struggled with tyre choice and had to settle for 23rd overall and seventh in class.

Northallerton’s Charlie Taylor and Kirkbymoorside co-driver Alan Ward battled to bring their CTMS-sponsored Ford Escort home in 27th overall and third in class while the 1400cc Peugeot 205 of Ingleton brothers Daniel and Matthew Thompson finished in a brilliant 45th overall claiming second in class in the process.

Hambleton driver Amanda Cornforth Smith continued her good recent form to bring the 1400cc Ford Ka she was sharing as usual with her dad Derek to 54th overall and ninth in class as well as being first lady driver home. Lady co-drivers from the region filled the next few places with Pickhill’s Kari Bates guiding Graham Haigh to 59th overall and fourth in class whereas the VW Polo which Charlotte Banner from Thirsk was sharing with Matt Thompson came home in 64th overall and third in class.

County Durham drivers were up next with Lanchester’s Trevor Gamble and co-driver Ronnie Roughead brining their Ford Puma home to 65th overall and eight in class with Bishop Auckland driver Dave Coatsworth and Pickhill’s Chris Pattison enjoying a good run to claim 66th overall and 11th in class in the 1400cc MG ZR on the driver’s first gravel event.

Darlington driver Mike Williams and co-driver Steve Perry from Bishop Auckland battled with gearbox trouble in their Mitsubishi Lancer to end up in 71st overall and ninth in class out of the 85 finishers.

Sadly for Ripon’s Charlie Payne and co-driver Carl Williamson, they were having a great run in their Ford Fiesta when a driveshaft broke two stages from home and Durham pair Colin Payne and co-driver Andy Brown saw their hopes of getting to the end in their Subaru Impreza end on the same stage.

LAST Sunday’s opening round of the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship took place with the Melvyn Evans Motorsport Tour of Epynt and for Stanley co-driver Jack Morton; he came within a second of winning the event alongside multiple national champion Damian Cole in the Ford Focus WRC they were sharing.

Saltburn’s Neil Colman guided James Ford to 31st overall and fourth in class in their Subaru Impreza as the Vauxhall Astra of Marton driver Geoff Glover and co-driver Keith Barker finished 48th overall and 11th in class.

Catterick Village driver Martyn Tinker continued his good form at the Three Sisters circuit in Greater Manchester by winning the recent Roskirk Stages Rally. Despite a misfire on the Lotus Exige, Tinker and co-driver Steve McNulty ran out comfortable winners but it wasn’t such good news for the Crakehall pairing of Andrew and Daniel Auld who retired their Peugeot 205 with clutch problems when well-placed with two stages remaining.

The opening round of the BTRDA Rallycross Championship took place at Blyton Park in Lincolnshire last weekend and saw Ferryhill BMW Mini driver David Bell take victory in his class following his second place in the SuperModified B Final.

Borrowby farmer Brian Thornton made a welcome comeback to bring his 1400cc BL Metro home to second in the SuperModified C Final which he followed up with fourth in the B Final. Ingleby Barwick driver Martin Peters claimed second in the Procar B Final before taking sixth place in the A Final in his Preston Farm MOTs-sponsored Citroen Saxo.

THE revitalised and eagerly-anticipated 2015 MSA British Rallycross Championship will rev into life at Croft on Sunday with many of the leading lights having participated in the making of the last week’s Top Gear spectacular, including Julian Godfrey, Ollie O’Donovan and Kevin Procter.

A field has been assembled this weekend comprising more than 60 entries across seven different classes, from MSA Supercars to Super Nationals, Super 1600, Hot Hatch, BMW Mini, Suzuki Swifts, Swift Juniors, RX150 Buggies and Retro Rallycross cars.

Amongst the entrants will be the likes of reigning British Champion Godfrey, former title-winner O'Donovan, fellow front-runners Steve Harris and Steve Hill and Grand Prix hero Procter from nearby Scruton, whilst British and European Rallycross legend Pat Doran will return to the competitive fray in a Citroën DS3.

There is a World Rallycross Peugeot 208 Supercar for Andy Scott, and fans’ favourite Mark Watson from Barnard Castle will be sure to please the crowds in his strikingly-liveried Citroën Xsara T16. Countless other Croft locals are similarly primed to do entertaining battle, including Northallerton drivers Dave and Paige Bellerby and Darren Grimston ensuring an exhilarating opener to the 2015 campaign.

Tickets are available on the gate priced at £15, with children aged 15 and under admitted free. Action starts at 9am with the finals taking place in the afternoon. For more details please visit www.croftcircuit.co.uk.