BRITISH rallying legend Malcolm Wilson and the iconic ex-Hannu Mikkola Group B Audi Quattro will share centre stage with an excellent capacity entry when the Swift Signs Christmas Stages Rally takes place at Croft Circuit on Sunday.

Cumbrian Wilson, who owns the M-Sport World Rally Team, will demonstrate the 600bhp supercar, now owned by Derbyshire businessman Steve Perez, during the lunchtime interval, when the thousands of fans expected to attend will be treated to one of the rare sights and sounds of halcyon 1980s rallying.

Competition in Northallerton Automobile Club’s annual extravaganza sees one of the strongest-ever fields set to contest the event, which comprises eight stages of varying routes around the North Yorkshire racetrack just south of Darlington.

Leading the way will be six-times winners and defending champions Kevin Procter, from Scruton, and his Little Langton co-driver Dave Bellerby in their Procters Luxury Coaches Subaru WRC. The local pair have been victorious in six out of the last seven years and start as favourites again, but a host of top crews will be intent on wresting honours on one of the most popular festive motorsport events in the country.

Number two will see multiple British champion Steve Perez make a rare trip to Croft in his Ford Focus WRC, which has seen World Championship victories in the hands of Markko Martin. Having got rid of his legendary Nissan, Scotch Corner’s Tony Bardy continues his development work in his own Ford Focus WRC, which he shares with Saltburn’s Neil Colman. They start at number three.

Castleton husband and wife team Ryan and Jemma Champion return to action in their ex-Pierro Liatti Subaru 555 and are seeded at four, while Lancastrian asphalt ace John Cope is at five in the Subaru WRC he shares with top driver Arron Newby, who will be on the maps this weekend.

Sadly, Le Mans winner Guy Smith (MG Metro 6R4), originally seeded at six, and Scottish ace Shaun Sinclair (Subaru WRC) at seven, have had to withdraw, meaning number eight David and Shelley Wright will be next on the road. The BTRDA front-runners will be in action in a 2.5-litre Ford Escort Mk2, which should make for an exciting battle, especially when you consider Darlington pair Paul and Jessica Swift follow them at number nine in their powerful Millington-powered Ford Escort Mk2.

Peter Smith (MG Metro 6R4) completes the top ten, but there is quality throughout the capacity entry, including many local competitors who traditionally go well at their local event.

Catterick’s Martyn Tinker (Lotus Exige), Hutton Rudby driver Ian Woodhouse (Ford Escort Mk2) and Graeme Bell, from Northallerton, in a similar car are all expected to feature well, as are Scorton driver Geoff Wright (Nissan Almera), Consett’s Barry Renwick (Proton Millington) and Alistair Hutchinson, from Mickleton, who reverts back to his recently-modified LPG-powered Renault Clio.

The lower class battles are expected to involve Thirsk’s Mat Smith (Proton Satria), Richmondshire driver Mark Constantine (Vauxhall Corsa) and Witton Gilbert’s Andy Fawcett in his rapid Vauxhall Nova. But the dark horse could well be the Coach2.com-backed Vauxhall Corsa of Bedale’s Joe Cunningham, who has been in tremendous form recently.

Guisborough driver Dave Hornbrook will be in action in his Mitsubishi, while Brompton’s Darren Grimston debuts his recently-acquired Honda Civic. Durham driver Ed Todd (GTM Coupe), Northallerton’s Andy Smith (Ford Escort) and Saltburn ace Ian Colman (Nissan Sunny) are hoping for a good run over the 50 stage miles, as are Pickhill’s Geoff Simpson (Mitsubishi Lancer), Thirkleby driver Mike Herrington (Subaru Impreza) and Chop Gate’s John Gaskin (Citroen Saxo).

The likes of Ingleby Barwick’s Martin Peters (Citroen Saxo), Great Ayton driver Ian Horn (Vauxhall Nova), Bill Bates (Lotus Exige) and Chris Pattison (MGZR), both from Pickhill, and Darlington driver Kev Tennick (Peugeot 205) are also in the mix.

Fuchs Titan Race-sponsored Northallerton teenager Drew Bellerby swaps to the co-driver’s seat in Larry Carter’s Peugeot 206 and, when you consider that all local crews listed above are seeded within the top 50, it gives an idea of the quality 90-car field assembled.

Gates open at 8am, the first car starts stage one at 9am and action continues throughout the day, with the final stage being run in complete darkness. Admission costs £10 for adults, with accompanied children under-15 admitted free. Extensive free parking on hard standing is available, but on a first come, first served basis. Northallerton Scouts will be selling entry lists in aid of their own funds.

For further information, visit northallerton-ac.co.uk/xmas or croftcircuit.co.uk.

Leading entries: 1 Kevin Procter/Dave Bellerby (Subaru WRC); 2 Steve Perez/Seb Perez (Ford Focus WRC); 3 Tony Bardy/Neil Colman (Ford Focus WRC); 4 Ryan Champion/Jemma Champion (Subaru Impreza 555); 5 John Cope/Arron Newby (Subaru WRC); 8 David Wright/Shelley Wright (Ford Escort Mk2); 9 Paul Swift/Jessica Swift (Ford Escort Mk2); 10 Peter Smith/Alan Walker (MG Metro 6R4); 11 David White/Mathew White (Subaru Impreza); 12 Martyn Tinker/St John Dykes (Lotus Exige); 13 Ian Woodhouse/Stephen Woodhouse (Ford Escort Mk2); 14 Graeme Bell/Russ Radford (Ford Escort Mk2); 16 Stuart Walker/Jack Morton (Skoda Fabia S2000); 17 Geoff Wright/Sam Clennell (Nissan Almera); 18 Jonathan Mounsey/Richard Wardle (Mitsubishi Lancer); 19 Barry Renwick/Steve Dargan (Proton Millington); 20 Jason Lepley/Howard Pridmore (Ford Escort Mk2).