WITH just over a week to go until Darlington and District Motor Club’s annual Autogas 2000 Jack Frost Stages Rally, in association with Cartersport, at Croft Circuit on Sunday, January 17, there are still a handful of reserve places remaining to add to a star-studded entry list which has been full for weeks.

The event will again comprise eight stages totalling about 40 stage miles on the asphalt of the North-East’s only permanent race track and, as well as a number of regional championships, it will comprise the fourth round of the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship, in association with MSVR.

Triple winner Tony Bardy, from nearby Scotch Corner, is hoping to make up for the disappointment of retiring from the recent Swift Signs Christmas Stages Rally at Croft in his Ford Focus WRC, while another local driver, Barry Renwick, from County Durham, will be hoping for another good run in the Millington-powered Proton in which he finished runner-up on Northallerton AC’s event.

Championship front-runners include Ashley Field (Darrian) and Nigel Mummery (Ford Focus), while the likes of Northallerton’s Graeme Bell and Darlington driver Paul Swift (both Ford Escorts) will be hoping home advantage counts, as will Teesside driver Peter Stephenson in his Ford Focus WRC.

Peter Smith’s MG Metro 6R4 adds to the iconic flavour, as does the Skoda Fabia S2000 of Stuart Walker, while national championship stars, Lancastrians John Stone (car to be advised) and David Wright (Ford Escort), will face a very strong local contingent right the way through the classes, including Bedale’s Joe Cunningham (Vauxhall Corsa), who is leading his class in the MSN series.

The event also incorporates qualifying rounds of the AS Performance North of England Tarmacadam Championship 2016, Fuchs Titan Race ANCC Stage Rally Championship 2016 and the SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship 2016, and the awards for the 2015 SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship will be presented on the Sunday evening at Croft after the prize-giving ceremony for the rally.

In a change to previous years, there is a provision on the Saturday afternoon for selected competitors to attend scrutineering and documentation by appointment between 3pm and 5.30pm, with the remaining competitors undertaking formalities between 6.30am and 8.15am on the Sunday morning. The first car is scheduled to start at 9am and it is expected that the final stage will run in darkness as usual.

Competitors are reminded of the new regulations that came into force on January 1 relating to all competitors needing to use approved forward head restraints (FHRs) and their attention is also drawn in particular to section 10.3.1 of the 2015 MSA Yearbook (page 170), which prohibits the use of all helmets to BS6658/ Type A/FR after December 31, 2015.

There are currently 10 reserves who will be offered a start in order should any of the 90 accepted entries withdraw before the event, but 10 more places remain should any competitor wish to secure a place on the reserve list. There are classes for cars up to 1400cc, up to 1600cc, up to 2000cc, over 2000cc and all four wheel-drive cars, as well as pre-1981 classic rally cars. The entry fee is £250. For further information, contact Terry Wright on 01325 359895 (before 9pm) or via email at tp.wright@btinternet.com. Regulations and entry forms are available at darlington-motor-club.org.uk.

Gates open at 8am and 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. For further information, call Croft Circuit on 01325 721815 or visit croftcircuit.co.uk