AFTER missing out on victory in the opening round of the BTRDA Rally Series due to a timing technicality, Ripon driver Charlie Payne made sure of no such repeat when he took the win on last Saturday’s Malcolm Wilson Rally.

In the same Simpson Safety-backed Ford Fiesta he was sharing with Welshman Carl Williamson, just two weeks after they won their local non-championship Riponian Rally, Payne took maximum points on the Lake District-based event ahead of local ace David Wright (Ford Focus WRC).

Not that Payne had it all his own way, far from it, as Wright held the advantage in the opening half of the rally before Payne hit back in the afternoon to eventually cross the finish line 23 seconds to the good to make up for his Cambrian Rally disappointment last month and to grab the lead in the title race.

Also on good form was Teessider Peter Stephenson, who made good use of co driver John Millington’s local knowledge of the little-used Cumbrian forests to bring his ABLE UK-backed Ford Focus WRC home in fifth place. Late entries Matthew Robinson from Ripon and co driver Sam Collis were back in action in their iconic RSD-built Fiat 131S which they took to 19th overall and second in class.

Former National champions Steve Petch from Scorton and Exelby co driver John Richardson overcame a sticking throttle on the final stage in their WD-40 sponsored Ford Fiesta S2000 to finish 24th overall and ninth in class whilst Northallerton’s Charlie Taylor and Kirkbymoorside co driver Alan Ward brought their historic-specification CTMS backed and Motoscope-prepared Ford Escort Mk2 home in 30th overall and sixth in class.

Thirsk driver Mat Smith, co-driven on this occasion by father in law Derek Cornforth, from Sutton Bank, took the requisite victory in the 1400cc class in his Proton Satria but it wasn’t without incident as a broken CV joint dropped them over two minutes and relegated them to 34th overall. Pickhill co-driver Kari Bates once again guided Graham Haigh home to end up 57th overall and seventh in class in their Ford Escort Mk2.

Three places further back was the Talbot Sunbeam of Potto driver Andy Davison and co driver Tom Matthews who pipped Darlington’s Mike Williams and Bishop Auckland co-driver Steve Perry’s SGP Motorsport Mitsubishi Evo 9, the latter suffering from a persistent misfire during the day.

Former National Asphalt champion John Stone had recruited Stanley’s Jack Morton into his Peugeot 206 and the pair had a steady run in the tricky forests to end up 67th overall and eighth in class, but for a couple of other fancied runners, they returned home across the A66 empty handed.

Hamsterley driver Stephen Petch and co-driver Michael Wilkinson from Crook had a very fraught start with a clutch problem forcing their SGP-backed Ford Fiesta R5 to do the first three stages with no clutch until service at Penrith but they still managed to be third overall at that point. Then on the road section to Grizedale the car got hot and a small hole in the radiator was found so they had to retire. Teesside’s Keith Davison and Ripon co driver Henry Richardson also retired their Hillman Avenger with a broken strut after SS4.

Meanwhile, in Wales, the opening round of the MSA National Asphalt Rally Championship got under way with the Melvyn Evans Motorsport Tour of Epynt.

On their third event in as many weekends, Northallerton co-driver Ian Windress was in action in the Proton Satria Neo of Midlander Ollie Mellors and the pair of them came away with ninth overall and fourth in class.

Barnard Castle’s Giles Dykes was co-driver for David Tinn in a similar car and they finished 12th overall and fifth in class, while Marton duo Geoff Glover and Keith Barker brought their rear-wheel-drive Vauxhall Astra home in 32nd overall and third in class.

Catterick Village driver Martyn Tinker continued his domination of the Roskirk Stages Rally at the Three Sisters Circuit near Wigan, taking another victory on the event in his Lotus Exige along with co-driver Iain Petterson. Pickhill’s Bruce Lindsay was in action in the Volvo 242 of driver David Smith and the pair ended up 24th overall and ninth in class on the same event.

ON Tuesday, The North Yorkshire Road Racing Supporters Club will present a look forward to the 2016 Moto GP, World Superbike and BSB seasons with TV presenters Gavin Emmett and Matt Roberts.

Ex BBC MotoGP presenter Matt Roberts now presents motorcycle racing on British Eurosport and this year it is again showing World as well as British Superbikes. From Huddersfield, Matt will be reflecting on reaction from the paddock and fans Gavin Emmett has been in the Moto GP paddock for many years and has gained a higher profile in the UK in the last two years as a presenter and commentator on BT Sport, which covers the MotoGP World Championship. Gavin will be at Northallerton only two days after round one of Moto GP in Qatar.

As usual, the venue is the Golden Lion Hotel, Northallerton whereby doors open at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start. Admission is £10 (£5 members) No advance tickets, entry on the door only. For more details go to www.nyrrsc.net or check the club’s Facebook and Twitter pages.