AFTER a tough season in their WD-40-backed Ford Fiesta R5+, which saw them again narrowly miss out on the prestigious BRTDA Rally Championship, Hamsterley driver Stephen Petch and co-driver Michael Wilkinson, from Crook, emerged victorious on last Saturday’s Grizedale Stages Rally.

Despite the icy conditions in the Lake District, Petch celebrated his birthday in style and although a puncture on the penultimate stage threatened to put the celebrations on hold, the pair crossed the finish ramp in Coniston 16 seconds to the good over local aces David Wright and Steve Pugh (Ford Focus WRC).

There was double success for the SGP Motorsport team as former national champions Steve Petch, from Scorton, and Exelby co-driver John Richardson brought their Ford Fiesta RS2000 home in 10th overall, despite the tricky stages. Pickhill’s Kari Bates guided Graham Haigh’s Ford Escort Mk2 to 31st overall and fifth in class, while the venerable Morris Mini of Darlington’s Peter Ellerby, co-driven by Hartburn’s Ian Jackson, finished 41st overall and seventh in class.

But three other local crews failed to make it to the finish, starting off with Brompton driver Darren Grimston and West Tanfield-born co-driver Richard Ross, who retired their Honda Civic with mechanical problems on SS3.

SS5 accounted for the SGP Motorsport Mitsubishi Lancer after Heighington’s Mike Williams and Bishop Auckland co-driver Steve Perry slid into a ditch, but perhaps most unlucky were Ingleton brothers Dan and Matt Thompson, who were on for another great result in their Subaru Impreza when a small engine fire halted them on the final road section.

Meanwhile, the Hall Trophy Rally took place at Blyton, in Lincolnshire, where the Northallerton pair of Graeme Bell and Russ Radford were denied victory in the cruellest of fashions.

With the pair leading the event in their Clarion Homes-backed MEM Proton Neo Satria after the final stage in difficult dark and foggy conditions, the organisers decided that it was too dangerous for the later runners to continue and cancelled the stage, which meant Bell and Radford had to settle for third place overall based on cumulative positions after the previous stage.

There was another giant-killing act from Mickleton father and son Alistair and Joe Hutchinson in their LPG-powered Renault Clio when they claimed an impressive fifth place overall and a class win for good measure. Pickhill’s Chris Pattison guided John Marshall to 17th overall and fifth in class in their MGZR, while Guisborough duo Dave Hornbrook and Matthew Sample swapped seats in their Subaru and ended up an impressive 23rd overall and 14th in class out of the 60 finishers with Sample at the wheel.

Pickhill engineer Bruce Lindsay accompanied Michael Farmer in their 1600cc Ford Focus, but a mechanical problem early in the event dropped them down the order and they eventually finished 56th overall and seventh in class.

FANS of high-octane entertainment are in for a treat this Christmas with a fabulous festive offer from Croft Circuit of discounted advance tickets to next summer's Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) race meeting on June 10 and 11.

The BTCC is the UK’s most popular four-wheeled motorsport series, with tens of thousands of fans flocking to Croft every year to see some of the world’s finest tin-top protagonists duelling around the North-East’s premier venue, which is renowned as one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar.

This year, the North Yorkshire track saw triumphs for Colin Turkington and Rob Collard as well as a spectacular maiden BTCC victory for rookie Ashley Sutton, while a controversial collision between Silverline Subaru BMR Racing team-mates Turkington and Jason Plato as they disputed the lead proved to be one of the key talking points of the season.

There will be plenty more of the same in 2017, with thrills guaranteed and myriad opportunities for spectators to rub shoulders with their BTCC heroes thanks to Croft’s open paddock policy, and for a limited time only, there is also a tempting Christmas promotion.

Tickets for qualifying on Saturday, June 10, are available for £11 (reduced from £14), race day on Sunday, June 11, for £21 (down from £28) and the full weekend for £31 (reduced from £36) until Friday, December 16, after which increased prices will apply. Grandstand seats for race day cost an additional £8, and accompanied children aged 15 and under are admitted free of charge. Parking and paddock access is also free.

For further information or to purchase tickets and for more information on Croft’s race meetings and driving experiences, all of which could make ideal Christmas gifts, call 01325 721815 or visit www.croftcircuit.co.uk.