CROFT CIRCUIT’S annual Christmas Stages Rally has attracted one of its strongest ever fields, with reigning champion Kevin Procter facing a host of strong contenders as he looks to defend his title on Tuesday, December 27, writes Larry Carter.

Procter, who is from Scruton, will once again team up with co-driver Andrew Roughead, but has swapped his usual Subaru WRC for a state-of-the-art Ford Fiesta as he prepares to tackle eight stages of varying routes across the Croft racetrack.

Procter has triumphed in seven of the last eight years, and starts as favourite again, but he will have to overcome a host of top crews that include two drivers who are regulars on the international scene.

Former Le Mans 24 Hours winner Guy Smith will be behind the wheel of the Ford Focus WRC in which he and Welsh co-driver, Patrick Walsh, won this year’s DDMC-organised Jack Frost Stages Rally, so the Yorkshireman knows his way around Croft.

Another driver to watch is former British Mitsubishi Challenge winner, Ryan Champion from Castleton, who along with Motorsport News journalist Jack Benyon, will contest the event in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 owned by Durham’s Tony Arnsby.

Scotch Corner preparation expert Tony Bardy, along with Richmond co-driver Reg Smith, will be in action in their Ford Focus WRC as Bardy bids to win the event for the first time, while the Northallerton duo of Graeme Bell and Russ Radford will be hoping for decent weather to maximise their advantage in their Proton Neo Satria.

Others expected to figure well in the four-wheel drive class include Jonathan Mounsey/Richard Wardle (Mitsubishi), Bedale falconer Tommi Graham and co-driver Mark Pickering in a similar car and the MG Metro 6R4 of Peter Smith and Graham Wild

Brompton-on-Swale driver Geoff Wright gets to drive the recently-acquired Ford Fiesta S2000 he will share with Chris Sanderson, while Guisborough taxidermist Dave Hornbrook and co-driver Matthew Sample should also figure well in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4.

However, depending on conditions, it could be a few drivers in the two-wheel drive category that could spring a surprise. Darlington husband and wife, Paul and Jessica Swift, will be challenging for honours in their 2.5 litre Millington Ford Escort Mk2, while the similar car of Charlie Taylor from Morton on Swale and Exelby’s John Richardson sees the pair reunited and back on tarmac for the first time in many years.

Catterick’s Martyn Tinker (Lotus Exige), Nick Cook from Whitby (Ford Escort) and Witton Gilbert driver Ed Todd (GTM Couple) will be battling it out in the two-litre class, while the lower class battles are expected to involve Richmondshire brothers Mark and Andrew Constantine (1600cc Vauxhall Corsa) and Witton Gilbert’s Andy Fawcett (1400cc Vauxhall Nova).

Gates open at 8am on Tuesday, with the first car starting stage one at 9am. Action continues throughout the day, with the final stage being run in complete darkness, and amission costs £10 for adults with accompanied children under-15 admitted free.