Swift aims to finish season in style (From The Northern Echo)

Darlington rally driver looks ahead to 2012

1:33pm Saturday 24th December 2011 in Motorsport News By Matt Westcott

Darlington rally driver Paul Swift is aiming to round off the season in.

After winning the Fuchs-Titan ANCC Stage Rally Championship tarmac driver's title this year and finishing second overall in the AS Performance North of England Tarmac Championship, Swift also finished in an impressive top ten placing in the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship in his 2.0 litre Ford Escort Mk2 RS1800.

Swift, who is famed for his stunt and precision driving at shows around the world, will tackle all three championships again in 2012 and having gained valuable experience this year, he is hoping to add to the seven British titles and multiple Guinness World Records which he also holds.

But before the preparations can begin for the 2012 season, the 31-year-old and his Darlington co-driver and part-time racing driver, David Cox, have two local events at Croft Circuit which they are hoping to impress at when they tackle both the Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally on New Year bank holiday Monday, January 2 and the Autogas 2000 Jack Frost Stages Rally on Sunday January 22.

"We have ironed out a lot of teething problems with the car which saw us retire from a few rallies early on in the year," said Swift. "We are also revisiting many rallies again this year with experience of the stages which is invaluable so we are hoping for some good results.

"But for now the emphasis is on both the Christmas Stages and Jack Frost rallies whereby I'd like to get inside the top ten on them both if possible."