Darlington and District Motor Club has attracted yet another top quality entry for the fifth running of the Jack Frost Stages Rally at Croft circuit tomorrow.
Sponsored for the first time by Digital Office Solutions of Middleton St George, the event utilises all the tarmac roads around the popular North Yorkshire venue and comprises qualifying rounds of the North East of England Tarmac Championship and the Kent Cams ANCC Stage Rally Championship.
The action starts at 9.30 and the club is aiming for eight stages, with at least one running in darkness.
Attempting to claim his third successive title, Scotsman John Bogie will be once again at the wheel of his MG Metro 6R4, this time accompanied by teenage son David on the maps.
However, hard on his heels will be Middleham brothers Stuart and John Adamson in their similar car, as well as 2001 winner Dave Holland from Leek in his remarkably fast Mark One Ford Escort and Lancastrian Steve Simpson in his Subaru Impreza.
Scotch Corner driver Tony Bardy is a late entry in the Nissan Sunny and, along with co-driver Reg Smith, he will also be in contention for overall honours after finishing third last year.
After a shakedown at Christmas, Leeds driver David Turnbull and Geordie co-driver Ken Bills should be up to speed in their awesome Subaru WRC. Metro ace John Stone is expecting to be out in his 6R4 and he will also be a major contender.
The two-wheel drive contingent will see the resumption of many battles from the recent Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally, with the Peugeot 106 of the Carlisle-based Lindsey brothers up against fellow Cumbrians Geoff and Nigel Harkness in their Vauxhall Corsa.
Stockton's Keith Davison and co-driver Ian Jackson from Hartburn will be a major threat in their rapid Darrian, as will Gilling West driver Terry Searle in his unique Rover 25, and a driver never to be discounted is Northallerton rallycross ace Dave Bellerby (Vauxhall).
Making his debut on four wheels in the CS Automotive Peugeot 106 will be Northallerton motorcycle racer Darren Grimston, but he'll be up against it in the 1400cc class with Great Langton's Steve Williams starting as hot favourite in his Rover.
Others expected to show up well include the Barnard Castle contingent of Alistair Hutchinson (Renault) and Mark Thompson (Peugeot), while Consett's David Barnett (Triumph GT6) and Croft driver Brian Morris (Datsun) will be at the wheel of some older machinery.
Admission on the day is £5 per adult, with accompanied children admitted free, and gates open at 9am. For more information contact Croft circuit on 01325 721815.
Leading entries. - 1 John Bogie/David Bogie, MG Metro 6R4; 2 John Stone/Lee Carter, MG Metro 6R4; 3 Tony Bardy/Reg Smith, Nissan Sunny GTI-R; 4 Dave Turnbull/Ken Bills, Subaru WRC; 5 Dave Holland/John Calverley, Ford Escort Mk 1; 6 Steve Simpson/Mark Booth, Subaru Impreza; 7 Keith Davison/Ian Jackson, Darrian; 8 Stuart Adamson/John Adamson, MG Metro 6R4; 9 Dave Bellerby/Sandra Pelling, Vauxhall Corsa; 10 Chris Platt/Mick Robinson, Vauxhall Corsa.
* Darlington road racer Richard Harrison will be making the step up to national level when he contests the televised MRO Powerbike Tour Championship in 2004.
After a very successful 2003 season which saw the team switch classes to concentrate on the superbike category aboard a 1999 Yamaha R1, the decision was taken to move to one of Britain's premier series, with Harrison also competing in selected rounds of the Bemsee and Derby Phoenix MCC Club Championships.
Harrison will be embarking on his eighth road race season and the trusty Yamaha is getting a winter overhaul in readiness for the tough campaign ahead.
He is currently in the process of sourcing additional funding and hopes to be in a position soon to announce the team's sponsors for the season ahead.
l As a result of a notable absence last year when the event didn't run, entries are coming in steadily for the 2004 Ripon Land Rover Riponian Rally which takes place on Sunday, February 1 over 12 special stages.
The popular event starts and finishes at Lightwater Valley just outside Ripon on the A6108 towards Masham.
This venue sees a new route around the theme park as well as some new forest locations around Sutton Bank including, in co-operation with Forest Enterprise, a new road in Roppa forest near Helmsley which both extends the stage and makes it more demanding for competitors.
The event is now a qualifying round for three regional championships, including the Walkers Tecno 2 ANNECC, the Road Runner Phoenix Award ANEMMC and the Kent Cams ANCC Northern Stage Rally Championship.
Early entries have already been received from former Scottish champion Barry Johnson from Shildon (Subaru), Leeming's Kevin Proctor (Subaru), Lancastrian Ian Joel (Ford Escort Cosworth) and former winner Matt Yeadon from Pickhill in his Mitsubishi.
Another former winner Charlie Payne (Ripon) is expected to be out in his recently acquired ex-Paul Bird Hyundai Accent WRC E3.5, while a similar car will be driven by Scorton's Steve Petch, who has been seconded into course car duties for the day.
Up-to-date information about the event, including regulations and entry forms, is available on Ripon Motor Sport Club's web site at www.riponmotorsportsclub.co.uk.
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