MOTORSPORT fans will be heading to Croft Circuit for the tenth annual running of the Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally, which takes place on December 28.

Organisers have assembled a capacity 95-car entry for the event run by the Northallerton Automobile Club with a number of the country's top drivers set to do battle over the 43 miles of stages.

Heading the entry is winner for the last two years, Kevin Procter from Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire, who will be at the wheel of his Subaru WRC as he goes for a record-breaking hat-trick.

Procter has not done much rallying as he has been contesting the European Rallycross Championship in 2010 and along with fellow rallycrosser Dave Bellerby from Northallerton on the maps, the pair will be a tough act to beat.

At number two and hoping to add to their double victory on the Jack Frost Stages at Croft in both 2007 and 2008 will be Pickhill crew Chris Wise and Tracey Taylor-West in their formidable 2500cc MG Metro 6R4.

Seeded at number three is former Mitsubishi Challenge winner and runner-up in the British Rally Championship, Ryan Champion from Castleton who will be in action in the ex-Pierro Liatti WRC specification Subaru 555.

After missing last year's event, Scotch Corner preparation expert Tony Bardy starts at four and will be at the wheel of his Nissan Sunny GTi-R.

Seeded at number five is leading Scottish driver Dale Robertson and co-driver Paul McGuire in their MSR Motorsport-prepared Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 with York plumber Chris Myers and co-driver Matthew Whattam at six in a similar car.

Chop Gate brothers John and Mark Gaskin will be in action in their Subaru Impreza and are seeded at seven with the first of the two-wheel drive cars in the shape of the Darrian T90 of Stockton driver Keith Davison at number eight.

Part time Autograss racer Martyn Tinker, from Catterick Village, along with teenage co-driver Jack Morton, will start at number nine in their Lotus Exige with another Scottish visitor, Martin Elsdon, completing the top ten in his Group A Mitsubishi.

There are plenty more local crews in action on the event which comprises rounds of the Just Ferries 4WD Yorkshire Winter Rally Challenge and AS Performance North of England Tarmacadam Rally Championship 2011.

More famed for his precision driving and stunts at packed stadiums throughout the world and indeed his television appearances in adverts, films and on Top Gear, Darlington's Paul Swift will be at the wheel of the historic-specification Ford Escort Mk1.

Utilising all of the tarmac roads around the venue near Darlington, the first of the cars gets underway at 9.05am.

Admission costs £10 per adult with accompanied children under 15 admitted free. Gates open at 8am and there is free car parking.