RIPON rally driver Charlie Payne continued to stamp his authority on his local event by claiming another victory on last weekend’s Able UK/Robinson Planing Services Riponian Rally, taking his tally to 10 victories in total.

Along with Welsh co-driver Carl Williamson in the Simpson Safety-backed two-litre Ford Fiesta, Payne clinched his fifth victory in the past six years, but it was far from easy in the slippery and little-used forests around Helmsley and Thirsk.

Payne led from start to finish over 40 tricky stage miles on a slightly revised format which started in Ripon city centre. His winning margin back at the Thirsk finish was 17 seconds, but he was pressed all the way by Chesterfield youngster Ollie Mellors and Northallerton co-driver Ian Windress in their Proton Satria Neo, who were fastest on three of the 10 tests as they prepared for this weekend’s British Rally Championship opener.

A combination of two new stages in Duncombe Park and Beckdale kicked off the annual Whitby and District MC and Ripon Motor Sports Club event before the usual tests in Roppa, Riccal Dale and Boltby. After the lunchtime service at Thirsk Auction Mart, there was a second loop around the forests, which were by now bathed in sunshine.

Payne controlled the event throughout and, barring a spin and a stall on the final stage in Boltby, reported no problems on his way to victory. Mellors and Windress suffered a suspected broken anti-roll bar on the final test, which hampered their bid for honours.

Third place went the way of BTRDA front-runners Stephen Petch, from Hamsterley, and Crook co-driver Michael Wilkinson in their SGP Motorsport WD-40-backed Ford Fiesta R5. Competing in the event for the first time in a decade, Petch finished just over a minute down on Mellors to claim the final podium spot.

Joint event sponsor Peter Stephenson, from Kepwick, and co-driver Patrick Walsh brought their Able UK-sponsored Ford Focus WRC home in fourth place, ahead of Yorkshiremen Peter Smith and Alan Walker in their Subaru. Sixth place overall and a handsome class win went the way of Thirsk’s Mat Smith and Barnard Castle co-driver Giles Dykes, who performed their usual giant-killing act in their 1400cc Proton Satria, with Scorton driver Steve Petch and Exelby co-driver John Richardson having a rare Riponian outing in their SGP Ford Fiesta S2000 to claim seventh overall and third in class.

County Durham duo Trevor Gamble and Phil Kenny did well to bring their Ford-engined VW Polo home ninth overall, just two seconds ahead of Lealholm’s Nick Cook and co-driver Jim Goodman in their Ford Escort Mk1, who claimed a class win on Cook’s first event in nearly a year. Andy Gibson and Pickhill co-driver Chris Pattison finished 11th overall and second in class in their Ford Escort, while Northallerton’s Charlie Taylor and co-driver Alan Ward brought their CTMS-sponsored and Motoscope-prepared Ford Escort home 16th overall and second in class.

Thirlby driver Ben Cree and Ripon co-driver Mark Casey took 18th overall and second in class in their 1600cc Peugeot 205, just ahead of Northallerton’s John Tillett and Thirsk co-driver Guy Kirby in their Ford Escort. Ripon pair Andrew Robinson and Kevin Wilson ended up 22nd overall and third in class in their Ford Escort, while Potto’s Keith Davison and co-driver Henry Richardson, from Ripon, brought their Hillman Avenger home 27th overall and second in class.

Thirsk’s Nick Kitching and co-driver Andrew Trollope were one place back in their Ford RS2000, while Bedale driver Shaun Wilson struggled to 30th overall in the Subaru he was sharing with Rachel Heel. Ripon driver Gary Beckwith, with sister Kirsty on the notes as usual, took 32nd overall and seventh in class, while Thirkleby’s Rob Herrington and Thirsk co-driver Charlotte Wainwright ended up 35th overall and third in class in their Ford Escort.

Darlington’s Mike Williams, along with Bishop Auckland co-driver Steve Perry, overcame a broken driveshaft on their SGP Mitsubishi to finish 36th overall, just ahead of Teesside pair Mike Thornton and Dave Scrimgour in their Ford Escort Mexico. One further place back, after a few minor electrical problems, were Graham Haigh and Pickhill co-driver Kari Bates in their Ford Escort.

Northallerton driver Simon Cole and Stockton’s Steve Waggett finished 39th overall and fourth in class in their BMW, while Bedale’s Tommy Graham was back in action after his big Mull crash to post 43rd overall and fifth in class in the Talbot Sunbeam he was sharing with co-driver Neil Colls.

The attrition rate was very low among the 66 starters, but did account for the venerable BWL-supported Mini of Thirlby driver Terry Cree and his Boltby co-driver Richard Shores, who retired following the first visit to Roppa. Thirsk’s Amanda Cornforth Smith, co-driven as usual by her dad Derek, slid into a ditch in Boltby. They recovered, only to break a CV joint on their Ford Ka on the second visit to Duncombe Park. Sadly for joint event sponsor Matthew Robinson, from Ripon, and co-driver Sam Collis, their historic-specification Fiat 131 was prevented from starting due to a technical infringement regarding noise.

NORTH Yorkshire driver Kevin Procter is set to challenge on three fronts as the 2016 international rallycross season roars into life this weekend at his local Croft Circuit.

Having not contested a full season in 2015 due to acquiring and subsequently developing the latest Ford Fiesta S2000 purchased from World Rally Championship team M-Sport, the businessman from Leeming Bar now plans to use the ex-Nasser Al-Attiyah ATM-prepared car in both selected rounds of the MSA Odyssey Batteries British Rallycross Championship, starting at Croft on Sunday, as well as the FIA European Rallycross Championship which kicks off at Mettet, in Belgium, on May 14 and 15.

In addition, Procter will contest two rounds of the FIA World Rallycross Championship at Lydden Hill, in Kent, on May 28 and 29 and at Lohéac, in France, on September 3 and 4.

Despite not contesting all the rounds last year, Procter still managed to claim third place in the 2015 MSA British Rallycross Championship following a dominant display in the final round at Croft last October, so is hoping for a repeat at his local track.

In the European Rallycross Championship, Procter is best remembered for his astounding performance at Dreux, in France, in 2012, when he became only the third driver in history to win the A final after winning the preceding C and B finals in his Ford Focus.

With Procter’s Luxury Coaches and Coach2.com backing the Procter’s Motorsport team’s bid for glory in 2016, it promises to be a busy year, especially with a trip to SOL Rally Barbados also planned in the summer. Procter will wheel out the recently-acquired ex-Euan Thorburn Ford Fiesta S2000 for the annual Caribbean event.

FIVE-TIMES British Rallycross champion Julian Godfrey heads a 16-strong Supercar line-up for the opening round of the MSA British Rallycross Championship at Croft Circuit on Sunday.

The Ford Fiesta driver is targeting his sixth straight title, but will face stiff competition from the strongest line-up in a number of years as several local drivers look to steal a march at their home circuit.

Multiple rallycross champion Dave Bellerby, from Northallerton, will graduate to the Supercar category in a Ford Fiesta, while fellow Ford Fiesta driver Kevin Procter, from Leeming Bar, will hope to pick up where he left off in 2015. "Mad" Mark Watson, from Barnard Castle, will campaign his familiar Citroen Xsara, the car having undergone a number of upgrades over the winter months.

In the MSA SuperNational Rallycross Championship, Paige Bellerby, from Northallerton, won the final round of the championship at Croft last season and will start as championship favourite in her Lotus Exige. Brompton’s Guy Corner has been working on the development of his Peugeot 206 and is strong at his home circuit, while in the MSA Junior Rallycross Championship, Tom Constantine, from Richmond, will start his season at his home circuit, as will Cameron Hawkes, from Stockton, who makes his rallycross debut.

There will be a full day of action at Croft, with six supporting championships also on the bill. Former junior racer Drew Bellerby (Northallerton) and Andrew Hawkes (Stockton) head the local interest in the Swift Sport Championship, while 2015 champion David Bell (Ferryhill) will upgrade to a Mini Cooper S in the BMW Mini Rallycross Championship. Martin Hawkes (Stockton) will be joined by daughter Jennie Hawkes in the class, while Terry Maynard (Middlesbrough) and Neil Maynard (Stokesley) have entered a brace of Triumph TR8s in the Retro Rallycross Championship.

Lance Foster (Houghton le Spring) will race his Mini Clubman and Stewart and Jordan Bowes (Middlesbrough) will race a Mini Clubman and VW Golf respectively. Brompton driver Darren Grimston will be in action in his Vauxhall Nova.

The action gets underway at 9.30am. Admission costs £13 per adult, with accompanied children aged 15 and under admitted free of charge.