MORTON-ON-SWALE driver Charlie Taylor continued his recent run of good form to claim a superb podium finish on last weekend’s Jim Clark Historic Rally and maintain his bid for the Motoscope Northern Historic Rally Championship.

Along with co-driver Steve Bielby, from Pickering, the Ford Escort Mk2 driver brought his car home in third place overall and second in class on the closed public roads around Duns and Kelso.

With nearly 200 crews contesting the various events over the weekend, there was a high rate of attrition over the 90 stage miles.

As well as the Historic event, Friday night and Saturday saw the Jim Clark Challenge and National Rally competitors take to the stages. In the challenge, Ripon driver Andy Chalmers and co-driver Ant Hellewell took their Suzuki Swift Sport to 14th place overall and third in class.

With the national event comprising a round of the MSA National Asphalt Championship, there was quality in abundance.

The hot favourite was Birtley’s Andy Fenwick in his Subaru WRC, but he retired with a brake problem on SS11. Two other local crews suffered exactly the same problems, with Consett driver Barry Renwick retiring his Hyundai Accent WRC on SS13 and Northallerton driver Andy Davison retiring his BMW M3 on SS9.

It was better news for Welbury driver Tim Johnson and co-driver Tony Walker, from Mickleton, who were enjoying a rare outing in their Subaru Impreza and claimed 17th overall and fourth in class, two places behind former Birkby residents Carl and Rob Tuer, who finished 15th overall in their MGZR on their way to a class win.

Consett driver Pete Gibson and co-driver Andrew Gibson rolled their Mitsubishi Evo 6 on SS12.

Sunday saw the Jim Clark Reivers Rally and once again the favourites failed to see the finish ramp. Andy Fenwick’s weekend went from bad to worse when he retired with turbo problems and Barry Renwick also made it two non-finishes when a mechanical problem forced him out early on.

Bishop Auckland driver Chris Anderson and Durham co-driver Chris Thirling brought their Ford Fiesta home in 55th overall for a class win and Thirsk’s Trevor Longhurst and co-driver Mick Johnson, from Pickhill, finished 85th overall and sixth in class in their Rover 214.

Easingwold builder Fred Davidson and co-driver Plug Pulleyn, from Huby, rolled their Mitsubishi Lancer on SS5, while Tynesider Alan Hughes and codriver Mike Scrimgour, from Guisborough, retired their Ford Escort after three stages.

NORTHALLERTON racers Duncan Wallace and Andy Gains came away with second place overall following the opening round of the Team Moto Championship held at Rowrah in Cumbria last week.

After clinching second place in the series last year, along with fellow Northallerton rider Peter Marshall, the team ended up just ten points behind the winning team.

In the opening round this year, the team struggled with the performance of their new machine, the old Kawasaki having been replaced with a Derbi. The first day saw wet weather cause problems with the bike in the opening race, the fault eventually being diagnosed as a faulty carburettor.

Once it was replaced, Gains was on song, only to be held up in the second race by a red flag. He stopped to assist an injured rider trapped underneath his machine, but organisers refused to allow him in the restart.

On day two, the sun came out and the results improved with two fourth places, a fifth and a pair of sixth place finishes. On day three, the team recorded two fourth places, three fifths and two sixths, to end a successful weekend.

NORTHALLERTON schoolboy enduro riders Robbie Wallace and Dan Lappin took part in round five of the National Putoline Scramble Championships at Gisburn, Lancashire, last weekend, with both riders faring well in the 1.5-hour race.

Lappin made a good start just in front of Wallace into the first corner and both completed the first lap in an impressive 12 minutes. The fast and open track suited Wallace, while Lappin was better on the twisty parts, but on lap five, Lappin slid off and managed to get a branch wedged in his crash helmet, which was removed by his team at the fuel stop.

Wallace kept a good pace for the whole event, eventually ending up 13th overall, and Lappin recovered to finish 15th overall. The next round is this weekend on the military ranges at Driffield.

MOTOGP star Colin Edwards will make a welcome return to Club Amadeus in Northallerton on Wednesday, June 16, prior to heading to the British Moto GP at Silverstone that weekend.

The American rider, nicknamed the Texas Tornado, was a regular visitor at the North Yorkshire Road Racing Supporters Club chat show until a few years ago and his return will ensure hundreds of fans pack the venue.

Other guests are still to be confirmed at the evening, which will also feature an auction, raffle and late bar. Admission costs £8 per adult and the show starts at 8pm. For further details, visit www.nyrrsc.net.

THE newly-formed North Yorkshire Motorsport Social Club is going from strength to strength and now has more than 50 members. The most recent social night was a great success, with more than 40 people in attendance for a general knowledge quiz.

Thanks were extended to Richard Pocklington, of Motoscope, for donating a voucher to the winning team.

A coach trip is planned on Saturday, June 12, to the MSA British Rallycross Championship night race at Blyton in North Lincolnshire.

The luxury coach will leave Leeming Motel at 2pm and tickets will be £20 per person, which includes coach fare, circuit admission and barbecue.

For further details, contact Jonathan Bean at nymsc@ btconnect.com or call 07907- 375663.