Yarm-based driver Bill Addison is crowned champion at Croft circuit (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Yarm-based driver Bill Addison is crowned champion at Croft circuit

4:05pm Friday 5th October 2012 in Sport

leading up to the final round, the stages were in great shape for Trackrod Rally Yorkshire which saw the title dramatically clinched by Irishman Keith Cronin in the closest ever finish in the 54- year history of the British Rally Championship.

Unfortunately, no local competitors were in action in the main event but the local fans had plenty to cheer in the various supporting classes which made up the event on the North Yorkshire Moors and based in Scarborough.

Leading the way with victory in the Trackrod Clubman’s Trophy Rally was Thirsk driver Peter Stephenson, who along with Northallerton codriver Ian Windress won the event in their Ford Focus WRC just 16.4 seconds ahead of the County Durham pairing of Stephen Petch and Michael Wilkinson in their Hyundai Accent WRC.

Hambleton’s Mat Smith couldn’t quite achieve his usual giant-killing act and had to settle for second in class and 14th overall in his Ford Ka which he was sharing with regular co-driver Neil Colls. The Ford Escort battle of Ripon Motorsport Club members went the way of Ripon siblings Gary and Kirsty Beckwith with 18th overall in their BDA version who fended off Thirkleby’s Rob Herrington and Ripon co-driver Charlotte Banner who overcame gearbox problems in their new car to win their class and take 19th.

Sutton Bank farmers, Amanda and Derek Cornforth, brought their Ford Ka home to a battling 22nd overall and third in class, one place ahead of Boroughbridge driver Graham Haigh and Pickhill co-driver Mick Johnson in their Ford Escort.

Saltburn’s Alan and Rachel Ward claimed 26th overall and fourth in class in their Vauxhall Nova but sadly, Steve Petch, from Scorton, and his Exelby co-driver John Richardson retired their Mitsubishi on the final stage.

The Trackrod Historic Cup comprised a round of the Motoscope Northern Historic Rally Championship and saw a battle rage throughout between Malton’s Steve Bannister and Thirsk’s Tim Pearcey in their respective Class 3 Ford Escort Mk2s. In the end, Bannister took the win from the Willowgreen Homes-entered car of Pearcey with Pickering duo Steve Magson and Geoff Atkinson making a welcome return in their Vauxhall Chevette HSR to clinch fourth overall and a class win. Morton-on-Swale’s Charlie Taylor and Pickering co-driver Steve Bielby ended up fifth with the similar Ford Escort of Ripon driver Matthew Robinson and Bedale co-driver Mick Gilby rounding off a good season in 11th.

Class two saw Ainderby Quernhow co-driver Kari Bosworth guide Bernard Nolan to fifth overall and second in class in their Ford Escort Mk1 Mexico, while Brompton’s Darren Grimston and West Tanfield co-driver Richie Ross bounced back from an electrical problem just 200 metres into Friday night’s opening stage in Dalby to salvage eighth overall and fourth in class.

Just behind them and also suffering problems was the BMW 2002 of Thirlby driver Terry Cree and co-driver Richard Shores from Boltby but sadly, the only other crew from the region, Chris Blake from West Rounton and Barnard Castle co-driver Tony Walker retired their Ford Escort on the final stage with a broken half shaft.

GUISBOROUGH’S Swan Yamaha team left the penultimate round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Silverstone last weekend following a disappointing meeting at the Northamptonshire circuit.

Defending champion Tommy Hill heroically tried to overcome a lack of grip in a bid to close down on his title rivals and despite issues, the Kent ace fought to two seventh places, whilst Noriyuki Haga also struggled in both races to finish 16th and 15th.

Team owner Shaun Muir said: “This year the Showdown hasn’t gone our way but we need to finish the job we started. It has been a difficult weekend and we are now looking to salvage the best results we can from the final round next weekend. We have been the favourites all the way and in the space of eight days we have gone from hero to zero. It is disappointing for the team but now we just want to go to Brands Hatch and end the season in style.”

There was better news for two of the region’s other competitors with Bishop Auckland’s Barry Burrell posting his best qualifying position of the season in eighth which he followed up with 19th in race one and an 11th in race two aboard his Buildbase BMW.

Newcastle’s Chrissy Rouse won the Triumph Triple Challenge race on Saturday and backed that up with second place in Sunday’s race and fellow Geordie Joe Burns continued his good form with fourth in the National Superstock