NORTHALLERTON motorcycle Enduro rider Robbie Wallace competed in rounds five and six of the British Sprint Enduro Championship last weekend at Tetbury in Gloucestershire, riding his Motoconnection, Putoline Oils and RFX-sponsored Yamaha YZ125.

In round five, Wallace faced challenging conditions after recent rain in the Enduro21.com Under-19 youth class. Starting the first of seven laps under a cloudburst, Wallace made a quick start but soon came across stranded riders getting stuck on the boggy hillclimbs.

He recorded the third fastest time in his class. But with the difficult conditions and the track deteriorating his lap times were getting slower.

However, after a quick pep talk from dad, Duncan, Wallace set a cracking time on the last lap to clinch third place on the day.

Round six saw a dry start and Wallace was set on placing third or better to consolidate his championship position.

Although the track was initially as muddy as the day before, it dried out as the day wore on. This suited the faster riders. Wallace’s consistency shone through with a string of third fastest times consolidating his third place on the day to give him his first podium finish at a British Championship round.

The results have now moved him up to second in the championship with the next outing being round five of the Ride- OffRoad Northern Championships at Hatcliffe in the North Lincolnshire Wolds on Sunday.

LEEMING businessman Kevin Procter was in action last weekend when he ventured over to the Caribbean to take part in Sol Rally Barbados and came away with a superb seventh place.

With regular co-driver Dave Bellerby unable to make the trip, his replacement was former single-seat racing driver Philip Hopkins, who is relatively new to rallying.

The pair were soon up to speed and Procter started climbing the leaderboard after a cautious start in the threeday event.

By the end, the pair had replicated last year’s seventh place, giving Procter has sixth top ten finish in Barbados – his best being fourth in 2009. In 2007 he finished sixth. He was ninth and the highest-placed European crew in 2005 and fifth and the highest-placed overseas crew in 2004.

AFTER more than 40 years, it looks like being the end of the road for Ripon Motor Sport Club’s Riponian Stages Rally which will not run in 2015.

It follows a number of years of struggling with the increased costs of hiring the forest roads, insurances and other permits and a fall in the numbers of competitors. Strict planning rules also meant the forests around Helmsley could not be used from April to September, meaning a winter date was always necessary.

This is the latest in a string of previously popular events in the Yorkshire forests to be lost over recent years including the Kall Kwik, North Humberside Forest, National Breakdown, Mintex and Cartel rallies.

With the popular Roger Albert Clark Rally not visiting Yorkshire this year, only the Trackrod Rally in September and the Malton Forest Rally in November remain.

THE Motor Sports Association and everyone in the motor sports community are devastated by the terrible deaths and injuries at last weekend’s Jim Clark Rally.

Police Scotland is now in control of all aspects of the investigation into the two accidents and both the police and hospital authorities will issue further bulletins when they can.

As with any serious incident, these accidents will be subject to full enquiries by the MSA to ensure that all lessons are learned to assist in the drive to provide the best possible safety at all motor sport events.