The 2014 SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship came to a conclusion at Croft Circuit with the recent Swift Signs Christmas Stages Rally and after 15 events during the year, the title fight went all the way to the last stage on the last event.

Emerging victorious were Carlisle brothers Barry and Michael Lindsay, who pipped Teesside businessman Peter Stephenson and Northallerton co-driver Ian Windress when the clutch slave cylinder failed on their 2.5 litre MG ZR on the way to the final stage causing them to retire.

Nevertheless, it was a gallant effort to finish runner-up given the variety of machinery that Stephenson has used throughout the season and he and Windress finished just ahead of another Cumbrian crew of Marcus Noble and Helen Hall from Penrith.

There is just a week to go until Darlington and District Motor Club's annual Autogas 2000 Jack Frost Stages Rally in association with Cartersport at Croft Circuit next Sunday.

The capacity entry sees a star-studded field including a number of top British drivers as well as a very healthy local contingent who are set to battle over the eight stages totalling around 40 stage miles on the tarmac of the North-East’s premier race track.

Double Manx Rally champion Arron Newby is bringing his powerful Subaru Impreza over from his Carnforth base and has to be one of the favourites for honours, but he'll face stiff competition from the Skoda Fabia WRC of 2014 REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship runner-up and fellow Lancastrian John Stone.

Leading the local bid for honours is three-times winners and event sponsors, Chris Wise and Tracey Taylor-West from Pickhill who will be again in action in their iconic MG Metro 6R4. Fellow Yorkshireman Peter Smith will also be at the wheel of a 6R4 having finished third at the recent Swift Signs Christmas Stages Rally at Croft.

Teessider Peter Stephenson will once again be in action in his mighty MG ZR, whereas Darlington precision driver Paul Swift and Northallerton's Graeme Bell will by vying for two wheel drive honours in their respective Ford Escorts.

A very interesting entry has come from Yorkshire forest rallying legend Steve Bannister who is out to play in his recently rebuilt Ford Escort and also expected to perform well is the Ford Fiesta R5 of Russell Morgan, whose son Adam won a BTCC race last year.

Incorporating qualifying rounds of the AS Performance North of England Tarmacadam Championship 2015, Fuchs Titan Race ANCC Stage Rally Championship 2015 and the SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship 2015, the awards for the 2014 SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship will be presented on the Sunday evening at Croft after the prize-giving ceremony for the rally.

Scrutineering and documentation take place the same day as the event from 06:00 with the first car starting at 09.15. There are classes for cars up to 1400cc, up to 1600cc, up to 2000cc, over 2000cc and all four wheel-drive cars as well as pre-1981 classic rally cars.

For further information, contact Terry Wright on 01325-359895 (before 21.00), or via email at tp.wright@btinternet.com. Information on the event can be found at darlington-motor-club.org.uk and croftcircuit.com

Leeming driver Kevin Procter will mark his tenth appearance in the Barbados Rally Club’s premier event in five months’ time, when he lines up for Sol Rally Barbados 2015 at the wheel of his Subaru Impreza WRC S7.

His entry was confirmed just days after he won the recent Swift Signs Christmas Stages Rally at Croft for the sixth time in seven years and once again he will be co driven by Northallerton’s Dave Bellerby.

The annual event takes place on the weekend of May 30/31, with Scrutineering and the King of the Hill shakedown event the previous weekend, May 23/24. Nearly 60 entries have already been received for the 25th Anniversary running of the event via the official web site, rallybarbados.net