WITH three weeks to go until the region’s premier forest rally takes place around Thirsk and Helmsley, entries are steadily rolling in for the 2015 Riponian Rally which this year is organised through the joint efforts of Ripon Motor Sport Club and Whitby and District Motor Club.

The established RMSC organising team comprises most from earlier years supplemented by enthusiastic and experienced members from WDMC who between them have resurrected the popular event after it was initially announced that it couldn’t run. But in a bid to ensure the event’s viability, local competitors Peter Stephenson of ABLE UK and Matthew Robinson of Robinson Road Planing Services have stepped in as title sponsors.

Stephenson from Kepwick, and Northallerton co-driver Ian Windress won the event last year and are looking to retain their title in their Ford Focus WRC whilst multiple BTRDA and RAC Rally champion Robinson, from Ripon, and co-driver Sam Collis will be in action in their spectacular Ford Escort Mk2.

Already around 50 competitors have entered the event and the organisers are confident that the minimum of 60 will be reached before closing date on 14th February, one week before the rally takes place starting at Thirsk Auction Mart on Sunday 22nd February.

This year’s event offers some 44 stage miles in the North Yorkshire forests around Sutton Bank and Helmsley and is a round of the ANCC, ANECCC, EMAMC, ANEMMC and ANWCC championships.

Other early entries include BTRDA 1400 champion Mat Smith from Thirsk in his newly-acquired 1400cc Proton Satria, eight-times winner Charlie Payne from Ripon in his Ford Fiesta and lady drivers Kim Baker (Ford Escort) and Thirsk’s Amanda Cornforth-Smith (Ford Ka).

Marshals are also still required and more details can be found at www.riponmotorsportclub.co.uk

Picture sent (courtesy of Marcus Andrews) Peter Stephenson will defend his title on the event which his company is sponsoring this year.

2014 SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship winners Barry and Michael Lindsay certainly made the most of their prizes despite the weather’s best attempts to disrupt proceedings at the recent Autogas 2000 Jack Frost Stages Rally held at Croft Circuit.

Winning driver, Barry Lindsay, who lives near Carlisle, was driving one of Steve Petch's Mitsubishi Lancer EVO for the day. The winning co-driver, Barry's father and near neighbour, Michael, had won the co-drivers title and his reward was the privilege of co-driving for British rally legend Steve Bannister..

Barry's day began with a terrific first stage time and by the end of stage three he and Exelby co-driver John Richardson were actually leading the rally despite it being his first drive in a four wheel drive car. Eventually, the pair finished a remarkable fifth overall despite the challenging conditions.

Michael also had a day to remember as he fulfilled a dream of many a rally fan by sitting next to the legend ‘Banner’. The pair eventually finished 18th overall and took a class win with Steve praising Michael for the fantastic job he did on the event in their Ford Escort Mk2.

Commenting on their exploits, Championship Manager Colin Tombs said: “None of this would have taken place had it not been for the generosity of Steve Petch and Steve Bannister. I’d like to believe these prizes are unique and that no other regional championship in the UK offers anything like this and congratulations to Barry and Michael for making the most of their opportunity.”

The 2015 SG Petch ANECCC Championship will see a change in format and will return to being a mostly gravel and forest series. The series had traditionally featured gravel rallies and at the request of competitors it has been decided to return to the forests once again. Once again, the prize drive will be available to the winning driver and additional prizes will be announced as the year progresses. Further information is available at www.anecccstagerally.co.uk.

THE region’s premier race track, Croft Circuit is once again gearing up for a busy season which will see a number of prestigious events at the North Yorkshire track just outside Darlington.

The season kicks off in style with the opening round of the British Rallycross Championship on March 15 whereby Croft will also host the final and deciding round on October 10 also.

The prestigious and highly-competitive Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship takes place with the traditional mid-summer date of June 27-28 and a date for the diary in the summer holidays is the annual and well established Nostalgia weekend on August 8-9 August which will see the circuit transformed back in time with classic vehicles from the past on display as well as air displays and classic car and bike racing in a throwback to yesteryear.

Rallycross rounds the year off with the British Rallycross Grand Prix taking place in October and November’s visit of the hugely popular BTRDA Rallycross Championship before hosting a stage of the RAC Rally and the annual festive extravaganza with the Christmas Stages Rally.

In between there is a Darlington & District Motor Club Sprint on Easter Monday and club race action on two, three and four wheels throughout the season. More information can be found at www.croftcircuit.co.uk.