THIRSK driver Mat Smith continued his impressive form since taking delivery of the 1400cc Proton Satria when he performed yet another giant-killing act on last weekend’s Phoenix Stages Rally held at Fulbeck, in Lincolnshire.

Along with co-driver Chris Row, Smith came home in fifth place overall to take an easy class victory as he again left the more powerful cars trailing in his wake.

Giving chase was the Thirkleby husband and wife pairing of Jon and Alison Trenholme, who claimed a battling ninth place finish in their Subaru Impreza, one place ahead of Guisborough driver Dave Hornbrook and co-driver Matthew Sample in their Mitsubishi Evo 6.

The all-girl crew of Jane Auden-Row and Thirsk’s Amanda Cornforth-Smith brought their Mitsubishi Evo 6 home in 22nd overall and 14th in class, while Topcliffe driver Nick Kitching and co-driver Andrew Trollope suffered a last stage maximum to end up 44th overall and ninth in class in their Ford RS2000.

The Pickhill duo of Geoff Simpson and Mick Johnson also went out on the final stage in their Mitsubishi Evo 6, but fellow Pickhill resident Chris Pattison, co-driving for Yorkshire legend Yuk Hodgson, only got as far as SS2, when an alternator problem stopped their two-litre Ford Escort Mk2.

Meanwhile, up in Northumberland on the Otterburn ranges, the Motoscope-sponsored Tyneside Stages Rally took place, with lots of success for the local contingent on the latest round of the 2015 REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship.

Leading the way with runner-up spot was Stanley co-driver Jack Morton, who was again alongside multiple champion Damian Cole in their Ford Fiesta RS WRC. After over an hour of competition, they missed out on the victory by just 12 seconds.

Fourth place went the way of David Tinn and Barnard Castle co-driver Giles Dykes in their Proton Satria Neo, with Hamsterley driver Stephen Petch and Northallerton co-driver Ian Windress having an outing in the SGP Motorsport Ford Fiesta S2000 to claim fifth.

The Bishop Auckland duo of Tristan Pye and Chris Thirling claimed seventh overall in their JPM Subaru, with Tristan’s father John and co-driver John Coxon finishing 17th overall in their Subaru. Consett’s Barry Renwick ended up 26th overall and fifth in class in the Ford Escort Mk2 he was sharing with Steve Dargan, while Pickhill’s Bruce Lindsay guided Michael Farmer to 31st overall and third in class in their Ford Focus.

Marton driver Geoff Glover and co-driver Keith Barker brought their RWD Vauxhall Astra home 41st overall and sixth in class, but the Birtley pairing of Kevin and Jimmy Knox retired their Ford Sapphire on SS4 with power steering failure.

BISHOP Auckland rider Barry Burrell made his return to the MCE British Superbike Championship last weekend at Thruxton and came away with two solid results. Having a one-off ride for the Gearlink Kawasaki team, Burrell scored a 21st place to back up his race one 18th, just missing out on the important points.

Burnopfield’s Chrissy Rouse was also in action at the fast Hampshire track, where he claimed tenth place in the Pirelli Superstock 600 race following a qualifying crash on the Team Haribo Triumph.

Hutton Rudby rider Neil Bainbridge made the long trip south and was rewarded with a battling 27th place in the Pirelli Superstock 1000 race on the Hare Bulk Haulage, Kevin Liddle Motorsport and Vision Building Services Kawasaki.

The Guisborough-based Milwaukee Yamaha team, owned by local businessman Shaun Muir, took victory in both BSB races at Thruxton to extend Australian rider Josh Brookes’ winning run to four races going into Cadwell Park in two weeks’ time.

REDCAR Bears did not have a home meeting last week, but were in action on Saturday night at Edinburgh Monarchs in the second leg of the Knockout Cup. The Bears arrived in Scotland with a slender two-point advantage from the home leg and were a much depleted team, with Lasse Bjerre, Jan Graversen and Stuart Robson still not riding due to injuries sustained in the first leg.

Adam Roynon was also not available, but Bears’ Matej Kus put on a good display against a full-strength Monarchs, scoring 11 points. Ex-Bears captain Aaron Summers was guest riding and scored a creditable eight points and, on his first visit to the Monarchs track, Jonas B Andersen scored a creditable five. Unfortunately, in his first meeting in Bears colours, Frenchman Dmitri Berge was only able to score one point and the two reserve riders drafted into the team at short notice were not able to score well against the home team. Monarchs won 61-29 on the night, with the aggregate score 96-66.

ONE of the highlights of this weekend’s annual Croft Nostalgia Festival will be a farewell appearance by the legendary Vulcan bomber.

Tickets are available at the gate, with adult admission costing £13 tomorrow and £18 on Sunday, or a weekend ticket costs £23. Accompanied children aged 15 and under are admitted free and there is free car parking. For further information, visit croftcircuit.co.uk.