THIS weekend’s Croft Nostalgia Festival visitors are in for a treat as the region’s biggest and best retro racing extravaganza revs up for another high-octane feast of fantastic motor sport, classic cars, vintage culture and military might.

Now in its seventh year, the 1940s to 1970s-themed festival is firmly established as a family favourite, with something to keep both young and old entertained.

On track, there will be non-stop thrills courtesy of the Historic Sports Car Club, covering the full spectrum of motor sport from iconic sports cars and single-seaters to popular saloon cars from down the ages, including Mini Coopers, Ford Anglias and Lotus Cortinas in an entry which features more than 200 cars.

Off track, there is just as much to grab the attention, with the paddock populated by some of the most well-preserved classic cars in the country, from Aston Martins to Jaguar D-types, Lotus and Ford Mustangs.

Classic and military vehicle circuit parades will be complemented by living history encampments in the paddock, with the Second World War theme enhanced by static aircraft, jeeps and trucks. There will be an iconic Sherman tank manoeuvring in the infield during the Sunday lunch break, as well as an armoured personnel carrier FV432, a Stalwart amphibious truck and a Rolling Armour display.

All eyes will be on the skies when the Twister Aerobatic Team takes flight on both days with a spectacular routine of high-speed, close-formation aerobatics.

In addition, fashion stalls will exhibit and sell clothing from a bygone era, while the air will be filled with evocative tunes from the Roaring Forties through to the Swinging Sixties. ENSA entertainer Colin Bourdiec – aka George Formby – will again serve as resident compere and master of ceremonies inside the marquee, where he will be accompanied in some old favourites by The Daisy Belles.

Spectators are encouraged to get into the spirit of the occasion by donning period costume, with prizes for best-dressed lady and man on both days adding to the garden party atmosphere and halcyon appeal of one of the most popular events on the North-East social calendar.

Gates open at 8.30am on both days and tickets are still available. For further information, visit croftcircuit.co.uk or call 01325 721815.

A RACING driver student is swapping his race suit and helmet for a cap and gown after graduating with a first class honours degree from Leeds Beckett University.

Max Coates, 22, from Scorton, has spent the past three years studying sport marketing as well as competing in the Renault UK Clio Cup series.

He said: “I’m thrilled to be graduating from my course at Leeds Beckett and all the more happy because I’ve come out with a first class honours degree. It’s been three years of hard work, but now it’s paid off and I’m looking forward to the next challenge in my career.

“The sport marketing course has been invaluable in terms of my racing career, as I’ve been able to put the degree into practice. Combining my studies with the racing has been tough at times, but I’m passionate about racing cars and my academic studies and this has helped me focus on achieving success in both fields.”

Kacy Mackreth, senior lecturer in sport marketing at Leeds Beckett, said: "I knew Max was going to be a stand-out student even before he came to study at Leeds Beckett; he is the only student who requested to sit in on a lecture prior to accepting his place to make sure our course was right for him. He did not disappoint and it has been a pleasure to see his successes on and off the track.”

Coates recently enjoyed success on the track as he claimed his maiden outright win in the Renault UK Clio Cup with victory in front of his home crowd at Croft Circuit. He continued that good form into last weekend at Snetterton, where a double victory in the Graduate Cup class extended his lead in the series.

THE Redcar SG Petch Bears speedway team were at home last week against Premier League leaders Glasgow Tigers and the fans were treated to the best meeting of the season so far, with the result only decided in the very last heat.

In heat one, Bears rider Tobias Busch and ex-Bear Richard Lawson both fell on the first bend. Busch received medical treatment on his hip and it was recommended that he did not continue. But he elected to ride in the re-run and led throughout to take the chequered flag, with team-mate Lasse Bjerre second and Lawson third.

Heat two saw a win for 15-year-old Dan Bewley, Bears' guest rider and winner of the previous week’s Julie Lewis Trophy, to make the scoreline 9-3 to the Bears. Danish rider Rene Bach won the next heat for the Tigers after Bears' Hugh Skidmore had a fall and was disqualified. In heat four, Bears’ David Bellego won, with another ex-Bear, Aaron Summers, in second and Bewley third to maintain the home team’s six-point advantage.

Lawson had his only win of the meeting in the next heat after Bears’ Jonas B Andersen and Tigers’ Fernando Garcia were both disqualified, while Skidmore had a fall, but remounted to finish second. Busch should have ridden in heat six, but elected not to take any further rides due to his injury. That heat was won by Bjerre, with Summers second and Finnish team-mate Nike Lunna in third to split the points. Bellego won the next heat from Bach and Richie Worrall to again split the points and leave the scoreline 23-18 to the Bears.

Bjerre won the next heat with Bewley in second to give the Bears a 5-1 and extend their lead to nine points. A win for Skidmore in heat nine, with Andersen third, stretched the Bears lead to 11 points. As the Tigers were more than 10 points behind, they opted for Worrall to wear the black and white helmet, which scores double points. Worrall promptly won to score six points, with Bach third, to leave the score 34-28.

Tigers now sensed victory was in their grasp with six heats to go, but the points were split in heats 11 and 12 with wins for Bellego and Worrall. Summers won the next heat, with Bellego second and Lawson third, to close the gap to just four points. In the penultimate heat, Bach and Lunna claimed first and second with Andersen in third to make it a 5-1 to the Tigers, which levelled the scores going into the last heat.

Bellego blasted into the lead, with team-mate Bjerre behind him, and the Bears pair rode a brilliant team race to hold off the challenge from Bach and seal a 5-1 which gave the home team a 48-44 victory.