NORTHALLERTON’S Graeme Bell and co-driver Russ Radford took a resounding victory in the Hall Trophy Rally held at Blyton Park near Gainsborough last weekend. Their Bellford Developments-backed Proton Neo Satria came home 13 seconds ahead of their nearest rivals after ten stages.

Father and daughter team, Bill and Kari Bates were also in action in their Tanfield Engineering-sponsored Peugeot 106. Bill, from Sinderby, and Kari from Pickhill ended up 38th overall and fifth in class.

THE Jackson Racing Road Racing Academy has announced they have signed County Durham road racer Daley Mathison for the 2018 season.

Mathison will continue to campaign the Eddie Stobart-backed BMW S1000RR Superbike and Superstock machinery that served him so well in 2017 as he plans to contest all of the International road race meetings, namely the Isle of Man TT, North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix. Selected British Championship meetings as well as outings at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough also feature in what promises to be a busy season for the Murton-based rider.

IN the recent North Humberside Cadwell Park Rally which comprised the second round of the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship, Great Broughton’s Ian Woodhouse and Yarm co-driver Jason Leaf brought their Ford Escort Mk2 home in third place.

Kepwick driver Peter Stephenson finished seventh in his ABLE UK-backed Subaru, one place ahead of Northallerton Proton duo Graeme Bell and Russ Radford. 20th overall went the way of County Durham pair Ian Bainbridge and St John Dykes in their Subaru whilst Northallerton’s Andrew Chandler and Linda Ashman finished 45th overall and second in class in their Ford Escort. Darlington driver Colin Butler finished 56th overall in the Renault Clio he was sharing with Barnard Castle’s Andrew Hutchinson but SS6 claimed the Ford Fiesta of Stokesley pair Mark and John Burton as well as Northallerton’s Craig Whitehead (Peugeot 205). Thirsk duo Rob Herrington and Charlotte Wainwright were unfortunate to suffer clutch failure on the very last stage in their Ford Escort.

AFTER a busy season, Croft Circuit is gearing up for rally action over the next couple of months with two popular events scheduled once again.

The Swift Signs and Shirts Christmas Stages Rally takes place on Saturday 30th December and already has attracted an oversubscribed entry including many top drivers. Last year’s winner Guy Smith (Ford Focus WRC) is back to defend his crown but hoping to get his name on the winner’s trophy for an unprecedented eighth time will be Leeming’s Kevin Procter who wheels out his recently acquired Procter’s Luxury Coaches Ford Fiesta WRC for the Northallerton AC-organised event. Darlington stunt driver Paul Swift (pictured – please accredit James Ward/Chicane Media) is also entered along with former British Champion Ryan Champion from Castleton and local Scotch Corner ace Tony Bardy in his Ford Focus WRC. Three weeks afterwards it’s the turn of Darlington and District Motor Club’s Cartersport Jack Frost Stages Rally which takes place on Sunday 21st January 2018. Regulations will shortly be available at www.darlington-motor-club.org.uk.