ROUND six of the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship returns to Croft Circuit next Sunday.

For the second time this year, a host of local drivers up against the established front-runners.

Former champion Ollie O’Donovan leads the series and will be looking to repeat his victory at Croft back in May, but the Irishman knows he won’t have it all his own way. The Team RX Racing Ford Fiesta driver, who now makes his home in Buckinghamshire, is part of a ten car ‘Supercar’ entry which includes second-placed Manxman and former British Rally champion Mark Higgins (Peugeot 208), Steve Hill (Mitsubishi Lancer) and Steve Mundy (Ford Fiesta).

Multiple British Rallycross champion from Kent, Julian Godfrey (Mitsubishi Mirage), destroyed his car in a monumental roll at Croft in the Spring but returned at the previous round and is just ten points behind O’Donovan in third, so will be hoping for a solid haul of points, as will the Welsh pair of Liam Manning (Subaru Impreza) and Roger Thomas (Ford Focus).

Andy Grant makes the long trip up from Devon in his Ford Focus, but all eyes will be on local hero Kevin Procter from nearby Leeming in his Procter’s Luxury Coaches-backed Ford Fiesta who always goes well at Croft and so too Barnard Castle’s ‘Mad Mark’ Watson in his Mend-A-Hose sponsored Citroen Xsara WRC. Both Procter and Watson are regular winners around the North Yorkshire track and will have the support of the partisan local crowd to draw on after indifferent seasons so far.

In the MSA Supernational class, last year’s runner-up Paige Bellerby from Northallerton has been reunited with her trusty Lotus Exige and will be hoping to improve on her third place in the current standings whilst fellow Northallerton driver Guy Corner (Peugeot 206) finished second at Croft earlier in the season so plans to go one better.

But they’ll have to again fend off the Renault Clios of Tristan Ovenden (Canterbury) and Kirk Twyman (Nottingham) as well as comeback driver Mike Dresser (Lotus Exige) while in the Citroen-dominated Super 1600 class, Jarrow’s Michael Boak will square off with Yorkshireman Craig Lomax and former champion Jack Thorne from Devon.

Richmond brothers Tom and Luke Constantine are separated by just four points at the head of the MSA Junior Rallycross Championship table, with cousin James from Dalton-on-Tees in fifth, meaning a titanic battle is expected.

The record 12-car entry will see Leeming teenager Matilda Procter up against Northallerton’s Ben Sayer and Eleanor Corner (all Suzuki Swifts) among others.

In the Swift Sport Championship, Humberside driver Morgan Bailey leads the way ahead of Welsh teenage sensation Tom Llewellin whilst in the BMW Mini Championship, over half the drivers are local to Croft. Multiple Mini champion David Bell from Ferryhill heads the series, just seven points clear of Stockton driver Martin Hawkes.

Harrogate brothers Kris and Keifer Hudson will be in the mix, as will the girls who also get to battle it out in the shape of Northallerton’s Drew Bellerby and Frankie Helliwell from Boroughbridge. Teesside’s Andrew Hawkes will also be looking for a good result on home soil.

The popular Retro class will see a pair of iconic MG Metro 6R4s with Roger Thomas and rallycross legend Rob Gibson in action, as well as the powerful VW Beetle of series leader James Harrold.

Jason Bowes, from Stokesley, returns to uphold local honour in his VW Golf as built and driven by his late brother Jordan, who was killed in a road accident last year.

Practice gets underway at 9.30am on Sunday followed by two sets of qualifying heats prior to the lunch break. Then the third qualifying heats take place before the various semi-finals and finals to round off a bumper day of action.

Adult admission is £14 in advance or £18 on the day with accompanied children aged 15 and under admitted free on both days. There is also free car parking and free paddock access.

Tickets can be purchased on line at www.croftcircuit.co.uk and further information is available from Croft Circuit on 01325 721815 or at www.croftcircuit.co.uk.