Jack Forest Stages (Croft) - 13 Jan 08

Posted: January 15, 2008 12:59 PM

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Results:

North East Rally Services

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PRE EVENT NEWS

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08/01/08
WISE AIMING TO REPEAT JACK FROST WIN
Darlington & District Motor Club has attracted yet another top quality field for the ninth running of The Jack Frost Stages Rally at Croft Circuit this forthcoming Sunday (13th January), and with another capacity entry the action is bound to be fast and furious.

Utilising all of the tarmac roads around the popular North East venue, including some unique variations around the twisty service roads, the event comprises qualifying rounds of the 2008 Tyrespot North of England Tarmacadam Rally Championship, SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship and ANCC Stage Rally Championship.

Attempting to claim a second successive victory is local driver Chris Wise from Pickhill who will once again have Tracey Taylor-West on the maps in their Autogas MG Metro 6R4. Having claimed a podium placing on last week's Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally, they know their way around the North Yorkshire track and will be one of the favourites to repeat their win of twelve months ago.

But there are a number of crews planning on giving the defending champions a run for their money including Lancastrians John Stone and Lee Carter who took an easy victory on the Christmas Stages and they return in their Legend Fires MG Metro 6R4. Stone was controversially denied victory due to a technical infringement a couple of years ago on this event and has publicly stated he'd trade his Specsavers win for the winner's trophy on the Jack Frost.

DDMC driver David Jones, along with TDMC's David Soulsby will be hoping for a good result in their Mitsubishis and so too will Tyneside Subaru drivers George Grieve and Keith Taylor, both of whom posted top ten finishes last time out at Croft. An interesting entry has come from Newcastle's Lee Tindall in the Skoda Octavia WRC in which he usually co drives for leading driver Andy Fenwick but on this occasion, he takes to the wheel himself.

The two wheel drive contingent will see many battles raging including the Darrian of Scottish ace Martin Elsdon up against the Ford Escort Mk 2 of Brett Mitton whilst the likes of Richard Wormald (Astra), Kevin Charles (Fiesta) and Martin Farrar (MG) can't be discounted.

But it's in the ultra-competitive 1600cc Class Two that a lot of interest lays. Cumbrian visitor Barry Lindsey (Peugeot 106) will be vying for honours with the Vauxhall Tigra of Yorkshireman Chris Platt but the leading duo have three World Championship Super 1600 cars to contend with in the shape of Alan Causey's Suzuki Ignis, the Ford Puma of Roger Donnan and Rod Bennett's Fiat Punta in the class which boasts a massive 26 entries.

Peter Stephenson from Thirsk hopes for a better run in his Subaru WRC and winners of the 2007 SG Petch ANECCC series, Richard and Edwin Cook, swap their usual Vauxhall Astra for the SGP Motorsport Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 which sponsor Steve Petch has supplied for the day as their prize drive for winning the Championship.

In the Historic class, keep an eye on the mighty Datsun 240Z of former Croft circuit manager, Brian Morris and other drivers to watch out for include the Ford Escorts of former top national runners Yuk Hodgson, John Cockerill and Eric Kent.

Other locals include West Rounton preparation experts Nigel Keen and Northallerton co driver Kev Franks in their Keensport Ford Escort, and Northallerton teamsters Darren Grimston (Electrocare Escort) along with Larry Carter and Richard Place's MSR Motorsport-prepared Peugeot 206. Evenwood's Mark Thompson hopes to have fettled the problems with his Peugeot 206 and Colburn pairing of Chris and Kate Cole hope to have sorted the gearbox problems which saw the Vauxhall Nova retire on the Christmas Stages.

Gilling West driver Luke Searle, along with father Terry (Rover), Kev Tennick from Darlington and Specsavers Clerk of the Course Ian Jackson from Stockton (Peugeot 106) and Durham?s Derrick and Rachel Fawcett (Vauxhall Nova) will be amongst the many looking for class honours on the 36 stage mile event. (Subaru) and Northallerton's Jonathan Bean (Talbot) should also go well.

The first car is due away at 9.15am and the organisers are aiming for eight stages with at least one running in darkness. Admission on the day is £8.00 per adult with accompanied children admitted free and gates open at 8.30am.

Top Ten Entries
1 Chris Wise/Tracey Taylor West MG Metro 6R4
2 John Stone/Lee Carter MG Metro 6R4
3 Martin Elsdon/Ian Rettie Darrian GTR
4 David Jones/David Cox Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8
5 George Grieve/TBA Subaru Impreza
6 Lee Tindall/Simon Hewitt Skoda Octavia WRC
7 David Soulsby/Michael Ogle Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9
8 Brett Mitton/Andy Mason Ford Escort Mk2
9 Richard Wormald/Jamie Forrest Vauxhall Astra
10 Chris Platt/Mick Robinson Vauxhall Tigra

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Croft Circuit

Darlington & District Motor Club