Posted: February 1, 2014 4:45 PM - 4219 Hits
In association with Autogas 2000 & Cartersport
Posted: January 17, 2013 8:36 PM
Most outdoor sporting events usually succumb to the elements when frost and heavy snow arrives but not so rallying which will see Sunday's annual Autogas 2000 Jack Frost Stages Rally supported by Cartersport definitely go ahead at Croft Circuit.
With the arctic conditions which have prevailed this week, coupled with more ice and snow forecast into the weekend, both competitors and spectators have been left wondering if the Darlington and District Motor Club event would go ahead but having consulted with the circuit management at Croft, Secretary of the Meeting Terry Wright advises that the event is most certainly on.
"The message is that the event is definitely running irrespective of what the weather does beforehand. We are constantly monitoring the situation and will have manpower and equipment on hand to clear what we need to in the event of substantial snow or ice and we have spoken to Croft about spectator safety and car parking which was a concern. We have a compact service area which will be treated if necessary and this will allow a high volume of spectators' cars to park on hard standing. All we would advise is for everyone to take extra care on the paths and bankings around Croft as they will be extremely slippery if icy. As for the competitors, most are relishing the challenge of driving in such conditions, which are not dissimilar to what we have experienced before. It will be very spectacular but we plan a full schedule on the day and assuming everyone drives to the conditions, we'll have a memorable day. It's rallying after all and in twelve years of organising the Jack Frost Rally, we have never cancelled one and probably never will!"
Four-times winner Paul Bird from Penrith along with Scottish co-driver Kirsty Riddick head the entry list of around 70 cars in their Ford Focus WRC07 on the event which comprises a qualifying round of the AS Performance North of England Tarmacadam Championship 2013, Fuchs Titan Race ANCC Stage Rally Championship 2013 and the SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship 2013.
Darlington and District Motor Club are still accepting late entries right up until Saturday (19th January) in a bid to allow as many competitors to compete as possible.
Posted: January 15, 2013 10:53 AM
A total of 63 cars are entered so far but Darlington and District Motor Club are accepting late entries right up until Friday (18th January) in a bid to allow as many competitors to compete as possible.
For further information, please contact 01325 359895 / +44 1325 359895 (before 21.00), or via email at chair@darlington-motor-club.org.uk
Posted: January 15, 2013 10:53 AM
Having won the event for the past four years, Penrith driver Paul Bird heads an impressive entry list for next Sunday's annual Autogas 2000 Jack Frost Stages Rally supported by Cartersport which takes place at Croft Circuit.
Along with Scottish co-driver Kirsty Riddick, the British Superbike Championship and MotoGP team boss has been unbeaten at the Yorkshire track in recent years and returns in his ex-works Ford Focus WRC to try to add a fifth title on the Darlington and District Motor Club event.
But with some wintry weather forecast, it's not just the elements that Bird will have to contend with as there is the small matter of a trio of iconic MG Metro 6R4s driven by former double Jack Frost winners and Christmas Stages runner-up Chris Wise/Tracey Taylor-West as well as similar cars of Mark Jasper/Don Whyatt and Simon Chapman/Michael Calvert. Peter Stephenson was looking good at the recent Christmas Stages before retiring so is back to try again for better luck in his Subaru WRC.
All eyes will be on the intense two-wheel drive battle with Croft regulars and former podium finishers Paul Swift/David Cox (Ford Escort) and Chris Anderson/Chris Thirling (Ford Fiesta) hoping to put their bad luck of a couple of weeks ago behind them when both retired with engine problems on the Christmas Stages. Joining them will be the unusual sight of National Championship front-runners John Stone/Lee Carter in a Peugeot 206 Cup Car as they have decided against driving their usual Skoda Fabia WRC. The Lancastrians will have to go some if they are to beat top 1600 runners Barry and Michael Lindsay (Peugeot 106) but with ice and snow set to play a part, it's anyone's guess who comes out on top.
Scotsmen Gary and Gordon Adam complete an interesting top ten in their Ford Escort on the event which will comprise eight stages totalling around 50 stage miles and comprising a qualifying round of the AS Performance North of England Tarmacadam Championship 2013, Fuchs Titan Race ANCC Stage Rally Championship 2013 and the SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship 2013
Posted: January 15, 2013 10:52 AM
Driver/Co-Driver (Car) [Class]
1 Paul Bird/Kirsty Riddick (Ford Focus 07 WRC) [5]
2 Chris Wise/Tracey Taylor West (MG Metro 6R4) [5]
3 Mark Jasper/Don Whyatt (MG Metro 6R4) [5]
4 Peter Stephenson/TBA (Subaru Impreza) [5]
5 Simon Chapman/Michael Calvert (MG Metro 6R4) [5]
6 Paul Swift/David Cox (Ford Escort) [4]
7 Chris Anderson/Chris Thurling (Ford Fiesta) [3]
8 John Stone/Lee Carter (Peugeot 206) [2]
9 Barry Lindsay/Michael Lindsay (Peugeot 106 GTi) [2]
10 Gary Adam/Gordon Adam (Ford Escort Mk2) [4]
11 Dave Hornbrook/Caroline Howell (Mitsubishi Evo 6 RS) [5]
12 Colin Gemmell/Jane Nicol (Subaru Impreza) [5]
14 Ian Woodhouse/Stephen Woodhouse (Ford Escort Mk2) [4]
15 Stuart Walker/Julie McGuire (Mitsubishi Evo 9) [5]
16 Alistair Hutchinson/St John Dykes (Renault Clio LPG) [3]
17 Neil Thompson/Steve Dargan (Vauxhall Corsa Kit Car) [2]
18 Neil Marshall/Mike Scrimgour (Peugeot 205 Gti) [3]
19 Paul Alsop/Chris Alsop (Chrysler Sunbeam) [3]
20 Darren Grimston/Stuart Carter (Mitsubishi Evo 8) [5]
21 John Bainbridge/Jennifer Bainbridge (Subaru Impreza) [5]
22 Derek Blyth/Phil Peak (Subaru Impreza) [5]
23 Mike Barnes/Bob Brown (Ford Escort Cosworth) [5]
24 Rob Herrington/Charlotte Banner (Ford Escort Mk2) [4]
25 Joseph Redmond/Luke Campbell (Peugeot 306) [3]
26 Andrew Smith/Paul Rowland (Ford Escort) [6]
27 Mark Thompson/Phil Kenny (Peugeot 206 Gti) [3]
28 Larry Carter/Linda Ashman (Peugeot 206) [2]
29 Jon Olds/Stu Simpson (Seat Cordorba) [3]
30 Ben Wilkinson/Andrew Wilkinson (Peugeot 106) [2]
31 John Gaskin/Mark Gaskin (Citroen Saxo) [2]
32 Dave Forrest/Charlie Carter (Ford Escort MK2) [6]
33 Andrew Foster/David Teasdale (Vauxhall Nova) [1]
34 David Longfellow/Danny Ward (Subaru Impreza) [5]
35 Andrew Irving/Reg Irving (Peugeot 205 Gti) [1]
36 Ray Cummings/Andy Brown (Vauxhall Astra) [3]
37 Jimmy Knox/Karl Knox (Peugeot 106 Gti) [2]
38 Joe Cunningham/Daniel Kennedy (Peugeot 106) [2]
39 Stuart Leighton/Rachel Anne Heel (Nissan Micra Super Sport) [1]
40 Russ Radford/Graeme Bell (Ford Escort Mk2) [4]
41 John Marshall/Chris Pattison (MG ZR) [2]
42 Neil Ayre/Adam Bradford (Mitsubishi Evo 6) [5]
43 Mike Williams/Ian Cartwright (Mitsubishi Evo 9) [5]
44 Geoffrey Harkness/Caroline Lodge (Vauxhall Corsa) [2]
45 Luke Searle/Terry Searle (Rover Metro Gti) [1]
46 Paul Sheard/Anthony Nield (Mazda MX5) [2]
47 Alan Cowan/Shona Hale (Vauxhall Astra) [3]
48 Mike Geen/James Kerr (Peugeot 205 Gti) [3]
49 Craig Hesse/Sam Spencer (Subaru Impreza) [5]
50 James Robertson/Colin Maxwell (Citroen C2R2) [2]
51 Andrew Drake/Jeff Bedford (Ford Escort Mk2) [3]
52 Marcus Tomlinson/Justin Tomlinson (Ford Escort Mk2) [3]
53 Ian Horn/Dave Scrimgour (Vauxhall Nova Gte) [2]
54 David Blyth/James Blyth (Peugeot 205 Gti) [2]
55 Martin Peters/Jason Leaf (Citroen Saxo) [2]
56 Martin Cockerill/Andrew Cockerill (MG Maestro) [4]
57 Gordon Watson/Mark Casey (Peugeot 205 Gti) [3]
58 Robert Foster/Rachel Foster (Ford Fiesta) [3]
59 Paul Dolan/Rachel Fawcett (Vauxhall Corsa) [1]
60 Ben Farrow/Ben Searle (Peugeot 205 Gti) [2]
61 Colin Butler/TBA (Toyota Yaris) [1]
62 Andrew Chandler/Richard Chandler (Ford Escort Mk2) [1]
63 Steve Myers/Andrew Bentham (Peugeot 106 Rallye) [1]
64 Simon Graeme/Kev Wilson (Ford Escort Mk2) [2]
65 Michael Boak/Steve Carr (Mazda 323 GTX) [5]
Posted: January 7, 2013 4:01 PM
Darlington and District Motor Club are confident of a top quality field when the Autogas 2000 Jack Frost Stages Rally supported by Cartersport takes place at Croft Circuit on Sunday 20th January 2013.
As with many events these days, entries were slow to start off with but in the past few days, a steady stream has started to arrive for the event which will again comprise up to eight stages totalling around 45 stage miles on the tarmac of the North East's only permanent race track and will be a qualifying round of the AS Performance North of England Tarmacadam Championship 2013, Fuchs Titan Race ANCC Stage Rally Championship 2013 and the SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship 2013.
So far, some of the UK's top drivers will be bringing a wide range of exotic machinery to do battle including John Stone in his Skoda Fabia WRC and the iconic MG Metro 6R4 of former double winner Chris Wise along with a similar cars driven by Simon Chapman and Mark Jasper.
But the man they will have to beat is Penrith BSB and MotoGP boss Paul Bird who has won the event for the past four years and is planning on going for win number five in his ex works Ford Focus WRC07. Birdy doesn't plan too many outings in 2013 due to his other commitments so is hoping to make the most of the rally at his local track.
The two-wheel drive battle looks to be a mouth-watering affair already with Christmas Stages top five finisher Ian Woodhouse returning in his Ford Escort whereas local club champion Paul Swift hopes to make up for the disappointment of a Christmas Stages stage one retirement when he returns in his Ford Escort.
Scrutineering and documentation take place the same day as the event from 06:00 with the first car starting at 09.15. There are classes for cars up to 1400cc, up to 1600cc, up to 2000cc, over 2000cc and all four wheel-drive cars as well as pre-1981 classic rally cars. The entry fee is £210 and the final closing date is Tuesday 8th January 2013 whereby any late entries will be allocated a sequential number and seeded on the day in an appropriate position.
Posted: December 13, 2012 12:09 PM
Darlington and District Motor Club have once again teamed up with Thirsk-based fuel conversion specialists Autogas 2000 as well as Northallerton's specialist motorsport PR company, Cartersport for the Jack Frost Stages Rally which will take place at Croft Circuit on Sunday 20th January 2013.
The event will again comprise up to eight stages totalling around 45 stage miles on the tarmac of the North East's only permanent race track and will be a qualifying round of the AS Performance North of England Tarmacadam Championship 2013, Fuchs Titan Race ANCC Stage Rally Championship 2013 and the SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship 2013.
With a fast, flowing stage layout that will hopefully level the playing field once more, the event usually attracts a capacity 95 car entry, including some of the top drivers in the UK. Penrith BSB and MotoGP boss Paul Bird has won the event for the past four years and plans to return in his 2007-specification Ford Focus WRC, although he did test an M-Sport Ford Fiesta recently so watch this space...!
Three times winner Tony Bardy, from nearby Scotch Corner, took the victories from 2004 to 2006 and hopes to be back in action after damaging his Nissan Sunny GTi-R on the recent Tour of Mull. Meanwhile, event sponsor and Autogas 2000 boss Chris Wise took the honours in his MG Metro 6R4 in 2007 and 2008 and will be back in action to challenge for another victory to end Birdy's run.
Scrutineering and documentation take place the same day as the event from 06:00 with the first car starting at 09.15. There are classes for cars up to 1400cc, up to 1600cc, up to 2000cc, over 2000cc and all four wheel-drive cars as well as pre-1981 classic rally cars. The entry fee is £210 and the final closing date is 8th January 2013, although competitors are advised to enter early to avoid disappointment. In a bid to help competitors financially, once again no cheques will be banked before 3rd January 2013 or can be post-dated for that date instead.