THE annual Legend Fires North West Stages Rally proved to be one of differing fortunes for the ten local crews who ventured over to Blackpool for the two day festival last weekend.

Leading the way and rolling back the years was Scotch Corner driver Tony Bardy in his venerable Nissan Sunny GTi-R where he and Saltburn co-driver Neil Colman gradually climbed the leaderboard from eighth after SS1 to claim runner-up spot after the 27 stages.

It was Bardy’s first North West Stages finish since he took the 2012 title to add to the one he won in 2009 driving the same ex-works car.

Having had to retire from last year’s event due to illness, Witton Gilbert driver Andy Fawcett was determined to make up for the disappointment which he most certainly did with another giant-killing act in the 1400cc Vauxhall Nova. Fawcett and Durham co-driver Chris Purvis eventually finished in 14th overall to win the class by over a minute.

Returning to the sport after a break last year, Thirkleby husband and wife Jon and Alison Trenholme showed no ill effects as they brought their Subaru home to a creditable 16th place finish. Staindrop’s Mark Thompson emerged with bragging rights in the 2000cc class as he claimed second place and 25th overall with Barnard Castle co-driver Joe Hutchinson in the Peugeot 206, with the Northern Energy LPG-powered Renault Clio Sport of Mickleton driver Alistair Hutchinson, co driven by St John Dykes from Barnard Castle finishing in 30th overall and fourth in class.

Thompson showed good pace in the dark of Friday evening to claim three class wins and despite a broken driveshaft early the following day which cost him a minute, managed to edge out local rival Hutchinson. It might have been a different story had Alistair not suffered a fuel problems on the very last stage which saw him lose time and drop from second in class to fourth.

Sinderby’s Bill Bates, co driven by daughter Kari, produced a solid performance to finish 41st overall and fifth in class in their 1600cc Peugeot 206 but for the remaining four crews, the event didn’t go as planned.

Having taken a stage maximum on only the third stage on Friday evening, Leeming’s Kevin Procter had it all to do to recover from his 48th position and by the overnight halt, had climbed to 40th overall in the Procters Luxury Coaches-backed Subaru WRC. A charge through Saturday’s opening stages saw the 2011 winner back up to fourth but he was forced out when Hartburn co-driver Ian Jackson took ill and couldn’t continue after SS15.

Coach2.com Peugeot 106 driver Joe Cunningham from Aiskew and co-driver Marc Fowler were forced to retire early on Saturday with driveshaft problems following SS8 and the Pickhill pairing of Geoff Simpson and Bruce Lindsay got as far as SS19 when the turbo failed on their Chonka Motor Services-backed Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.

Richmond brothers Mark and Andrew Constantine were hoping to repeat their class win of 2014 in their CBS-sponsored Vauxhall Corsa and were going well when they crashed out on the final run down Blackpool Promenade which led to retirement following SS22.

WITH just a week to go to the region’s premier forest rally, the organisers of next Sunday’s Riponian Stages Rally are gearing up with a couple of unique attractions on the Saturday scrutineering.

As well as Special Stage TV filming crews and cars at scrutineering for the event at Thirsk Auction Mart, which will be followed with filming the action the following day for a slot on Motors TV in the future, they are being graced with the presence of one of Yorkshire’s all-time rallying greats.

Peter ‘Yuk’ Hodgson from near Malton was a leading driver in the 1970s and 1980s where along with many other local drivers epitomised the sport in his various Ford Escorts and other makes both on local and national events.

He has revealed his memoirs in a new book, simply entitled Yuk’s Fast Book, where he regales readers with his various encounters in a lifetime in the sport in a light hearted and humorous way. Yuk will be signing copies of the book, which has already sold out of its original print run, on Saturday and he has generously donated a signed copy to the marshal’s raffle where everyone who is signed on will go into a draw.

The 2015 Riponian Rally is organised this year through the joint efforts of Ripon Motor Sport Club and Whitby and District Motor Club and has received backing from local competitors Peter Stephenson of ABLE UK and Matthew Robinson of Robinson Road Planing Services, both of who have entered.

This year’s event offers around 40 stage miles in the North Yorkshire forests around Sutton Bank and Helmsley and is a round of the ANCC, ANECCC, EMAMC, ANEMMC and ANWCC championships.

Entries are still available but officially close on Saturday where anyone planning to enter after that date should contact the organisers as soon as possible. Marshals are also still required and more details can be found at www.riponmotorsportclub.co.uk

THE 2015 Autosport International BTRDA Clubmans Rallycross Championship sees the opening round just three weeks away and taking place on Sunday, March 8 at the Blyton Circuit in Lincolnshire.

With plenty of local success in the 2014 series, drivers are reminded that entries close next Sunday. Already a number of top drivers have committed to the event and for further information and regulations, please contact John Rook on 07581-467465. The official website is at www.clubmansrallycross.weebly.com.