Swift roars to podium place on Jack Frost Stages Rally

With wife Jessica in the co-driver’s seat, the Jim Bean Motorsport-prepared Ford Escort Mk2 pairing were contesting round four of the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship, in association with MSVR, as well as the SG Petch ANECCC Championship on the Darlington and District Motor Club-organised event.

With the first frost of winter arriving the night before, conditions were tricky on the opening stage, but Swift set fifth-fastest time before climbing to third place overall on SS2, followed by a pair of top five times on the next two stages.

Swift upped his pace to set third-fastest time on SS5 to move into third overall, which he held onto following SS6. With dusk starting to fall, the Swifts continued their good pace on SS7 before a stunning performance on the final stage in darkness saw them second fastest to secure third place overall.

With top seed and ex-winner Tony Bardy, from Scotch Corner, a non-starter due to problems with his Ford Focus WRC, it was left to the more modern Mk6 version of Guy Smith, from Beverley, and co-driver Patrick Walsh to uphold Ford honour and emerge victorious.

But it was by no means straightforward for the 2003 Le Mans winner, who was debuting the ex-Charlie Payne car, although he did set fastest time on the opening stage.

Scotsman Alan Kirkaldy defied his lowly seeding to set second-fastest time in his Ford Escort on SS1, with ANECCC winners Barry and Michael Lindsay, from Carlisle, third in Steve Petch’s Mitsubishi, which they were using as their prize drive.

Smith extended his advantage as the fog lifted on SS2 as fancied runners Ashley and Fred Field found their pace in their Darrian to stop the clocks second-fastest and move up to fifth overall. Smith was fastest on SS3 ahead of Field, with the Ford Focus WRC of Teessider Peter Stephenson and Northallerton co-driver Ian Windress third quickest.

Smith went fastest by a second on SS5 before Field responded to reduce the deficit to 22 seconds on SS6. Behind these two, Swift and Kirkaldy were still hard at it and, after SS6, just four seconds separated the two powerful Fords, with fifth-placed Stephenson now coming under pressure from Consett’s Barry Renwick and co-driver Steve Dargan in their Proton Millington.

As dusk fell, SS7 saw Smith extend his lead to 30 seconds as Field could only manage third fastest behind a rejuvenated Stephenson, who had hoisted himself up to fourth overall behind Swift going into the darkness of the final stage.

Smith took it relatively steady to emerge third-fastest as Field claimed his third stage victory, but the final deficit was 25 seconds. Swift claimed the final podium spot exactly a minute further down, with Kirkaldy claiming fourth on countback having tied with Stephenson on times.

Renwick battled his way up to sixth ahead of Stone, with the Subaru of David White and Kurt Doane eighth. The all-Renault Clio battle went the way of Steve Quigley and Tom Hutchings in ninth, ahead of Mickleton’s Alistair and Joe Hutchinson.

There were plenty of other locals in action, including the County Durham pairing of Stuart Walker and Jack Morton, who finished 11th overall and sixth in class in their Skoda S2000. Bedale’s Joe Cunningham and Northallerton co-driver Marc Fowler continued their giant-killing season by finishing 18th overall and taking a superb class win in their Vauxhall Corsa. One place further back was Staindrop driver Mark Thompson and co-driver Thomas Bruce, who worked into the previous night to get their Peugeot 206 ready and were rewarded with fourth in class, just pipping Witton Gilbert’s Edward Todd and co-driver Andy Brown’s GTM Coupe by two places and six seconds.

Thirsk’s Mike Herrington and co-driver Rachel Heel took 29th overall in their Subaru, while Chop Gate’s Mark Gaskin, who usually co-drives for his brother John, took over the controls and claimed a superb 31st overall and third in class in their Citroen Saxo.

Thirkleby driver Rob Herrington, accompanied by Thirsk’s Charlotte Wainwright, brought his Ford Escort home 35th overall and seventh in class, while Middlesbrough duo Mark Burton and Zoe Wright finished 36th overall and fourth in class in their Ford Fiesta XR2. Ingleby Barwick’s Martin Peters and Hutton Rudby co-driver Jason Leaf finished 37th overall and fifth in class in their Citroen Saxo, one place ahead of Wensleydale’s Andrew and Rachel Foster in their Vauxhall Nova.

Jon and Alison Trenholme, from Thirkleby, ended up 42nd overall in their Subaru, while County Durham rallycrossers Phil Chicken and Brian Jukes brought their VW Lupo home 50th overall and ninth in class. Northallerton crews Ben and Kev Wilson (Citroen AX) and Andrew and Richard Chandler (Ford Escort) finished 53rd and 55th respectively, with the Renault Clio of Staindrop’s Colin Butler and co-driver Andrew Hutchinson 58th overall and 14th in class.

Sinderby driver Bill Bates and Pickhill co-driver Mick Johnson finished 66th overall and 11th in class in their Peugeot 106, but a number of locals were among the 19 retirements.

Durham’s Andy Fawcett and co-driver Chris Purvis overcame a fuel starvation issue on SS1, only to retire their Vauxhall Nova one stage from home, while Brompton husband and wife Darren and Amy Grimston went out on SS2 with gearbox problems on their Honda Civic.

Northallerton pair Larry Carter and George Smith broke a transmission mounting and went out on SS4 in their Peugeot 206, while Stokesley’s Ian Horn and Redcar co-driver Bob Brown lasted until SS5 before they retired their Vauxhall Nova. Richmond driver Terry Searle and Darlington co-driver David Cox only made it as far as SS1 in their Rover, while Topcliffe’s Nick Kitching and co-driver Drew Trollope retired in service after SS5.

Bishop Auckland pair John Pye and John Coxon retired their Subaru on SS6, but cruel luck saw the Peugeot 205 of Leeming Bar driver Dave Johnstone and co-driver Simon Little retire on the very last stage.