FOUR years after taking his second victory on the event, Scotch Corner driver Tony Bardy returns to Blackpool to contest the Legend Fires North West Stages Rally this weekend having fettled the problems with his newly-acquired Ford Focus WRC.

With recent winners Paul Bird and Kevin Procter not entered this year, Bardy and Saltburn co-driver Neil Colman are seeded at number one and looking to add to victories on the 2009 and 2012 events in Bardy’s venerable Nissan Sunny GTi-R, which he recently sold.

Also making the trip across the Pennines and in with a chance of victory are Newcastle duo Andy Fenwick and Andrew Roughead in their Proton, as well as Bishop Auckland’s Tristan Pye and co-driver Andrew Falconer in their Subaru. Consett driver Barry Renwick is also in action in his Proton, which he shares with co-driver Steve Dargan, while Stanley’s Jack Morton partners top driver Damian Cole in his Ford Escort.

Mickleton driver Alistair Hutchinson and Staindrop co-driver St John Dykes hope for a good result in their Renault Clio, with Thirkleby’s Jon and Alison Trenholme taking part in their Subaru.

Mat Smith, from Thirsk, along with co-driver Chris Row, will be favourites in the 1400cc class in their Proton Satria, and making a welcome return from their accident on the event last year are Richmond brothers Mark and Andrew Constantine in their Vauxhall Corsa.

The action gets underway at 6.30pm this evening with the first leg over 10 stage miles, followed by an 8.10am start tomorrow morning for the remaining stages prior to the finish in Blackpool town centre at 6pm.

For further information, visit nwstages.co.uk.

KEVIN Procter will make his 11th appearance in the Barbados Rally Club’s premier event this year when he lines up for Sol Rally Barbados 2016 at the wheel of his familiar Subaru Impreza WRC S7.

Procter, from Leeming Bar, confirmed his entry recently for the Caribbean event, which will run from Friday, June 3, to Sunday, June 5, with scrutineering and the King of the Hill shakedown event the previous weekend of May 30 and 31.

Hugely popular with fans for his flamboyant and attacking driving style, Procter claimed his seventh top 10 result on last year’s event, finally winning WRC-2, catering for World Cars built before the end of 2003.

He had finished third to Britain’s Roger Duckworth (Impreza WRC S6) and local Toyota dealer Roger Hill (Corolla WRC) in 2013, then second to Duckworth the following year.

With a best overall result of fourth in 2009, he was also highest-placed European driver back in 2005 in the Ford Puma Evo 4x4 and highest-placed overseas driver in 2004 driving an Escort Cosworth.

THE Guisborough-based Milwaukee BMW team have completed two successful days of testing as they prepare for their debut in the 2016 World Superbike Championship.

After a busy winter period spent preparing to contest the 2016 season, the team got their first taste of running a World Superbike at the Circuito de Jerez last week. Riding their BMW S1000RRs on track for the first time, riders Josh Brookes and Karel Abraham both responded positively to the bike after two days of running.

The team also tested at the Motorland Aragón Circuit earlier this week, before heading to Phillip Island, in Australia, for the final pre-season test on February 22 and 23.

The official Milwaukee BMW unveiling and launch will take place on Thursday, February 25, at the circuit, before the 2016 FIM Superbike World Championship begins on Friday, February 26.

THE opening meeting of the road racing season at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough, takes place on April 16 and 17, and it has a new name for 2016 in honour of a former British champion who tragically lost his life at the parkland track 23 years ago.

The Bob Smith Spring Cup Road Races will pay tribute to the Wigan rider who was a regular competitor at Auto 66 meetings at Carnaby and at Oliver’s Mount.

The club was overwhelmed when Smith’s brother-in-law contacted the office requesting some photos from the archives. Following a meeting with his widow, Linda, it was decided a trophy in Smith’s name would be a great asset for the spring meeting, which has rapidly grown into one of the biggest meetings of the year.

Entries confirmed so far are Lee Johnston, Dean Harrison, Ivan Lintin, Paul Owen, Dan Hegarty, James Cowton, Daley Mathison, Tom Weeden and Jamie Coward.