THE organisers of Trackrod Rally Yorkshire have revealed a change of rally HQ for this year's event, which will again use the very best of the famous Yorkshire forest stages on Friday, September 30, and Saturday, October 1.

The rally’s traditional HQ venue at Pickering Showground is undergoing a major upgrade and will not be available for use in September. However, the organisers hope to shortly announce a new prestigious venue nearby, thus ensuring the compact route which is a popular feature of the rally. The new base will retain the event’s HQ in Ryedale and the corresponding proximity to the forests.

The plan for 2016 is to start the rally from the Central Service Park based at Adderstone Arena, in Dalby Forest, which will reduce road mileage still further. As usual, the main action for the rally will be on the classic gravel stages in the Yorkshire forests.

Trackrod Rally Yorkshire features two individual events, the Trackrod Forest Stages and the Trackrod Historic Cup. The overall event will form a round of no less than 15 national and regional championships, including the final round of the Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series which is currently led by Ripon driver Charlie Payne. Also expected to go well will be Hamsterley’s Stephen Petch in his Ford Fiesta.

The Trackrod Historic Cup will start at 7pm on the Friday, while the first car will start at 9.30am the following morning and return to the finish at about 3.15pm after two visits to the main service area. Regulations are due to be published early next month. For more details, visit rallyyorkshire.co.uk.

THE long trip to Pembrey, South Wales, for the fourth and fifth rounds of the Autosport International BTRDA Clubman’s Rallycross Championship proved to be worthwhile for Ingleby Barwick driver Martin Peters.

Driving the Preston Farm MOTs-backed 1600cc Citroen Saxo VTS, the Teessider followed up his third place on Saturday with a victory in the Mel Williams Tyres Production class on Sunday. Durham’s Gary Mitchell was placed eighth in the Historic class on Saturday, but upped his game to bring his Vauxhall Vectra home in third place in Sunday’s outing.

It wasn’t such a good trip for Stockton driver Marty Hawkes, who claimed sixth place in his Hawkes Fire-sponsored BMW Mini in Saturday’s B final before problems saw him sit out Sunday’s action.

REDCAR SG Petch Bears’ home Premier League speedway match last week against Rye House Rockets was a casualty of the English weather when heavy rain caused a postponement.

After a heavy downpour shortly before the first heat, the start was initially delayed. But, as the rain continued unabated, the referee decided that the track was not in a safe condition to race, much to the disappointment of the track team who had worked tirelessly during the day to get the track ready.

The hundreds of fans who were already in the stadium were denied the chance to see The Rockets, whose number one rider, Edward Kennett, currently tops the Premier League averages. Other riders for the visitors included two ex-Bears in former captain Stuart Robson and reserve rider Ben Morley. The meeting has been rescheduled for September.

A DOZEN crews from the region will make their way over the A66 to contest Sunday’s P & R Benn Greystoke Stages Rally in the fast and smooth forest complex near Penrith.

Ripon driver Matthew Robinson continues the development of his unique historic-specification Fiat 131S he shares with co-driver Sam Collis, while Northallerton’s Charlie Taylor and Kirkbymoorside co-driver Alan Ward will be in action in their Ford Escort Mk2.

Pickhill co-driver Chris Pattison has landed a seat alongside Yorkshireman Andy Gibson in their Ford Escort Mk2, while just outside the top 10 is the similar car of Tom Hewick, with Pickhill’s Mick Johnson on the notes. Bishop Auckland brothers Dan and Matt Thompson make the step up to Subaru Impreza power following an impressive apprenticeship in their ALM Products-backed Peugeot 205.

Brompton driver Darren Grimston and West Tanfield’s Richard Ross hope to have sorted out the gremlins on their Electrocare and NTB-backed Honda Civic, although Thirlby’s Ben Cree and co-driver Mike Scrimgour, from Guisborough, will be chasing them down in their 1600cc Peugeot 205.

Graham Haigh, co-driven by Pickhill’s Kari Bates, will be in action in the Ford Escort Mk2, while Potto driver Keith Davison and Ripon co-driver Henry Richardson will be hoping for a good result in their Hillman Avenger. The Ford RS2000 of South Kilvington driver Nick Kitching and co-driver Drew Trollope should be well-suited to the Cumbrian forest, as will the venerable 1300cc Ford Escort of Northallerton brothers Andrew and Richard Chandler.

Leeming Bar tarmac specialist David Johnstone takes his and Pickhill co-driver Bruce Lindsay’s Peugeot 205 for a rare forest sortie in the hope of gaining a good result as well as experience on gravel.

Spectators should follow the green arrows from the A66 to the designated free car park, from which the only viewing is permitted.