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Rising Scottish star David Bogie will lead the field away in a bid to retain his title as yet another capacity entry is set to contest the annual Specsavers of Middlesbrough Christmas Stages Rally at Croft Circuit near Darlington next Saturday (29th December).

The teenager from Dumfries has been hailed as Britain’s brightest young prospect with comparisons being made with the late Colin McRae and once again, he’ll be at the wheel of the Oakbank Services MG Metro 6R4 in which dad John just failed to win the popular Northallerton Automobile Club-organised event earlier in the decade.

Chasing Bogie and co driver David Paterson will be local renegades, Kevin Procter from Leeming and Northallerton co driver Dave Bellerby who swap their respective Rallycross cars to team up in the Procter’s Coaches Subaru Impreza. Both have sampled glory at Croft already this season and Procter especially will be looking to add the one major trophy, which has so far eluded him in over a decade, to his collection.

Former British Championship works driver and 2005 Mitsubishi Cup Champion Ryan Champion from Castleton will be in action in an MSR Motorsport Mitsubishi Lancer and another local driver in the shape of Pickhill’s Chris Wise will be looking to repeat his Jack Frost Stages victory at Croft earlier this year as he takes to the wheel of his Autogas MG Metro 6R4.

And the ladies are sure to get a look in also with Thirsk’s Carol Rosendale sitting with Champion and Tracey Taylor West from Pickhill accompanying Chris Wise also meaning two female co drivers in the top four cars.

A third MG Metro 6R4 will be in action in the hands of top National driver John Stone from Blackburn, who along with co driver Lee Carter actually took victory at a Croft event a couple of years ago but were excluded on a technicality and they could well be one of the crews to challenge for victory.

Five more Subaru Imprezas, of varying versions, complete the top ten of what is the best quality entry in years. The spectacular Alex Taylor returns in his Group A version with Geordie driver George Grieve making a welcome return to Croft also. The World Rally Cars of Graham Coffey, Consett’s Barry Renwick and John Marshall complete the top ten on the eight stage event. 

In the two wheel drive class, Stockton driver Keith Davison is favourite in his Darrian T90, assuming he’s rectified his recent gearbox problems, and if so he can expect tough opposition from Whitby driver Nick Cook (Ford Escort Mk1) and Masham butcher Richard Welford in his Ford Escort Mk2.

Other local drivers expected to do well on the event include Richmond driver Mark Constantine (Vauxhall Corsa), the DarlingtonMiddlesbrough (Subaru) and Saltburn brothers Ian and Neil Colman in their Nissan Sunny GTi-R. pairing of David Jones and David Cox (Mitsubishi), event sponsor David Stockton from

Other locals to watch out for include Stanley’s Phil Morton (Nissan Micra), Acklam driver Kevin Liddle (Subaru) and Jonathan Bean from Northallerton who will all be in action, as will Durham driver Garry Johnson, Pickhill’s Bill Bates (Peugeot 106), Darren Grimston from Northallerton (Ford Escort) and Bedale driver Andrew Auld (Peugeot).

Catterick driver Chris Cole takes to the stages in his Vauxhall Nova whilst Colin and Helen Elstrup from nearby Scorton will be in action in their Triumph GT6, Whitby’s Alan Hick and Saltburn co driver Alison Colman will be competing in a Nissan Pulsar and the Teesside pairing of John and Martin Cockerill will be out in their historic Ford Escort.

Utilising all of the tarmac roads around the popular North East venue, the event comprises rounds of the 2007 SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship and the 2008 Tyrespot North of England Tarmacadam Rally Championship and is scheduled for around 40 stage miles with a massive crowd again expected as the first of the ninety cars gets underway at 09.15 with the first of eight stages which will run into darkness.

Admission costs £8.00 per adult with accompanied children under 15 admitted free and gates open at 8.30am. For further information and detailed entry list please visit www.northallerton-ac.co.uk or contact Claire Jones at Croft Circuit on 01325 721815.

Provisional Top Ten

1 David Bogie/David Paterson                                          MG Metro 6R4

2 Kev Procter/Dave Bellerby                                             Subaru Impreza

3 Ryan Champion/Carol Rosendale                                Mitsubishi Lancer

4 Chris Wise/Tracey Taylor West                                      MG Metro 6R4

5 John Stone/Lee Carter                                                     MG Metro 6R4

6 Alex Taylor/ Stuart Leighton                                          Subaru Impreza

7 George Grieve/TBA                                                          Subaru Impreza

8 Graham Coffey/Steven Darrigan                                  Subaru Impreza WRC

9 Barry Renwick/Ian Bainbridge                                     Subaru Impreza WRC

10 John Marshall/Paul Hughes                                        Subaru Impreza WRC