Procter’s winning start
| Having missed the opening round of the series in March, Kevin Procter (Northallerton) made a late, but strong start to his Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship season by winning the Night Race at Blyton Park in Lincolnshire on Saturday (May 7).
Driving his Ford Puma Supercar, Procter qualified third on the grid for the A final, Julian Godfrey (Heathfield) started from pole after setting fastest times in two of the three qualifying heats, David Binks (Newcastle upon Tyne) alongside Godfrey in his similar Fiest VI Supercar. The event started in sunshine on Saturday afternoon and continued into the night. By the time the Supercars came to the grid for their A final at 11pm it was raining steadily. Procter appeared to have made the best tyre choice and led from the start, Binks running second with Godfrey third but pressed hard by Steve Hill (Aylesbury). In what turned out to be a dramatic race, Hill was out in the second lap, Godfrey managing just one lap longer with suspension damage and a puncture on his Fiesta. Defending champion Pat Doran progressed from seventh on the grid but caused the A final to be stopped in the fourth and last lap when he hit a course marker, tore a front wheel off his Ford Focus and scattered debris across the track. The result was taken at the end of three laps, so Doran retained third while Steve Mundy (Ludlow) and Colin Anson (Basingstoke) placed fourth and fifth, the latter having a good run with his new Ford Ka. Round one winner Andy Scott (Dumfries) failed to add to his score after the engine management system in his Peugeot failed early in the event. Also out of the running was Andy Grant (Barnstaple), who placed second in round one, but retired at Blyton Park after the crankshaft oil seal in his Ford Focus failed. MSA British Championship, round two, Blyton Park, May 7 1 Kevin Procter (Ford Puma) 2m01.335; 2 David Binks (Ford Fiesta VI) 2m04.053; 3 Pat Doran (Ford Focus) 2m04.553s; 4 Steve Mundy (Ford Focus) 2m09.935s; 5 Colin Anson (Ford Ka) 2m24.935s; 6 Julian Godfrey (Ford Fiesta VI) two laps; 7 Steve Hill (Mitsubishi Lancer E10) one lap. Championship after two of eight rounds: 1 Binks 50; 2 Doran 50; 3 Mundy 41; 4 Godfrey 40; 5 Hill 37; 6= Scott & Procter 30 Next round: Mondello Park (Irish Republic) June 12 |
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Into The Night
Sun 1st May 2011
The Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship returns to Blyton Park on Saturday (May 7) where the Night Race forms the second round of the eight-event championship. Introduced to the championship last year, the Night Race was an immediate success with competitors and fans and is already regarded as a highlight of the year. The event will start in daylight, with the first qualifying heats run on Saturday afternoon, and continues into the night with the finish scheduled for midnight.
The Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship is led by Scotsman Andy Scott (Dumfries) who won the opening round at Lydden in his Ford Focus Supercar. That event had been intended as one of a select few appearances in the British championship as Scott concentrated on racing in the European Rallycross Championship this year. However, with the championship lead in his pocket, Scott has decided to expand his programme and will now bid to win the British championship. Although the British and European championships do not clash, the events fall closely enough to make it difficult for Scott to use his Focus in all the British events. “I’ve still got the Peugeot I raced last year so the plan is to use that in Britain when racing the Focus would be a risk to the European events,” said Scott, “I’d planned to do the Mondello Park and Knockhill rounds of the British championship, and the last two rounds which are outside the European season, so adding the other three events to the schedule isn’t too difficult and the Peugeot is still a very competitive car for British events.”
Scott’s leading rivals in the Night Race will be defending British champion Pat Doran (Winkleigh) and last year’s runner-up Andy Grant (Barnstaple), the pair having chased Scott home in the opening round with Grant making last gasp progress in the final to grab second place having had a difficult run in the qualifying heats.
Local boys aim for glory
Starting in what counts as their home event, brothers Ash and Russ Simpson (York) are both aiming to go one better than at Lydden Hill in the opening round of the championship where each finished second in class. Driving a Lotus Exige in the Supernational class, Ash goes to Blyton Park brimming with confidence; when the British championship last appeared at the Lincolnshire venue in September he won, and having showing great form at the start of this year, another victory is in the air. Younger brother Russ races in the Hot Hatch category with his Citroën C2 VTS. Irish driver Michael Duke (Dublin) won the first round of the championship, but Simpson was close enough to be buoyed by his form and upbeat about his prospects at Blyton Park, a venue at which Duke has never raced.
The event has a full programme of supporting classes, including the RX150 ‘buggies’, the intensely competitive Swift Sport Championship one-make series for Suzuki Swifts and Junior Rallycross. In the additional Clubmans Rallycross Championships, Lincoln-based Damon Fatchett will compete in the Stock Hatch class with his Peugeot 205 GTi.
Event details
MSA Quaife British Rallycross Championship, Blyton Park, Nr Gainsborough
Saturday May 7, on track from 1600.
Admission £10, under 12s free
Blyton Park
01629 650764
BlytonPark.co.uk
Sat Nav Lat/Lng: 53.44, 0.68
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Bank holiday date for the Christmas Stages Rally
| Fri 29th October 2010 AFTER losing its traditional slot in between Christmas and New Year, the ever-popular Christmas Stages Rally will take place at Croft Circuit on bank holiday Tuesday, December 28.
Once again sponsored by the Middlesbrough branch of Specsavers, Northallerton Automobile Club’s flagship event had to move into January earlier this year as a result of the noise restrictions imposed on Croft. But the organisers have had the date confirmed, meaning not only will a quality entry be assembled, but one of the biggest crowds of the year is expected. Entries are now open and steadily filtering in, with the first of 80 guaranteed places being snapped up by the winners of the past two Christmas Stages events, Leeming’s Kevin Procter and Northallerton co-driver Dave Bellerby. The pair are expected to start as favourites to land the trophy for a third successive year in their Subaru Impreza WRC but will face stiff opposition from a number of the country’s leading drivers who traditionally enter the 40 stage-mile event. Also already on the entry list is Catterick autograss racer Martyn Tinker, who will be in his rapid Lotus Exige and is expected to go well. And with the likes of the MG Metro 6R4 of Pickhill driver Chris Wise set for action, there will be no shortage of quality, although whether there is a repeat of the heavy snow and sheet ice of last year remains to be seen. Incorporating rounds of the AS Performance North of England Tarmac Championship 2011 and the Just Ferries Yorkshire Winter Rally Challenge, regulations, entry form and further information are available at www.northallertonac.co.uk. TWO and a half weeks after the Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally, there is more rally action at Croft when Darlington & District Motor Club will run the annual Cartersport Christmas Stages Rally on Sunday, January 16. While around a third of crews will enter both Croft events, because the Jack Frost Stages traditionally runs a more technical route, there will be a wide variation of cars and drivers over and above those contesting the Christmas Stages. HOT on the heels of his father, Johnny, clinching the BTRDA SuperModified Rallycross Championship last month, Morton on Swale driver Charlie Bean won his first grass track final last weekend at York. Charlie had a third and fourth place in the heats, followed by a win in the B final and a fourth in the A final, to round off a successful first year in autograss. picture credit to Ian Hardy (www.ianhardy.net) |
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Eleventh Best for Procter in Europe
| Sunday 19th September 2010FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFIA European Rallycross Championship – Round 10 – Sosnova, Czech Republic
British driver Kevin Procter came away from the final round of the 2010 FIA European Rallycross Championship with a 13th place overall finish which means he clinched 11th in the series standings following this weekend’s action at Sosnova in the Czech Republic. Driving the Procters Luxury Coaches-sponsored Ford Focus, the Leeming Bar driver followed up last weekend’s 12th place in Poland with another solid drive although for the second weekend in succession, the event wasn’t without problems for the Yorkshireman. Qualifying in ninth place, Procter’s weekend got even better when he won the first two heats and was looking good but a problem in heat three after a clash with Ludvig Hunsbedt saw him slip into the ‘C’ Final rather than the ‘B’ Final he was hoping for. Starting from the front row of the ‘C’ Final, the Kick Energy and www.coach2.com-supported driver made a great start but a slipping clutch and problems with the centre differential saw his bid for progression thwarted as he trailed home in third position behind fellow British driver Pat Doran. Kevin Procter: “It’s been a tough old day again, it’s just so competitive in this series and one minor problem really does hurt you. There were 30 Division 1 cars entered so to finish 13th isn’t too bad and right up until the ‘C’ Final; the car never missed a beat. Everyone is desperate to succeed but I think we’ve done ourselves justice this season in finishing 11th in the Championship so thanks to my team and family for supporting me.” |
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