Some of the biggest names in British rallying will converge on Croft Circuit next weekend for the Swift Signs and Shirts Winter Stages Rally which takes place at the North Yorkshire track on Sunday November 27th.

Organisers Northallerton Automobile Club Ltd and Darlington and District Motor Club have assembled a near capacity 90-car entry for what will be the first rally at Croft for nearly three years, the last one being the Jack Frost Stages Rally in February 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

After winning the 2019 Christmas Stages Rally, rising star Frank Bird from Penrith and his Hexham co-driver Jack Morton are back to defend their title in the World Championship-specification Ford Fiesta Rally 2. Bird, whose dad Paul won the event twice, has sampled victory in his last two events, so is hot favourite to clinch another Croft victory.

Second last time out was eight-times winner of the event, Kevin Procter, who will be hoping he can add to his tally. The local businessman from nearby Leeming Bar also won the Jack Frost Rally in 2020 in his Procter’s Luxury Coaches-backed Ford Fiesta S2000 so will return to see if he can make it ten Croft wins with regular Welsh co-driver Patrick Walsh alongside.

Procter’s nephew Joe Cunningham from Leeming and Scruton co-driver Josh Beer are another pair who could challenge for the win in their Ford Fiesta as they aim for an inaugural victory whilst Durham driver David Henderson has had a successful season in his Ford Fiesta R5 and will have wife Katie alongside him on the maps as they look to add to his Croft Christmas Stages victory of 21 years ago.

The remainder of the entry list oozes class and includes the experienced British Asphalt Championship front-runners Lyndon Barton (Ford Fiesta R5) and former champion David Hardie (Ford Escort), the Subaru Imprezas of Scottish ace Joe McKeand and Irish Championship regular Lee Hastings whilst the powerful Ford Escort Mk2s of local Darlington ace Paul Swift, Durham’s Barry Renwick, Martin Hodgson, Phil House and Stuart Newby will be vying for two-wheel drive honours.

Northallerton’s Dave Bellerby (Ford Sapphire) will also be to the fore whilst the likes of Mickleton’s Alistair Hutchinson (Renault Clio), Witton Gilbert drivers Andrew Fawcett (Vauxhall Nova) and Edward Todd (Darrian) along with Stephen Sawley from Spennymoor (Ford Escort) will be amongst the favourites for class wins.

Challenging them will be the likes of Scottish marauder Des Campbell (Peugeot 206) and Ben Wilkinson (Peugeot 106 Maxi) with former British Touring Car Championship driver Harry Vaulkhard from Sunderland entering in a Suzuki Swift for good measure.

The Richmondshire-based Constantine family will be out en masse on the event. Mark and brother Andrew will be major challengers for a class victory in their Vauxhall Corsa, whilst Mark’s two sons, Tom and Luke will make their rallying debut, each driving a recently built MG3. Andrew’s twin sons, Luke and Oliver, will share a Suzuki Swift on the event whereby one of the senior officials in charge of running the rally is Mark and Andrew’s sister, Nicky.

Other interesting cars include the Subaru Legacy of Bob Dennis from Bishop Auckland, John Nicholson and Chris Rock in their historic-specification Austin Minis, Darren Wilson’s Ford Escort Cosworth, Greg Inglis in his Lotus Exige and Phil Bruce’s Ford Ka.

With the return of the event, demand for tickets is expected to be high and once again, Croft are offering advance ticket sales at a discounted price. The cost is just £12 per adult as opposed to £15 on the day, with accompanied children aged 15 and under admitted free.

Gates open at 8.00am and the first car starts stage one at 9.00am with action continuing throughout the day with the final stage being run in complete darkness. Extensive free parking is also available within the venue on hard standing with trade stalls, food outlets and commentary.