Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Double Manx Rally winner Arron Newby heads to Croft for Jack Frost Stages rally


Double Manx Rally winner Arron Newby is among the confirmed entries for the Autogas 2000 Jack Frost Stages in association with Cartersport at Croft later this month.


The Lancastrian is bringing his powerful Subaru Impreza over from his Carnforth base for the second of the venue’s two annual winter rallies a week on Sunday and starts as one of the favourites.


But Newby, who’ll have John Cope beside him, can expect stiff competition in his pursuit of the trophy.


Among his rivals could be the Skoda Fabia WRC of 2014 REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship runner-up John Stone.


So far 80 crews have signed up for the popular Darlington and District MC-organised event, leaving just a handful of places left.


Other entries include three-times winners and event sponsors, Chris Wise and Tracey Taylor-West in their iconic MG Metro 6R4 plus Peter Smith at the wheel of a similar car, fresh from his third place finish in the the recent Swift Signs Christmas Stages Rally, also at Croft.


Billingham businessman Peter Stephenson could be Teesside’s best hope of taking top honours in his mighty MG ZR while Darlington all-rounder Paul Swift and Northallerton’s Graeme Bell will by vying for two wheel drive honours in their respective Ford Escorts.


Yorkshire forest rallying legend Steve Bannister has an outing in his recently rebuilt Escort and also expected to perform well is the Ford Fiesta R5 of Russell Morgan, whose son Adam won a BTCC race last year.


With more names still expected to appear on the list before it closes on Friday, the event is set for one of its strongest fields in recent years.


Crews will battle over eight stages totalling around 40 stage miles.


Scrutineering is from 6am with the first car starting at 9.15.



No comments:

Post a Comment