One of the country's biggest Rallycross meetings of the season takes place next weekend (October 31st/November 1st) when the Get Connected! SG Petch Rallycross Superprix roars into action at Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire.
Featuring some of the very best drivers from Europe taking on their British counterparts, well over 100 drivers will converge on the super-fast circuit over the two-day meeting which also includes the final round of the Fuchs Lubricants Rallycross Open Championship.
Hot favourite to land his first Superprix title is local ace Kevin Procter, who has finished runner-up on a couple of occasions, and the popular Bedale driver is likely to have the huge and partisan local crowd behind him in his ex Jos Kuypers Division 1 Ford Focus.
However, Procter knows not only will he have stiff competition from the usual British opposition, but he faces a tough Scandinavian challenge too as part of an 18-car grid for the 4WD Superprix, as well as a driver making his rallycross debut.
Barnard Castle's 'Mad' Mark Watson will be looking to avenge a disastrous season in his Citroen Xsara and Newcastle's David Binks has shown good end of season form in his Mitsubishi Lancer whereas another local ace who can't be discounted is Tony Bardy, from nearby Scotch Corner, who will be at the wheel of double Superprix winner Christopher Evans' Opel Astra.Norwegian Division 1 driver Camilla Antonsen becomes the first lady to race in the Superprix class and will be a threat in her Division 1 Ford Focus, as will Finland's Silvo Vitanen who impressed in his similar car last year.
But the driver who could spring an upset is Charlie Payne who has hired the Division 1 specification Jean Luc Pailler Peugeot 207 for his rallycross debut but the successful rally driver from Ripon will soon learn the ropes and is not scared to get involved!
The ROC title will be decided on Saturday between Andy Grant (Ford RS2000), Mike Manning (Ford Puma) and Steve Mundy (Ford Focus) before they do battle again on Sunday and throw in the likes of Andy Scott in the venerable Peugeot 306, Chris Langley (Ford RS2000) and Kyle Orr's Ford Focus, the scene is set for some scintillating action.
In the cracking 2WD Superprix, it really is anyone's game as the British contingent mix it up with a very strong continental challenge.
The fearsome Volvo S40s of Norwegians Stein Egil Jenssen and Ola Froshaug return to Croft looking for victory but there are a host of top UK drivers aiming to stop the crown returning back across the North Sea. SuperNational Champion, Jamie Lea will be in the mix in his Toyota MR2, as will the Lotus Exige of Ashley Simpson and it could well be the Volvo S40 of Ulsterman Don Shannon who tops the podium. Other notable names include Czech Republic competitor, Jiri Galuska in his Ford Fiesta, Belgian Filip Baelus (Volvo 242 Evo) as well as fellow countrymen Jef Mertens and Jelle Blockx at the wheel of their Opel Astras.
Polish drivers, Piotr Starobrat, Witold Starobrat and Lukasz Kabacinski will form a three car attack with their 2.5 litre BMW E36s but the likes of Brits Conor Flynn and Jonny Bean will have desires on finishing top 'Bee-Emm'. Tina Scott (Citroen C2) and Shelley Wakeling (Honda Civic) will hope to upstage the men but drivers like Stuart Emery and Dave Baines (Peugeot 306s), Bruce Bamber (Honda Civic) and Richard Moore (Ford Fiesta) will make it hard.
There is a full contingent of Minicross cars, including Ferryhill's David Bell, no less than twenty Stockhatch cars and a strong entry in the Revivals, Juniors and RX150 classes. Also making a welcome return to Croft is the unique Cartersport Rally Car Challenge with such drivers as Dave Craven and David Hughes (Mitsubishis) up against a dozen drivers, which include former rallycrossers Steve Heppenstall (Peugeot 205) and the Ford Escort Mk 2 of Dean Jones.
Most of the competitors will also race in the final round of the 2009 Fuchs Lubricants Rallycross Open Championship which takes place on the Saturday of the event, which also sees the opening heats for the Rallycross Superprix, in preparation for Sunday's action which is set to once again attract a bumper crowd.
The action commences at 9.30am on Saturday before the first heats at 11.00am and on Sunday, the first heats commence at 9.30am before the pit lane walk at 11.00am and racing recommencing from 12.30pm.
Ticket prices for the event are as follows: Saturday £10, Sunday £15 (£13 in advance), Weekend £20, Grandstand (Sunday only) £5. Prices are per adult and accompanied children 15 or under are admitted FREE and there is FREE car parking and FREE paddock access.
More information is available from Croft Circuit on 01325 721815 or croftcircuit.co.uk whereby advance tickets are available for a limited time only.
