Former national rally champion Paul Bird has today confirmed he will defend his Cartersport Jack Frost Stages Rally title when he takes part in the event at Croft Circuit on Sunday 17th January 2010.

The Penrith driver will bring his latest Ford Focus WRC08 in which he will contest selected rounds of the World Rally Championship in 2010 to the Darlington & District Motor Club-organised event where he took an easy victory in his Subaru on last year's event.

Along with Scottish co-driver Kirsty Riddick, Bird was hoping to contest this weekend's Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally which takes place also at Croft this Saturday (2nd January) but due to a number of factors, is likely to miss the event organised by Northallerton Automobile Club. Former winners Chris Wise and Tracey Taylor-West will be challenging in their MG Metro 6R4, and there is a very healthy two-wheel drive contingent including the Vauxhalls of Chris Platt and Kev Monaghan as well as Barry Lindsay's Peugeot 106 and the historic class is well represented also with Darlington stunt driver Paul Swift (Ford Escort Mk1) up against the mighty Datsun 240Z of ex circuit manager Brian Morris from Richmond.

Just twenty places remain available for the event which will again comprise up to eight stages totalling around 36 stage miles on the ribbon-smooth tarmac of the North East's only permanent racetrack and will be a qualifying round of The AS Performance North of England Tarmacadam Championship 2010, SG Petch/ANECCC Stage Rally Championship, Borders Stage Rally Championship 2010 and ANCC Stage Rally Championship 2010.Entries close early next week so prospective competitors should submit their entry forms as a matter of urgency as no entries are reserved, it is strictly 'first-come, first-served'.

Scrutineering and Documentation take place the same day as the event which gets underway with the first car at 09.15 and there are classes for cars up to 1400cc, up to 1600cc, up to 2000cc, up to 2400cc and over 2400cc as well as pre-1976 classic rally cars.