BARRY LINDSAY will lead the field away for the second year running as Darlington and District Motor Club stage their ever-popular Jack Frost Stages Rally at Croft Circuit this Sunday.

In the absence of last year’s winner, Peter Smith, Carlisle-based Lindsay and co-driver, Caroline Lodge, will attempt to reclaim the title they last won in 2018 in their WD-40 sponsored SGP Motorsport Ford Fiesta S2000, supplied by local motor dealer Steve Petch as part of the prize for winning the SG Petch ANECCC Rally Championship in 2019.

Back in 2018, snow and ice were a major factor, but this year’s 75-strong field will be hoping for better conditions as they tackle eight stages totalling around 40 stage miles in an event that acts as a qualifying round for a number of local championships.

Irrespective of the conditions, there are plenty of crews intent on landing the honours including a strong local contingent with specific agendas. Having missed out on an eighth Christmas Stages victory last month and yet to win the Jack Frost, Leeming driver Kevin Procter arrives back at Croft with last year’s winning co-driver Patrick Walsh in their Procter’s Luxury Coaches-backed Ford Fiesta WRC. Despite all his success at Croft over the years, Procter has never won the Jack Frost Stages.

Scotch Corner driver Tony Bardy is a three-time winner of the event and along with Northallerton rallycrosser Dave Bellerby, will aim to get his name on the winner’s trophy for a fourth time in a Ford Focus WRC.

Continuing his rallying comeback is former circuit racer David Henderson from Willington, who claimed a top-six place on the recent Christmas Stages.

Brompton-on-Swale’s Geoff Wright (Ford Fiesta), Bedale ace Joe Cunningham (Subaru Impreza) and Guisborough taxidermist Dave Hornbrook (Mitsubishi Lancer) will be other locals gunning for top-ten results.

An interesting entry has come from the Caribbean, with Turks and Caicos Islands driver Paul Horton, and part-time World Championship co-driver Darron Garrod, set to compete in a state-of-the-art Ford Fiesta R5.

Gates open at 8am on Sunday, with the first car starting at 9.05am. Adult admission costs £13, with children aged 15 and under free.