REPEATING his success of 12 months earlier, Elliot Payne continued a family dominance by easily winning last weekend’s Riponian Stages Rally as he triumphed in the interclub event by 50 seconds.

The Harrogate-based 21-year-old, with Welshman Patrick Walsh on the notes, led from start to finish in their Amigos-backed Ford Fiesta Rally2, succeeding over six stages on the North Yorkshire Moors around Pickering and Helmsley.

Payne’s second successive victory in his local event added to dad Charlie’s ten wins as the rest gave chase, including Durham duo Stephen Petch and co-driver Michael Wilkinson, who claimed third overall in their SGP Motorsport and Hitachi-backed ex-Andreas Mikkelsen Skoda Fabia Rally2, despite no pre-event testing.

Lealholm garage proprietor Nick Cook went one better than his ninth place overall last year when he took eighth and another class win in the Ford Escort Mk1 he was sharing with co-driver Dave Raw, whereas Thirlby driver Ben Cree, and co-driver Robert Wiggins, also took a class win on their way to 15th overall in their Terry Cree Motorsport Opel Corsa.

Steve Black, originally from Northallerton, and County Durham co-driver Jack Morton won the 1400cc class in their Suzuki Swift in 18th place overall, with a valiant effort from the Richmondshire pairing of Tom Constantine and Tony Walker seeing them bring their CBS-backed MG3 home second in class and 22nd overall, having bettered the class winners on the opening stage.

Ripon siblings Gary Beckwith and Kirsty Angell took 25th overall and sixth in class in their Blue Sky Consultants Ford Escort Mk2, with Brompton driver Darren Grimston and co-driver Richie Ross claiming second in class and 29th overall as they debuted their powerful Electrocare-backed BMW in the treacherous conditions.

One place and five seconds further back were Whitby duo Mike Stainthorpe and Martin Cockerill (Ford Escort) with another Richmond pair Luke Constantine – in only his second gravel rally – and co-driver Anthony Coates finishing a battling fourth in class and 32nd overall. County Durham’s David Coatsworth and Terry Martin brought their MG ZR S1600 home in 40th overall and second in class.

Meanwhile, in the National Historic event, which incorporated the opening round of the Motoscope of Northallerton Championship, there was a class win for Ripon’s Matthew Robinson and co-driver Sam Collis who took second overall in their Ford Escort. South Kilvington publican Nick Kitching and co-driver Sion Cunniff overcame  a day of problems to bring their similar car home in 11th overall.

One place further back was Bishop Auckland’s Tony Thompson, with son Matt on the maps in their Cobots Online-backed Ford Escort. Former Riponian winner Tim Pearcey from Harrogate, along with co-driver Steve Pugh, secured 22nd overall and second in class in their Alpha Energy Ford Escort Mk1.

Thirlby driver Terry Cree and Boltby’s Richard Shores overcame a spin in a Wass forest water-splash to bring their Beechwood Caravans BMW 2002 home in 23rd overall and second in class, while Northallerton father and daughter, Andrew and Georgina Smith, finished in a creditable 26th overall on their gravel debut, taking a second in class award for their efforts.

Sadly, a number of local crews didn’t see the Thirsk Auction Mart finish including Scruton’s Kevin Procter and co-driver Jamie Edwards. Their unfortunate run in their Ford Sapphire Cosworth continued with cam sensor failure leaving Wombleton service, whilst nephew and Procter’s Coaches team-mate Joe Cunningham, from Leeming, retired the Ford Fiesta R5 he was sharing with Scruton co-driver Josh Beer after suspension failure on SS4.

Pickhill’s Kari Bates went out in the Tanfield Engineering-backed Ford Escort she was sharing with Graham Haigh when the stub axle failed with one stage to go, and it was disappointment for Seaham youngster Alex Vassallo, who retired the Citroen DS3 he was sharing with Chris Lees early on.