Champion goes fifth at Christmas.

Images from the Christmas Stages courtesy of Neil Sturgeon.

Northallerton Motorclub once again held the Christmas Stages Rally at Croft Circuit between Christmas and New Year.

Ryan put together a late deal for the event to use the ONIT seats supported Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 and was co-driven for the day by non other than Motorsport News National Rallies Editor, Jack Benyon.

A frosty start suited the soft DMACK tyres Ryan and Jack were using and they took an early lead. Unfortunately the gravel specification brakes on the car found the fast and dry conditions at Croft ‘testing,’ and the crew struggled to stop the car for the remainder of the day!

Despite some spirited driving, those dry conditions suited the more powerful runners and Ryan relinquished the lead. Another fastest time as dusk descended helped to keep them in a fight for the podium but unfortunately an engine problem on the last stage dropped Ryan and Jack to fifth but Benyon comment, ‘We had a great day’s motorsport and pushed as hard as we could!’