We have taken a look at some of the expected frontrunners on the East Riding Stages, now it’s time to look at some of the other crews.
Local businessman Ken Sturdy has been rallying for over 30 years and has spent time in both seats, as driver and navigator. In recent years he has rallied a Suzuki Swift Maxi, Talbot Avenger, Vauxhall Nova and Ford Escort.
He was a class front runner on last weekends Riponian Stages with his Escort, but has entered his Avenger for the East Riding, where he will be co-driven by Tom Hutchings, who usually navigates for former MSN Circuit Rally Champion Barry Morris.
Ken is also a sponsor of the event, supporting Beverley & District Motor Club by printing all the necessary paperwork for the rally via his company Spectrum IT.
David Kynaston’s rallying history goes back to the 70’s when he rallied an Austin Seven. After a spell with a 1300 Ford Escort, he returned to a Mini, before stepping up into Audi Quattro and Ford Sierra Cosworth.
He was back in an Austin Seven in the early 90’s, contesting mainly South Western events, causing many an upset in the form book, before acquiring an Audi Quattro A3 in 2000. Having continued with a Quattro until 2011, he had a spell out before returning with a TR7 V8, the car he has entered on this event.
Co-driver Andy Conibear has sat with Kynaston before, notably with the TR7 on the Tendring and Clacton Rally in 2018 and in an Opel Ascona on last years Roger Albert Clark Rally.
An Escort driver through and through, Darren Atkinson hails from the North West where he tasted most of his early success. His first win was on the Glyn Memorial Stages at Anglesey in 2002, but his early years were spent in the BTRDA Forest Championship.
Over the last 10 years he has become more of an asphalt specialist and won his class in the 2019 National Championship, with long term navigator Phil Sandham alongside. In his earlier career Sandham sat alongside the legendary Vauxhall driver Dave Metcalfe.
Mike Reed is another local driver, with a long history of rallying on tarmac and in the forests. He currently rallies a Mk2 Ford Escort which he runs in the British Historic Championship, having started with an Escort in the mid 70’s.
He has rallied a Vauxhall Magnum, Vauxhall Chevette, Peugeot 205 GTi, Mazda 323, Sierra and Escort Cosworth’s, before turning to his current Escort back in 2014 and has co-driven many times too.
On this event Mike has John Millington alongside. With well over 40 years experience to rely on, John has also sat with Malcolm Wilson, David “Piggy” Thompson, Chris Lord, Bertie Fisher, Gwydaf Evans and multiple British Champion Matt Edwards.
Another local-ish driver is York’s Mick Quinn. He has tended to favour the smaller cars and has rallied a Renault Clio for the last couple of seasons. He started in a Nissan Micra, before using a Peugeot 205 GTi for five years. He has stuck to tarmac since changing to the Clio and is due to be co-driven by Jason Smith for the first time on this event.
Kev Monaghan is another driver to favour the smaller car, and he is entered in a Vauxhall Corsa kit car, which he has rallied on and off since 2011. From a Peugeot 309 GTi initially, he had Novas and Corsas before debuting the Kit Car in 2011. In 2014 he debuted an Escort Maxi and continued with that until the Corsa Kit Car re-appeared in 2019. Fellow North Easterner Chris Purvis will be sat alongside him, as he has done on most of his events.
Watch this space, as there's plenty more to come.
You can check out the entry list via our partner Rallies.info
If you want to see the competitors in action you can watch at SS2: Coom Hill. Tickets are now available from www.bdmc.org.uk/ersr-2022
Peter Scherer