With just over three weeks to the East Riding Stages Rally, we check out some of the Championship winners among the 100 strong entry.
Mark Kelly is the reigning MSN Circuit Rally Champion. His first victory came in 2017 on the Heroes Rally, before victories at Brands Hatch and Cadwell in the same year.
A regular podium finisher, he continued with an upgraded Escort M2 until 2020, when he changed to his current Fiesta R5.
He was second in the CAR-nival Stages and Dukeries Rallies at Donington, then launched into his successful 2021 title year with three outright wins, before reverting back to his Escort at the end of the season while the Fiesta was in for rebuild.
With five Scottish titles and the 2011 British title under his belt too, David Bogie’s experience is vast. Following in the footsteps of his father John, his own career started in 2004 with a Vauxhall Nova.
He had a one off in John’s Metro 6R4 on the Jim Clark Border Reivers and continued with his Nova and a Corsa GSi, before his first overall win on the Croft Christmas Stages in Dad’s 6R4. Moving on to a Mitsubishi E4 on ANCRO events, he used a Toyota Corolla WRC in Scotland and continued through 2008 and 2009, before focusing on the Evo and racking up the titles.
A Ford Focus WRC was his next mount, before changing to a Fiesta R5 in late 2014, and moving on to a Skoda Fabia R5 with occasional Escort Mk2 outings in 2015.
With experience on ERC and WRC2 outings, he has stepped back over the last two seasons, but had two wins in Scotland last year on the RSAC Scottish and Galloway Hills, to bring his winning tally to 54.
Having started stage rallying back in the 70’s, Steve Bannister is a Yorkshire Rallying legend. Probably the most famous Malton potato farmer, along with his trusty Escort “Ethel,” his spectacular driving style has earned him many fans far and wide.
Banner's name is synonymous with the Mk2 Escort, despite an occasional foray away from the Blue Oval. His first significant win was on the 1979 Scarborough Stages, and after being a frontrunner in the BTRDA Championship, he won the Scottish title in 2014, and has many more successes to his credit.
Watch this space, as there's plenty more to come.
You can check out the entry list via our partner Rallies.info