BARTON Hill driver Nick Carr rose back to second place in the First Rally Championship after a fine run at the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire in Ryedale – although financial constraints mean the title now appears beyond him.

With backing from Ralloy and Agri-Equest, Carr, with Joe Sturdy reading the notes in their Nissan Micra, was looking for a good result on this penultimate event a round of the junior First championship, having dropped from first to third in the series standings after an off on the previous round.

On home roads in Ryedale, though, they scored maximum points, winning every stage to go second in the championship.

Carr said: “The Cropton and Dalby stages were in great condition and were fabulous to drive, and we have had a great event with no problems.”

Carr and Sturdy will probably have to miss the last round in Wales as they try to find a budget to continue rallying next year.

The Trackrod Rally Yorkshire had seen its headquarters return to Pickering after an absence of four years, having more recently been based in Scarborough.

It brought home comforts for the likes of Carr, but Pickering garage owner Steve Magson and veteran co-driver Geoff Atkinson had no such success.

On Friday, they had a big off in the first stage, Staindale, and, with a damaged car they had to call it a day. Having just entered the Roger Albert Clark Rally, which will be held in November and likewise start at the Ryedale Exhibition Centre in Pickering, the pressure will be on to repair their Vauxhall Chevette HSR in time.

Barton Hill farmer and agricultural contractor Martyn Hawkswell, with Nick Welch in the hot seat, were targeting a class victory in their Mk 2 Escort but had to settle for second. They were beaten by a Mk 1 Escort driven by Nick Cook from Whitby.

Gareth Thomas and Jack Cranage, from Oswaldkirk, finished sixth in class. Their Mk 2 Escort had a small problem which resulted in an under-steering car but they still finished.

Malton Motor Club’s Mat Smith and Giles Dykes, in a Ford Ka, also gave it their all.

But near the end of the last stage at Langdale, they had a front wheel puncture which cost them about two minutes. They are second overall in the Millers Oils BTRDA 1400 Class Championship with one round to go.

Good points, though, were scored by MMC’s Amanda and Derek Cornforth in a Ford Ka for the ANCC Stage Rally Championship.