Repeating his success of the past two years, Elliot Payne made it a hat-trick by easily winning last weekend’s Riponian Stages Rally once again when he took victory in the Interclub event by just short of a minute.

The 22-year-old from Harrogate, with Welshman Patrick Walsh on the notes, led from start to finish in their Amigos-backed Ford Fiesta Rally2 after six stages on the North Yorkshire Moors around Pickering and Thirsk, setting fastest times on four of the six tests to reach the Thirsk Auction Mart finish 57 seconds ahead of Liam Clark and Carl Williamson in their Ford Fiesta Rally2.

Icelandic father and daughter, Daniel Sigurdarson and Asta Sigurdardottir, claimed third place on Ripon Motor Sports Club annual event as they gave chase but couldn’t stop Payne’s third successive victory on his local event, which added to dad Charlie’s ten wins to continue the dominance.

Joe Cunningham Riponian 2025   (Image: Andy Ellis Photography)

Leeming Bar driver Joe Cunningham and Aiskew co-driver Josh Beer overcame a collision on the opening stage in Gale Rigg to bring their Procter’s Coach Sales-backed Ford Fiesta WRC home in sixth place overall, just ahead of Seaham youngster Alex Vassallo with co-driver Harry Walshaw on the maps in their Ford Fiesta Rally2.

Potto’s Andy Davison and co-driver Tom Murphy brought their Sunbeam VXR home to a class win in 12th overall, two places ahead of Sutton Bank farmer Mat Smith, with father-in-law Derek Cornforth on the maps in their Proton Satria, taking a class win also to end a run of bad luck.

Pickhill’s Mick Johnson guided Tom Hewick from Boroughbridge to a class win in 19th overall in their TJ Motors-sponsored Ford Escort with Thirlby driver Ben Cree bringing the Opel Corsa he was sharing with Bob Wiggins home in 23rd overall and fourth in class.

Two places further back was Richmond youngster Luke Constantine who overcame a roll on SS1 which resulted in a smashed screen to post an impressive fifth in class in the 1600cc Opel Adam with experienced Manxman Rob Fagg on the notes.

 Kev Procter (Image: Andy Ellis Photography)

Peter Spencer from Northallerton guided brother Gavin to a superb 27th overall and fifth in class in their Subaru Impreza whilst Whitby’s Mike Scrimgour did likewise in the Ford Escort he was sharing with David Wallbank on their way to 33rd overall and fourth in class.

Stockton driver George Scott with Durham’s Chris Pattison co-driving claimed 43rd overall and sixth in class despite handling problems with their Town and County Butchers-backed Mitsubishi Evo 9 but for four local crews in the Interclub event, they sadly didn’t see the finish.

Scruton’s Kevin Procter along with Northallerton co-driver Ian Windress suffered a gearbox problem in their Ford Fiesta S2000 on the second run through Gale Rigg, the same stage claiming Ripon siblings Gary Beckwith and Kirsty Angell in their Blue Sky Consultants Ford Escort.

Brompton’s Darren Grimston with Northallerton co-driver Jamie Bew broke a driveshaft on the start line of the second stage in Cropton and went no further in their Victoria Garage MG3, whilst an opening stage off saw the demise of Richmondshire pairing Tom Constantine and Tony Walker in their Opel Adam after going OTL.

In the opening round of the British Historic Rally Championship which formed the National part of the rally, Durham’s David Henderson and co-driver Chris Lees brought their Ford Escort Mk2 home in fourth place overall, whilst Harrogate driver Tim Pearcey and co-driver Ifan Devine finished 11th overall but took a class win in the Ford Escort Mk1.

Thirlby’s Terry Cree wheeled out his sixty-year-old Mini Cooper S with Boltby co-driver Richard Shores for their local event and ended up in a battling 25th overall but sadly three local crews didn’t get the opening round of their title bids off to the best start.

Ripon’s Matt Robinson survived the collision with Joe Cunningham but retired his and co-driver Sam Collis’ Ford Escort after the first Boltby stage whilst County Durham’s Tony Thompson and co-driver John Connor retired their Cobots-backed Ford Escort with a misfire after the opening run through Cropton.

South Kilvington publican Nick Kitching and co-driver Steve Pugh crashed their Ford Escort on the opening stage to end their day spectacularly.