MALTON Motor Club ace Mat Smith and navigator Giles Dykes enjoyed a fine time at the Riponian Rally - dominating their class and finishing sixth overall.

The event, organised by Ripon Motor Sport Club and Whitby & District Motor Club, started from the Thirsk Auction Mart in clear but cold weather, but conditions deteriorated during the day with rain and snow making the later stages very tricky. Smith and Dykes had no problems, though, winning the 1400cc category by a large margin.

They had also had a great result on last year’s event, when they finished third overall in a small engine Ford Ka. They have since sold the Ka and this year are campaigning in a Proton Satria.

The historic cars had led out the rally, with Charlie Taylor and co-driver Alan Ward starting second in their Mk2 Ford Escort.

Ward, from Kirkbymoorside, usually drives a Nova with daughter Rachel in the hot seat, but decided for this event to partner Taylor with a view to pairing up for the Northern Historic Championship, the first round of which is the Malcolm Wilson Rally in Cumbria on March 7.

It all went well for the new pairing here as they finished seventh overall and first in the H3 class. Dick Wardle, from Pickering, is this year navigating for a number of drivers, and after co-driving on the Snowman Rally in Scotland on Saturday, travelled down overnight to compete with potato farmer David Goose on the Ripon Rally. On the third stage, the gearbox on their Ford Escort slowed them down and a new box and prop shaft were fitted at the half-way service. They still managed to finish fifth in class.

Also from Malton Motor Club, Donna Harper, co-driving for Grum Willcock in a Opel Manta, finished fourth in class.

The event was won by Charles Payne and Ian Windress in a Ford Fiesta.

Full results are available at www.rally.info