Croft Christmas Stages Rally 2012 Photos (Picture Heavy)

[2345876]

Originally I was supposed to be competing in the Christmas Stages Rally at Croft, however due to a date change, my driver was no longer available, so I signed up for media accreditation instead!

Thoroughly enjoyed myself watching as the drivers tackled some difficult conditions, one minute it was dry, the next it was wet....oh and of course the low level sun!

Driver of the day for me had to be Paul Swift, an absolute joy to watch! I think he had a smile on his face all day, and some of the moves he was pulling off (including overtaking into a chicane) were simply incredible! A very well deserved end result for the Escort MK2 which is always so well turned out.

I'd like to give a special mention to young Darren Rutter (Blue Escort MK1 #69). It was his first ever rally in a car which hasn't competed since 2006, and he drove a blinder and was sat in 31st O/A until sadly, a poorly gearbox ended his day after Stage 5.

As ever all photos are available to view and purchase via my DRH Photography site.

The Incredible Move:




























































Rainbow over Croft Race Circuit!


Comments always much appreciated

As ever all photos are available to view and purchase via my DRH Photography site.

[LcLive]

Last photo is lovely

Although nothing beats watching a Subaru driver get dicked

[ryan1087]

Did the guy in the yellow car (4th to last picture) not read the sign? He should of gone to specsavers.

Can anyone turn up and be photographer there? It looks to me like the guy in some of the pictures has a compact camera... Surely you wouldn't get very good pictures on that?

[2345876]

[quote=ryan1087;799751]Did the guy in the yellow car (4th to last picture) not read the sign? He should of gone to specsavers. [quote]

Good shout! I think he learnt to drive off my nan! "Now, if you sit on top of the wheel, you get places faster"

Originally Posted by ryan1087

Can anyone turn up and be photographer there? It looks to me like the guy in some of the pictures has a compact camera... Surely you wouldn't get very good pictures on that?

To get media accreditation you need to apply for it and either;
A) Be working for a magazine/newspaper/media outlet
B) Have work published in recognised media outlets

Media Accreditation allows you onto the circuit itself (and into restricted zones). However any spectator can turn up and take photos from 'behind the fence'

The guy in black with the 'compact camera' was working for a magazine, and it was a 'Bridge' Camera, you know, the stupid stage between a DSLR and a Compact?

[ryan1087]

Originally Posted by 2345876

To get media accreditation you need to apply for it and either;
A) Be working for a magazine/newspaper/media outlet
B) Have work published in recognised media outlets

Media Accreditation allows you onto the circuit itself (and into restricted zones). However any spectator can turn up and take photos from 'behind the fence'

The guy in black with the 'compact camera' was working for a magazine, and it was a 'Bridge' Camera, you know, the stupid stage between a DSLR and a Compact?

Ah ok, fair enough. I thought they was just going to allow anyone on the track.

Which category do you fit into then? Media outlet?

[2345876]

Originally Posted by ryan1087

Ah ok, fair enough. I thought they was just going to allow anyone on the track.

Which category do you fit into then? Media outlet?

Freelance Photographer with published work in recognised media outlets including Motorsport News, Pacenotes Rally Magazine, and national newspapers

[ryan1087]

Originally Posted by 2345876

Freelance Photographer with published work in recognised media outlets including Motorsport News, Pacenotes Rally Magazine, and national newspapers

Is all that true though?

[2345876]

Sure as hell is

[ryan1087]

Originally Posted by 2345876

Sure as hell is

Would love to see some examples

[2345876]

Originally Posted by ryan1087

Would love to see some examples

**Insert Generic Scanner Not Working Comment Here**

Luckily though I have this from applying for the Roger Albert Clark Rally....

[ryan1087]

Fair enough, I will let you off then Although it's not a regular job is it?

[2345876]

Semi-Regular it seems now The coming three months are quite busy:

January
2nd - Christmas Stages Rally - Croft, N.Yorks
5th - Private Test Day - Kirkbride, Cumbria
22nd - Jack Frost Stages - Croft, N.Yorks

February
3rd - North West Stages - Blackpool
4th - North West Stages - Blackpool
6th - Private Test Day - Kirkbride, Cumbria
17th - Chris Kelly Rally - Isle of Man
18th - Chris Kelly Rally - Isle of Man

March
3rd - Malcolm Wilson Rally - Cockermouth, Cumbria
11th - Roskirk Stages Rally - Three Sisters, Wigan
17th - Border Counties Rally - Jedburgh, Scottish Borders
21st - Personal Wedding - Glasgow

And there could be more added!!!

Couple more published pieces....

West Cumbria Motorsport Club's 2012 Magazine Covers;


Inside 'Spotlight Magazine';

[ryan1087]

That's pretty cool that you get your photo's in magazines, am currently creating a magazine myself (graphics related though). Do people approach you for the pictures?

P.S. You need to update calendar on Tag Sport

[2345876]

Originally Posted by ryan1087

That's pretty cool that you get your photo's in magazines, am currently creating a magazine myself (graphics related though). Do people approach you for the pictures?

P.S. You need to update calendar on Tag Sport

I need to sort out the whole of TAG Sport needs some TLC!

I get approached for photos....usually a "Dan, do a report for our magazine and send in photos". Seemed like a bind at first, but then I realised the benefit of getting stuff published!

Latest Report from Christmas Stages Rally;

The ‘Not So’ Christmas Stages Rally 2012

It had been almost 2 months since my debut rally at Three Sisters with Auld Papa Hurst in his Escort MK2, and I was itching to get one last rally under my belt before my 2011 MSA Licence ran out…well that was the plan anyway.

Sadly, Papa Hurst wasn’t going to be bringing the Escort out to play again, claiming the last one was too expensive for the jobs she performed….oh bugger, wrong type of Escort!

Off to BRF I went and a post was created, ‘Navigator Available for Christmas Stages’. Of course I was willing to give a contribution towards the entry fee, pay for my own food, accommodation and travel, and wipe my own arse.

After about two hours of my advert being live, I was contacted by Mr McGrath, a fellow West Cumbria Motorsport Club man, asking whether I was serious about doing the event – hell yeah! So after about an hour on the phone it was agreed that we would attack Croft on the 27th December 2011 – fantastic! Or so we thought…

On the 6th December 2011 at 23:05, our plans, as well as many others, were literally pissed on.

“Due to circumstances beyond their control, Northallerton Automobile Club Ltd has reluctantly had to alter the date of the Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally which will now take place on bank holiday Monday January 2nd 2012.”

The reason for this date change?

“The organisers were informed by Croft Circuit…that the original date…was now unavailable due to their allotted 40 days being used up.”

I for one find it impossible to think that not a single person working at Croft Race Circuit has the ability to count to 40! I am in my final year of training to be a Primary Teacher at University, and have taught 3 year olds with a greater ability!

For those who don’t know, Croft are only allowed 40 ‘noisy days’ per year, due to a court case where residents complained about noise – what do you expect living next to a racing circuit!? But that is another rant.

So, what did this mean for some competitors? Cars to tax, seats to update, harnesses to update, MSA Licence to apply for (with the possibility of it not arriving in time), accommodation to change (and fees for cancelling), previous arrangements to alter/cancel, the list goes on!

Anyway, sadly, my driver was no longer able to take part due to previously arranged family commitments. So I was back to square one. After calling three or four drivers who were looking for navigators with no luck, I decided that it was no longer worth the hassle, and I would rather save my pennies up and do a couple of events in 2012 with Papa Hurst. Instead I decided to apply for media accreditation, which I got, so it was off to Croft I went, leaving Cumbria at 06:30am on a cold Monday Morning.

I had more than one reason for wanting to be at Croft for the event, the main reason being it was to be the first event for another West Cumbria Motorsport Club man, Darren Rutter in his Ford Escort MK1, alongside him was the very capable Ann Forster who, for the very first time, was sat in something RWD!

Darren was rather unfortunately seeded as car #69…if you don’t understand the significance of the number, may I suggest you Google ‘Urban Dictionary 69’ - consider it an educational lesson courtesy of myself!

Darren drove an absolute blinder, catching his 30 second man on almost every stage and was sat in 31st O/A until sadly, a snapped shaft in the gearbox brought his day to an end with just two stages to go.

The weather was typically Croft, one minute the sun was out, the next it was hammering down with rain; there were even sightings of a rainbow spanning the track! One thing however remained the same….it was flipping cold!

Driver of the day for me had to be Mr Paul Swift, an absolute joy to watch! I think he had a smile on his face all day, and some of the moves he was pulling off (including overtaking entering a chicane) were simply incredible – bloody stunt men! A very well deserved 3rd O/A for Paul in his Escort MK2 which is always so well turned out.

I believe Northallerton Automobile Club deserve a lot of praise for what they managed to achieve. Despite things going horribly wrong (thanks to Croft Circuit for the second time in three years), they didn’t do what many others would have done and abandon all hope, instead they battled on and produced what turned out to be an ‘epic’ day of motorsport. Sure the date change didn’t suit everybody, but a 70+ entry list for the start of a new year is pretty damn good if you ask me!

Anybody who is looking for photos from the Christmas Stages Rally, please contact me via www.drhphotography.org.uk or 078******** and I will send you out FREE photo proofs.

Until next time…Ciao for Now!

Dan Hurst of DRH Photography

[ryan1087]

Haha, very professional article Although i did the enjoy the way you wrote it, made it more entertaining.

[2345876]

Originally Posted by ryan1087

Haha, very professional article Although i did the enjoy the way you wrote it, made it more entertaining.

That is my "writers trait" I always make sure my articles are "light reads" too many people try to be professionals, I have a laugh with the reader