Eggleston driver crowned North of England Tarmac champion

A TEESDALE driver has won the North of England Tarmac Rally Championship after the final round of racing earlier this month.
Alistair Hutchinson, from Eggleston, went into the season’s finale, the Cheviot Stages, at Otterburn, Northumberland, with a slender five-point lead over his nearest rival, Barry Renwick.
It proved to be an eventful day’s racing, which included an emergency dash back to Teesdale for spare parts.
Mr Hutchinson, 45, with son Joe, 19, as co-driver, took a three-second lead in their Renault Clio after the first loop of three stages, despite a puncture.
It was during the first service stop of the day that the team discovered an issue with the rear wheel hubs which resulted in spares being required. These were fitted during the lunchtime break.
Repeating the same stages again, the Teesdale duo pushed on hard, while rival Renwick was forced to retire with a fuel injector problem.
This meant the championship was in the bag and the Hutchinsons could relax and enjoy the afternoon’s six stages.
At the end of racing, they finished the Cheviot Stages seventh overall and first in their class.
This was Mr Hutchinson’s first North of England Tarmac Championship win. He came close in 2005 and 2010, when finishing fourth, while he was fifth in 2011.
He said he was delighted to finally take top spot.
“It is quite a prestigious championship to win and I am very happy,” said Mr Hutchinson, who runs Mickleton Service Station.
“We prepare the car ourselves at Mickleton and we have spent many years improving and improving the car.”
He will receive the trophy at an end of season awards night.
He also thanked sponsors Northern Energy, Morris Lubricants and D Ward Automotive.
“They have supported us for years and it’s nice to bring them some success,” said Mr Hutchinson.

At the same event, it was a successful day for Staindrop’s Giles Dykes.
As co-driver to David Tinn, the duo won the Cheviot Stages – a victory which meant they finished second in the national MSA Asphalt Rally Championships.
They have been racing together for the past two years and this was their first stages victory.
Mr Dykes said: “It has been a good season, although it did not start particularly well.
“In Wales, David was not well and I made a bit of a mistake, but since then we have got better and better.
“We secured a place on the podium in the penultimate race and followed that up with this win.”
In the end of season standings, Mr Tinn was just 12 points off overall first place for drivers and Mr Dykes 15 points behind for the co-drivers.