2023 Rally Yorkshire

Report by David Gowshall of DEEGEE Motorsport Photography

22^nd - 23^rd September 2023

My last visit to the North Yorkshire stages to take in some competitive rallying action had been in February to cover the Riponian Rally, so I had been looking forward to my second foray into the forests this year for some time. 

Last weekend, unlike in the depths of Winter, the weather was mostly sunny and decidedly warm for Rally Yorkshire, the penultimate round of the British Rally Championship.

The stages were firm and mostly dry, and fortunately for my camera, largely free of dust.

Not only was the British Championship taking place, but also, at the same time, a host of other events, including the British Historic Rally Championship and the highly regarded BTRDA Championship, and a number of smaller club competitions.  As a consequence, the field included 166 cars of every type, including Mini’s, Ford Escorts, and four-wheel drive “monsters”.

With only two stages available over two days for spectators at Cropton and Dalby, the opportunities to see the cars was limited, but I set off early, after a 6am alarm call, looking forward to my day in the woods.

The event was advanced tickets only, but with the morning stage at Cropton “sold out” during the week ahead of the event, the choice of an “all stages” ticket, which surprisingly was still available, and included both Cropton and Dalby, albeit at additional cost, seemed a good choice.  The cost of £24 seemed a little excessive, but I assumed in making the event “ticket only”, the organisers were limiting their sale to ensure the limited parking space available at both venues was not overwhelmed. More on this later in my report.

After an invigorating walk through the south of the Cropton complex, I found a spot I was familiar with, close to the finish of the stage, with the cars making a fast downhill approach to a 90 degree left, before climbing away uphill.  With plenty of light overhead and not too many spectators I had plenty of choice, in terms of shot variety, to capture the action.  Unlike in the past, when I was an avid follower of the sport, spectators are not permitted to wander to different spots along the stage for safety reasons, so it is important to look out a good spot prior to the stage becoming “live”.

Leading the way were the two-wheel drive cars, including a number of Mini’s taking part in a competition amongst themselves.  The cars were driven with plenty of enthusiasm and with the sun popping out from behind the clouds I was able to snap away.

Next were a seemingly unending string of Ford Escorts, both Mark 1 and Mark II examples, with their distinctive engine note echoing around the forest.  The excitement created by the sound of cars being driven quickly through the trees is something to behold, even after over 40 years enjoying this form of motorsport.

Interspersed between the numerous Escorts were a selection of other marques.

Finally, after almost two hours, the competitors taking part in the three main events began arriving on stage. 

Just time to watch a few of these high-powered Historic and 4WD cars through, take some shots and then, taking advantage of my “all stages” ticket, for which I had paid a premium, drive the short distance to Dalby Forest to watch the cars through that stage providing a second opportunity to capture them in action. Or so I thought!!

A pre-warning of what was to come on reaching Dalby came in the form of hundreds of cars being parked on the main road and verges outside the Cropton Forest Car Park as I left, reducing it to single lane.  It’s not surprising locals complain when rallies come to their area, and they can’t even drive on their local roads without massive inconvenience.

On nearing Dalby, I was concerned by a huge queue that had built up on the approach to the entrance.  Surely, I found myself asking, if it was a “ticket only” event the process of allowing ticket holders into the venue would be a swift process, removing the likelihood of queues forming?

Not so it seemed.  As I progressed very slowly in the queue the first thing that caused me some concern was a sign on the side of the road advising that tickets could still be purchased via a website / app.  I found myself wondering how any control on numbers entering the forest could be monitored when tickets were still being sold.

On finally reaching the entrance point to the forest my concerns were further added to by the fact no-one was checking whether anyone had a ticket before being allowed in.  Ironically, the queue was forming only as a result of every car having to stop for about ten seconds at an automatic barrier that had drop and then raise before any car could pass through.  Could that not have been switched off for the day??

With some trepidation I headed further into the forest taking heed of the instructions being given by numerous car park staff. Sadly, my concerns over the lack of control of how many people were being allowed into the areas set aside for parking proved correct. 

Car parking staff were simply overwhelmed and trying to manage a seemingly endless flow of cars entering the forest turned into total chaos.  Drivers were being advised to drive further up to the car park and came across cars coming back up the same single-track road, having had to turn back because there were no car park spaces left.  The result?  Hundreds of cars having to reverse over a long distance or carry out a multi-point turn in a very confined width of road. 

The air was blue and the car park staff, who were probably volunteers, were having to endure endless abuse I’m afraid.

The only option for car parking left to me, when I eventually managed to clear the chaotic situation, was the Dalby Forest Centre, for which I had to pay £10. 

Eventually, after a walk to the stage I only arrived in time to see the last part of the field pass.

To the organisers of the event, the rally, which included a huge field, ran like clockwork, for which they should be applauded.  The huge range of cars on show provided lots of entertainment for those spectating on the stages.

With no World Rally Championship round held in the UK now, since the demise of Wales Rally GB, the British Championship is the premier competition for rallying in this country.  To ensure it continues it will need the support of enthusiasts like me, but my experience over the weekend did little to encourage me to continue that support.

A long walk to a stage is expected by most “rally-goers” but spectators buying expensive tickets should expect to be able to park their car safely and easily, especially if they arrive in good time as I did. What’s more, there must be much more control over the numbers who can access the stages. Still providing facilities to purchase tickets for stages when they are actually taking place, on an event of this size, and not checking tickets on entering the forest, is nonsensical and directly led to the chaos that ensued.

Much more of the stages must be made available as it used to be for spectators, rather than herding them all into one or two places, where there is inadequate parking facilities.

I think it is important organisers, who had obviously put a lot of thought and effort into the “on-stage” activity understand the problems created “off-stage” for spectators. 

Back to the action after my rant.  Sorry!



Overall rally winner was (#1) Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux. Together with co-driver Alexandre Coriain and driving their M-Sport Ford Fiesta they were in a class of their own throughout the two-day event. 

As a result, they clinched the 2023 British Rally Championship with one round still remaining, having won all the previous rounds in which they have competed. 



The British Historic Rally Championship top spot on the podium went to Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke (#302) in their Ford Escort, with local drivers Elliott Payne and co-driver Tom Woodburn (#102) topping the timing sheets in the BTRDA event in their Fiesta.

Before I close, a word for the many volunteer marshals who enabled this event to go ahead thanks to their dedication.  They arrived many hours before the first cars appeared and did not leave until many hours after the last one had passed their post. They take on a huge responsibility for safety whilst they are on stage without payment for their services. 

It’s a big thank you from me to them on behalf of everyone who was able to enjoy the day’s action.