Last weekend, MSA British Rallycross Championship racer Todd Crooks made his rally debut, driving a Peter Gwynne Motorsport Suzuki Swift, not dissimilar to the single-make category cars used in the British RX supporting Swift Sport Rallycross Championship

Competing on the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire and co-driven by Jordine Wadge, MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship regular Crooks was seventh in class, leading Swift and 73^rd overall on the penultimate stage, until he was forced to retire from the event with damaged suspension. “The rally car was very similar to the rallycross cars mechanically, but with gravel rally tyres, a second seat, intercom and everything required to make it pass an MOT. Significantly it had head lights, which was a novelty for me,” explained Crooks, who had tested the Swift in Wales before his rally debut.

“I had spent a day with Peter Gwynne Motorsport at the Sweet Lamb test complex which was very helpful with getting confidence in the car, learning how to read the road and how the gravel tyres respond differently to the slicks we use in rallycross,” he said. “Peter was a great coach and I learnt a lot from the day. It’s a shame we retired from the rally, because we were doing really well and I was really enjoying it.”

The university student, who races a BMW Mini in the Supernational category, used the event as part of his preparation for the final round of British RX at Croft. “Rallying has taught me a lot about reading the road and looking out for changes in the road condition, which is relevant in both sports. I'll definitely be racing at the final round at Croft and this will help for sure.”

Experienced rally driver and fellow British RX contender Kevin Procter used his Ford Fiesta rally car on the event, and finished fourth overall in his first forest appearance in the car.

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