WHILST hoping to impress with his speed through the North Yorkshire forests, York racer Mick Smith will be equally delighted if people take note of the livery of his 1400cc Nissan Micra during this weekend’s Trackrod Rally Yorkshire.

The Copmanthorpe driver will highlight mental health organisation Menfulness across the race weekend.

The two-part annual spectacular begins with the Trackrod Historic Cup on Friday evening, with a floodlit ceremonial start along Filey seafront, and continues with the Trackrod Forest Stages which joins in at Saturday morning’s restart from NY500 - an eye-catching motorsports cafe along the Malton-Pickering road. 

Veteran rally enthusiast Smith and co-driver Christian Brown are due away around 9.30am in their 1400cc Nissan Micra KII, resplendent in the freshly painted decals of the Menfulness Charity - an expanding York-based group caring for men’s health and mental welfare with the self-explanatory catchphrase “Don’t man up, speak up”. 

“We had the livery done just for this rally to increase awareness of the excellent work they do,” explained Smith, who has been competing in the sport for almost half a century. 

The 1993 Skoda Trophy winner, who drove a works car, with full factory support, on that year’s RAC Rally - Britain’s round of the World Championship - recalled: “It was an amazing experience (maybe because the entire route was snowbound) and one I’ll never forget.” 

More recently, the vastly experienced Yorkshireman won the Mini Cooper Challenge in both 2022 and 2023, unbeaten on gravel in the single-make competition. 

Looking ahead, Smith added: “If I can make enough money for one bloke to get something out of it - to feel better tomorrow than they did today - that will do for me!”

Almost 180 entries for the annual Trackrod Motor Club spectacular have arrived from across the UK and even as far afield as Ireland, Switzerland and even Iceland.

Based again in Filey, the rally features the penultimate rounds of the national Protyre BTRDA Rally Series and the Fuchs Lubricants British Historic Championship, with the cars dating back to the 60s, 70s and 80s doing an extra stage - a spectacular high speed test in Dalby, undertaken at night with just spotlights to illuminate the forest tracks. 

The ‘historic’ roar away from the Yorkshire coastal town’s Beach Road is from 7pm onwards with spectators free and welcome to see the cars at close hand and talk to the drivers. 

Saturday’s restart on the A169 commences at 8.45am. 

For more information, visit the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire website here.