Second Hand News
With the Owens at the Shelsley Walsh Bike Festival (see separate news item), reporting on the British Hillclimb and Hillclimb Leaders Championship rounds at Prescott on the same weekend, fell to Harry Pick: his first news report for the OMS web site.
Saturday's first practice run was dry for everyone, though a down pour at lunch time meant wet runs for all competitors, following the lunch break. For 3rd practice runs on Sunday morning it was also wet, but the track began to slowly dry. When the first set of timed runs started conditions were mixed with small damp patches under the trees in the Esses in particular.
Les Buck (OMS Hornet) took a 600cc racing car class win. Following a moment with the gravel at Pardon during one of his Saturday practice runs, he managed the changing conditions well on Sunday morning to set a class leading time. His second timed run was a great improvement on the morning’s effort and saw Les shave 2.20 seconds off his first run time, ending on 45.54s to take the class win.
The ever competitive up to 1100cc racing car class saw seven OMS drivers competing out of a field of 24 drivers. Prescott newcomer Kevin Creaven (OMS PR) found Sunday's changing conditions challenging and he spun out on both timed runs, failing to set a competitive time. He didn't seem too downhearted and will hopefully return next season. Local Father and Son combination Ian and James Wilson were competing in their Yamaha powered OMS PR, with James setting the pace on 42.82s to find him in the middle of the competitive chasing pack. John Stockley (OMS 2000M) was also amongst the midfield setting a respectable time 42.50s to finish in 10th place.
In the hunt for Hillclimb Leaders Championship points were the shared duo of Simon Andrews and Bernie Kevill in their OMS 28. After Bernie’s successful BHC run off qualification at Gurston Down a week earlier, he could not produce the same stunning pace and had to settle for 7th and 8th place in the two rounds just outside of the point scoring positions. Simon fared better and managed to place the OMS 28 into the points for a solid 5th place in both timed runs. Harry Pick (OMS 2000M) managed to claim a 2nd place in the first timed runs losing out to Simon Fidoe in the highly developed Empire Wraith by 3/10ths of a second. In the afternoon with improved conditions the pace was quick. Harry pushed the car to a personal best time of 40.70s, to place 4th overall. The class was won by a delighted Darren Gumbley, who set a stunning pace on 39.79s, in the shared Simon Fidoe Wraith.
Forced induction racing cars up to 2 litres, found Lee Griffiths (OMS 25) running near to his PB. He qualified for the first of the British Hillclimb Championship Top 12 Run Off’s and managed to snatch 10th place. This added another point to his tally, in what is now his most successful year in terms of points gained in the British Hillclimb Championship. During the afternoon timed runs he managed to lower his time to finish on 39.09s and take third in class.
Trevor Willis, running his OMS 28 RPE V8 in the unlimited racing car class, qualified for each BHC Top 12 Run Off. He finished second overall in both rounds, losing each time to newly crowned 2016 British Hillclimb Champion, Scott Moran. The number two spot in the BHC is currently held by Trevor, but the ever present threat of Wallace Menzies in third place is closing in, so Trevor will need to watch his back in the final rounds at Doune and Loton Park.
Congratulations to Scott on this his 6th British title, having equalled Tony Marsh as the most successful drivers in the 69 year history of the British Hillclimb Championship.
To view class run times click here and to see the championship tables click here.
Many thanks Harry for this weeks' news article.
Date: 5/09/2016 | Author: H. Pick & L.Owen