All Right Now
In spite of a few mid-season driver errors and car gremlins, the weekend turned out well for competitors at the weekend's British Hillclimb Championship meeting at Doune.
Harry Pick clipped the barrier on the exit of turn one during Sunday morning practice, resulting in a puncture that put him off at Oak Tree. The car was recovered and Steve Owen set about repairing it for his first timed run. All OK or so they thought, but the car wouldn't start for Steve: the starter motor had broken during Harry's off. Not to worry, they would bump start it. Unfortunately Steve left the line on his first timed run only for the chain to break just around the first corner - it wasn't looking like Steve's day!
Again the car was recovered and they set about changing the chain, though Harry missed his first timed run; a pity as he had been in the low 40's during practice and was eager for a 39 second climb with the 1100cc 2000M. The rest of class I also seemed to fall into disarray with front runners Simon Fidoe and Simon Andrews spinning and Martin Jones having a mechanical problem, the class win was there for the taking.
With the car repaired Harry and Steve both took their second timed runs and finished in Leaders Championship scoring positions: allowing Harry to hold onto his championship lead in class I with Steve slipping back one position into third overall.
Former OMS 2000M driver John Munro made his first appearance in the ex-Pat Roche 1600cc OMS CF, which he and his father Roy have recently acquired. John had never competed at Doune before so he was learning a new hill and a new car. Undeterred he was quickly on the pace and lowering his times with each run, sufficiently so to qualify for each of the BHC run offs: another first for John.
Just prior to the commencement of the afternoon run off they were having problems with the battery and thought John would not be able to take his run. Fortunately Steve resolved the problem and John went on to win his first ever British Hillclimb Championship points. For a drivers eye view of his run click here.
The ex-Pat Roche OMS CF in the capable hands of John Munro: photo T Wilson
British Championship leader Trevor Willis had a mostly uneventful weekend: always a relief for Trevor at Doune. Though an unidentified gremlin did switch the engine off and then back on again whilst he was travelling at 120mph on the lower reaches of the hill. There was no reoccurrence and Trevor qualified for both run offs, finishing third in round 11 and winning round 12, bringing his total number of wins this season to seven.
Trevor Willis at Junction in the OMS 28 RPE: photo T Wilson
To view class times click here and for BHC point's tables click here.
Date: 21/06/2017 | Author: L.Owen