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Two straight run-off wins and a new hill record at Craigantlet boosted Scott Moran’s already healthy lead in the Nicholson McLaren British Hillclimb Championship. Rival Martin Groves’ Gould didn’t even turn a wheel in anger, a gearbox output shaft breaking as co-driver Paul Ranson brought the car to the line for its very first practice run on the high speed Belfast road course. With no spare available, the car was sidelined for the day and Groves could only watch from the sidelines as Moran stretched his series lead to 63 points.

Having equalled former champion Adam Fleetwood’s outright record at last year’s event, Scott carved a whole quarter of a second off the mark on the very last run of the day and with ten rounds of this year’s championship remaining, must now be a strong favourite for the 2008 title.

A relatively small group of British contenders made the trip across the Irish Sea and with qualification certain – provided they completed the course and got a time – several drivers scored their first ever British points. Among them was Andrew Platt who, with two fifth place finishes in his 2-litre Dallara, moved straight up to 14^th place on the championship table. Tom New, however, desperate to gain ground on 2-litre rival Paul Haimes in his absence, crashed out of the opening run-off. Sustaining rear wing and gearbox damage, he failed to add to his score.

            Full report in Speedscene 150.

Championship standings after Craigantlet: 1 Scott Moran 228pts; 2 Martin Groves 165; 3 Trevor Willis 157; 4 Roger Moran 144; 5 Chris Merrick 138; 6 Jos Goodyear 95; etc.

Wiscombe Park celebrated its 50^th Anniversary year in style at July’s British Championship meeting. A cavalcade of hillclimb cars and drivers associated with the Devon hillclimb’s history took place at lunchtime, many of which took part in a special class to commemorate the event. Tony Freeman’s picture shows a small cross-section with British champions Chris Cramer, Roger Moran, Tony Marsh and his famous 4WD Marsh Special, together with Martin Groves and Roy Lane, who between them have taken no less than sixteen British titles.

            Groves and Scott Moran took up the cudgels once again in their duel for the 2008 title, with Groves taking his tenth win of the year in the opening run-off to level with Moran’s total. But in the final shoot-out the ever present Trevor Willis, despite bouncing nudging the bank at Sawbench with his OMS-Powertec, split the battling duo as Moran took the win.

            Full report in Speedscene 150 – or check the Woolbridge MC website: www.woolbridge.co.uk

British Championship standings: 1 Scott Moran 207pts; 2 Martin Groves 165; 3 Trevor Willis 143; 4 Roger Moran 127; 5 Chris Merrick 121; 6 Jos Goodyear 95; etc.

            A full review will appear in Speedscene 149.

On a weekend in which conditions alternated between torrential rain and bright sunshine, a limited choice of tyres confined British Hillclimb Championship leader Scott Moran to fifth place in the wet opening run-off at Harewood. Martin Groves continued his championship fightback to take the win, almost a second clear of the hot favourite in the conditions, Trevor Willis.  But when sunshine and a dry track greeted competitors in the afternoon shoot-out Moran approached hill record pace, storming to victory over Groves with the only sub-50sec run of the weekend and maintaining a healthy 40-point series lead over the defending champion.

            Amid a strong contingent of Richard Egger HSA Championship contenders, John Palmer boosted his score with a good run for fourth place in the 2-litre ModProd class and Fyrth Crosse enjoyed his first visit to Harewood as he took on the bike-engined hordes in the 1600 racing class with the Ensign-BDA. The dedicated HSA class enjoyed the best weather towards the end of the meeting, Eric Morrey setting the top pace of the day in the Clan to take the win from Wil Ker (bouncing back after a transmission failure on the Mini turbo in practice) and battling Peugeot duo Chris Flavell and Emerson Kent.

Full report in Speedscene 149.

Championship standings after round 16, Harewood: 1 Scott Moran, 150pts; 2 Martin Groves, 110; 3 Trevor Willis, 103; 4 Roger Moran, 91; 5, Chris Merrick, 84; 6 Paul Ranson, 68; etc.

Trevor Willis boosted his lead in the Avon/BMTR Challenge series with both run-off wins and a 37.71 FTD at Prescott last weekend. Behind the dominant OMS-Powertec driver, this UK Changes Midland Hillclimb Championship event staged a day-long battle between Chris Merrick and Deryk Young that began with a tie for second spot in the opening run-off, before moving up ahead of the absent Scott Moran to take second and third on the Championship table.

            A strong turnout of Richard Egger HSA Speed contenders supported the event, both throughout the classes and in two dedicated classes for B Licence competitors. They figured strongly in the overall results with Gary Hill the outright pacemaker in his OMS-Yamaha, his 43.43 taking outright victory in the 1100cc single-seater class. John Burton and John Opie took on the pre-85 racing cars in their 2-litre Ralt-Vauxhall RT3, with Burton shadowing new Midland Championship leader Peter Cox’s massive Chevron-Rover for second in class, while Opie was eased out of third place by a last run charge from Barrie Lines’ similarly powered Argo JM8. Stuart Cairney took the top Paul Matty Classic Saloon class handicap award in the Imp while in the ultra-competitive 2-litre ModProd sports car class, Chris Jones returned in his Westfield-Vauxhall to take on regular pacemakers Tim Cross and Dave Wilson and finish third in a sixteen-strong class.

            In the equally well supported HSA B Licence road car division, winner Eric Morrey and the Clan outran Championship leader Lyn Padfield’s Lotus Seven by just over half a second, Emerson Kent running a close third in his Peugeot 205 GTi.

            Full report in the next issue of Speedscene.

I am devastated to report that long standing member 1914 and past HSA committee member Malcolm Eaves was fatally injured in a motor accident last night, returning home from Prescott.

Malcolm regularly competed for 52 years and at the highest level. At Prescott on Saturday he spoke with his customary enthusiasm about how much he was relishing competing with his Lotus Elan twincam after a delayed start to his season.

The HSA Committee wish to extend their deepest condolences to Malcolm’s family and friends. Malcolm was the perfect example of those who make hill climbing the sport we love – his thoughtful and courteous presence brightening any paddock with his enthusiasm, understanding, charm, and quiet support. A true gentleman who we all will miss.

Scott Moran set the outright pace at a miserably wet Doune hillclimb, scaling the daunting heights of the Carse of Cambus with a 41.14s FTD to win the second of the day’s two run-offs and extend his lead on the Nicholson McLaren British Hillclimb Championship table. Top challenger Martin Groves, who had denied Moran the win in the first run-off, had to settle for third place behind Trevor Willis, the OMS-Powertec driver recovering well from a barrier-swiping incident in the opening shoot-out that had left him with a puncture, a damaged wheel and an eleventh place finish out of the points. But the mistake proved costly for Willis, who lost his second place on the series table to Groves as the defending champion continued his long haul back into 2008 contention.

            After a stunning practice run in the awesome Predator V10 on Saturday, just over half a second outside Groves’ 36.00s outright hill record, Graeme Wight Jr qualified in second place for the opening run-off. Then gearbox problems struck yet again and he finished only ninth before retiring the car. Former Scottish Hillclimb Champion Jonathan Rarity made a fine debut British run-off appearance in his Mark Hutcheson built Ghost-Hayabusa, bringing the diminutive machine, minus bodywork, well into the points each time.

            Full report in Speedscene 149.

Championship standings after round 14, Doune: 1 Scott Moran 134pts; 2 Martin Groves 91; 3 Trevor Willis 89; 4 Chris Merrick 84; 5 Roger Moran 81; 6 Paul Ranson 56; etc.

1995 British Hillclimb Champion and now triple FIA Touring Car Champion, Andy Priaulx, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in recognition of his outstanding motor racing career. ‘I was very surprised and honoured to receive an envelope with the royal logo on,’ said a delighted Priaulx, whose autobiography will be launched at at the Brands Hatch World Touring Car event on July 26-27. ‘I love my racing and I’m proud to carry the flags of both Guernsey and the UK on my car and overalls, so recognition of this sort is something really special.’

            A full report will follow in Speedscene.

Championship standings after round 12, Loton Park: 1 Scott Moran, 115pts; 2 Trevor Willis, 80; 3= Martin Groves and Roger Moran, 73; 5 Chris Merrick, 72; 6 Jos Goodyear, 54; etc