The Speedscene:
MORAN MASTERS DAMP DOUNE
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.
22/06/2008
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MBE FOR PRIAULX
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.’
15/06/2008
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HOME RUN FOR MORAN WITH NEW LOTON RECORD
Scott Moran stretched his British Hillclimb Championship lead at his home hill, Loton Park, with a new outright course record. He carved almost half a second off Adam Fleetwood’s 2004 hill standard and pressurized Martin Groves, still struggling to get back on terms with his 2007 Championship rival, into a mistake during the opening run-off. Groves got two wheels on the grass as the Gould-NME slid sideways out of Keepers on the opening run-off and toured up for a non-scoring twelfth place. He recovered to win the second shoot-out from Moran by a scant hundredth of a second as the Championship leader exited Fallow with an uncharacteristic tailslide, but Scott’s score is now well into three figures with Trevor Willis hanging on to second place, albeit 35 points adrift, with two third place finishes at Loton. Groves is now equal third with Roger Moran, but effectively now has just one ‘life’ left out of the six discardable scores permitted in the 34-round series.
Another spectacular drive in the Pilbeam-Judd from Jos Goodyear netted a fine second FTD, with second place in the opening run-off. The amazing combination of Robert Kenrick and the tiny Force-Hayabusa got in amongst the big V8s yet again, qualifying with a new class record and running even quicker during the opening run-off – a feat also matched by 2-litre Dallara-Vauxhall driver Paul Haimes, though in a time slower than the 1600cc car!
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
08/06/2008
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ANOTHER SHELSLEY RECORD TO GROVES
Martin Groves continued his fightback into British Championship contention with two run-off wins and another new Shelsley outright record, a tenth inside his October 2007 mark. Championship leader Scott Moran had to be content with the runner-up spot each time, but still enjoys a healthy 31-point series lead over Trevor Willis, whose OMS with its bike-based V8 lost out to the big hitters on Shelsley’s power slopes and ran seventh each time. Groves has now closed to within a point of Willis and with his tally of wins now three to Moran’s five, both with a hill record apiece, the stage is set for a re-run of their tremendous 2007duel for the crown.
Other run-off highlights included a fine performance from Groves’ co-driver Paul Ranson, who bagged third place each time, and another giant-killing act from Robert Kenrick, who twice qualified the tiny bike-powered 1600cc Force and outpaced the 2-litre Pilbeam and Dallara cars of Tom New and Paul Haimes in both the class runs and the run-offs.
The usual in-depth event report will follow in Speedscene.
Championship standings after round 10, Shelsley Walsh: 1 Scott Moran, 95pts; 2 Trevor Willis, 64; 3 Martin Groves, 63; 4 Roger Moran, 61; 5 Chris Merrick, 60; 6 Paul Ranson, 40; etc
02/06/2008
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WILLIS AND GROVES AT DRAMATIC BRITISH GURSTON
Only Trevor Willis was able to deny local hero Basil Pitt his first ever British victory at a wet opening Gurston Down British Championship run-off. After a superb shot by Pitt, it wasn’t until the final run that series second placeman Willis grabbed what was only his own third ever run-off win in the OMS-Powertec. Series leader Scott Moran gambled, and lost, on a choice of slick tyres on the rear of his Gould-NME. Third place was all he could salvage in conditions which, although improving, were still bad enough for the front runners to opt for a full wet setup.
Defending champion Martin Groves continued his run of misfortune with a high speed trip into the Karousel straw bales in qualifying after an optimistically late braking attempt in the wet. It looked game over for the day with a distinctly second-hand front corner, wing and nosebox, but after much frantic work in the paddock Groves and co-driver Ranson brought the rebuilt Gould-NME to the line for the afternoon’s qualifying runs in much improved conditions. This time Groves made no mistake, qualifying top and taking his second win of the year ahead of Moran on a virtually dry track with a time just over a second outside his own hill record.
Despite having, even by his high standards, his worst weekend of the year Moran still enjoys a substantial 21-point lead over Willis on the series table while Groves, in fifth place, still has a lot of work ahead of him to make up the deficit.
A full report will follow in Speedscene.
Championship standings after round 8, Gurston Down: 1 Scott Moran, 77pts; 2 Trevor Willis, 56; 3 Roger Moran, 53; 4 Chris Merrick, 48; 5 Martin Groves, 42; 6 Basil Pitt, 28; etc.
27/05/2008
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SCOTT STORMS AHEAD
At the end of a busy weekend for British Championship hillclimbers, Scott Moran (pictured - courtesy of www.hedward.com) left the North of England having stretched his Nicholson McLaren series lead to eighteen points over Trevor Willis. After a disastrous weekend at Prescott a fortnight earlier, Martin Groves powered back into contention with the opening run-off win ahead of Moran at Cumbria’s scenic Barbon Manor course on Saturday, later finding a fraction more to lead the second shoot-out with just Moran to run. But the series leader fought back to take the win on the final run of the day, breaking Adam Fleetwood’s 4-year-old hill record by a hundredth of a second. Rival Willis had a fraught opening run-off with sixth place, then driveshaft problems struck and he only just made the cut for the second stanza, finishing third with a spare flange which was already cracked, and which now had to last out the weekend.
Following the overnight trip across the Pennines to Harewood, Groves moved up the table to fourth place after shadowing Moran in the opening run-off, but disaster struck the defending champion once again in the second stanza when fuel feed problems left the Gould to stutter slowly away from line for no score. Moran stormed to a seemingly effortless fifth win (and third FTD) of the year ahead of a stunning drive by Jos Goodyear. After a half-spin in the opening shoot-out had consigned the Pilbeam-Judd driver to ninth, he really flew in the second stanza to chase home the leader. Shunning thoughts of any possible transmission weakness, Willis’s sixth place opener was followed by a back-to-form third, and he heads Roger Moran by a single point to retain his second place on the Championship table.
British Championship standings after Harewood: 1 Scott Moran, 60pts; 2 Trevor Willis, 42; 3 Roger Moran, 41; 4 Chris Merrick, 38; 5 Martin Groves, 32; 6 Deryk Young, 26; etc.
Full report and pictures to appear in Speedscene.
12/05/2008
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MOTORS TV HILLCLIMB DVD
 Available from the first transmission date, May 3rd, the first of the ten hour-long hillclimb programmes from Brayspeed to be aired on Motors TV covers the opening round of the Gurston Down Hillclimb Championship. All four rounds of the series will be featured on the satellite channel during the year, together with six rounds of the British Hillclimb Championship. The widescreen DVD retails at £15.99 and is available by Email from info@brayspeed.co.uk
29/04/2008
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MORAN’S PRESCOTT DOUBLE
 Scott Moran opened his 2008 Nicholson McLaren British Hillclimb account in style with two straight wins and FTD at Prescott in his Gould-NME GR61X. He goes to the Barbon/Harewood weekend double-header in a fortnight with 20 points in the bag and a four point lead over Trevor Willis, who drove brilliantly in the Powertec bike V8 engined OMS to finish fourth in the opening shoot-out before shadowing Moran in the final stanza.
Defending champion Martin Groves had a torrid weekend dogged by gearbox problems, and after qualifying behind rival Moran could only finish seventh in the opening pre-lunchtime points battle. In the afternoon, co-driver Paul Ranson damaged the suspension during his tyre warm-up and only a frantic wishbone change enabled Groves to bid for a place in the final line-up. But after another second place qualifier, his run-off shot ended in a spin at the Esses to leave his tally for the day at just four points.
Full report and pictures in the next issue of Speedscene.
British Hillclimb Championship standings after rounds 1 & 2, Prescott: 1 Scott Moran, 20pts; 2 Trevor Willis, 16; 3 Roger Moran, 14; 4= Deryk Young and Chris Merrick, 12; 6 Rob Turnbull, 10; 7 Basil Pitt, 6; 8= Tom New and Mark Coley, 5; 10 Martin Groves, 4; 11 Robert Kenrick, 3; 12 Oliver Tomlin, 2; 13 Paul Haimes, 1.
28/04/2008
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Torbay Motor Club Wiscombe Hill Climb - 17th May 2008
Saturday 17th May sees the first promotion in Torbay Motor Club's hill climb promotion season with the third running of their annual event at Wiscombe Park.
Supported by Exeter Caravan Centre, the event will be a qualifying round of the 2008 ACSMC Hill Climb, Torbay Speed and the Bridge Tyres and Wheels Wiscombe Hill Climb 2008 Championships.
In addition to an excellent day's competition, with a good selection of classes for the clubman, Saturday will provide an ideal opportunity for a day of setting-up and testing in preparation for Sunday's Wildlife Wiscombe Hill Climb, promoted by Taunton and Burnham-on-Sea Motor Clubs, a round of the ASWMC Hill Climb Championship.
The programme is extended again this year to include motorcycles, with both solos and sidecar combinations.
Supplementary Regulations are available to download from the Torbay Motor Club web-site, www.torbay-mc.co.uk, where entries to date are also listed.
or by request from the Entries Secretary:
Sheila Harvey, 154 Duchy Drive, Preston, Paignton, Devon, TQ3 1EW.
The event will support the Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Web-link: www.daat.org
After Wiscombe, Torbay Motor Club's hill climb season continues with a two events on consecutive days over the weekend of 31st May/1st June at their new hill climb venue in the Teignbridge district of South Devon.
For further information about Torbay Motor Club events at Wiscombe and their new hill climb venue, please contact:
Rupert Barker,
Press and Public Relations
Torbay Motor Club Ltd
Tel: 01395 513435. Mobile: 0771 232 9606.
21/04/2008
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WHO'S DOING WHAT IN 2008
Superclutch proprietors Tony and ShirletyTewson have acquired Pilbeam MP40-02 from Simon Osborne who fitted the car, which was originally built for Martyn Griffiths with Hart 420R power, with a Rover V8. ‘We’ve always wanted to run in the big single seater class,’ said Super Clutch MD Tewson, ‘and this is the ideal opportunity to do so. Making the run-off would be a bonus!’ The Tewsons’ ex.Durling/Wishart 1.6-litre MP62-BDA is for sale, with or without engine.
Tony Wiltshire has sold his all-conquering Ralt RT34 chassis to Terry Graves, who will run the car alongside his Pilbeam MP50 in southern hillclimbs. 2007 Gurston Top 10 Challenge champion Wiltshire is set to join the burgeoning ranks of Dallara F3 hillclimbers, having retained his successful self-developed 2-litre Peugeot to run in his new chassis.
Alastair Crawford is set to return to the hills this year in the ex.David Grace Simon Durling Gould GR37, now with 3.5-litre Judd CV power.
With Martin Groves undecided earlier this year as to whether he would be contesting a full season in 2008, his Gould GR55B is currently at the works undergoing aerodynamic mods so it seems likely that the triple champion will be defending his title once again. He will expect strong opposition from Scott Moran and possibly Graeme Wight Jr, who is set for a reappearance in the Predator, although whether the car will run the awesome Arrows V10 or a Judd KV is not certain at the moment. Elsewhere among the British Championship front runners, Karl Davison will be rejoining the lineup on a regular basis in the ex.Simon Durling Gould-NME which he drove at Shelsley last October, although it seems that contrary to previous plans, Tom New will reverting to his successful Pilbeam-Rover V6 for 2008. Having retired from the British Championship fray, Durling himself will campaign the ex.Brian Eccles Brabham-Buick in the Paul Matty Classic Challenge, which will be run for the first time on scratch this year.
Hillclimb Supersports (Clubmans to the regulars!) stalwarts Chris and Ashley Ward will be out in the sports libre class this year aboard the ex.Paul Haimes Mallock Mk20, with a new 2-litre BDG/Connaught unit, although they still have the Mk20X Clubmans spec car to run in the Supersports class until the new car's rebuild is completed. The ever-competitive Clubmans ranks will be swelled in 2008 by John Waggitt and Peter Needham, who will be running the ex. Colin Pook/Piers Thynne Mallock.
11/03/2008
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REGULAR 2008 HILLCLIMB SPOT ON MOTORS TV
Hillclimbing is set to receive long-awaited exposure on television in 2008. Satellite channels 413 Sky Digital and 545 Virgin Media will feature all four rounds of the Gates of Brockenhurst Gurston Down Hillclimb Championship and six selected rounds of the Nicholson McLaren British Hillclimb Championship, all filmed by well-known DVD producers Brayspeed, in a series of one hour programmes this year.
The programmes are scheduled to be aired on Saturday evenings as follows:
Gates Gurston Championship – May 3, July 5, Aug 2, September 27.
Nicholson McLaren British Championship – June 7 (Gurston), June 21 (Loton Park), August 9 (Wiscombe Park), August 30 (Shelsley Walsh), September 20 (Prescott), October 11 (Doune).
All programmes will go out at 9.00pm except for the Shelsley event, which will be aired at 7.30pm.
10/03/2008
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HSA AT RACE RETRO
Don’t miss the HSA stand at Race Retro 2008! This will be the fifth consecutive year that we have exhibited at Europe’s Premier Historic Motorsport Show at which our stand (A50), situated as always in Hall 2, the Race and Speed Hall, is always a favourite meeting point for hillclimb and sprint enthusiasts.
This year’s display car will be the successful Jedi of hillclimber Henryk Koslowski, there will be the usual display of Roger McDonald’s superb hillclimb photographs and a continuous ‘big screen’ showing of Brayspeed speed event DVDs. Copies of our own magazine, ‘Speedscene’ will be available and in case you’ve missed out on your copies up to now, Phil Short and Steve Wilkinson’s new book ‘Hillclimbing and Sprinting – The Essential Manual’, the British Hillclimb history ‘Speed Climb 60’, plus a strictly limited number of signed copies of Tony Marsh’s autobiography, will be on sale on the stand too.
Race Retro is at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on March 14th and 15th, 9.30 to 5.30 and on March 16th, 9.30 to 4.30. See you there!
10/03/2008
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TWO NEW HILLCLIMB DVDS
The latest hillclimb DVDs from Brayspeed feature last September’s popular Longleat weekend run by Woolbridge MC and the exciting, record-breaking finale of the Nicholson McLaren Hillclimb Championship at Shelsley Walsh in October.
Full details of how to obtain a copy can be found on www.brayspeed.co.uk, where you can also download trailers of the many speed event DVDs now available from Brayspeed.
09/03/2008
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Toyo tyres' new tyre for Speed events
TOYO TIRES have announced the introduction of the new PROXES R888 SG Soft compound racing tyre.
This new tyre has been specifically designed for use at Sprint/Hill climb or Short Tarmac speed events. Built on the immensely successful R888 casing design, this new tyre features a super soft compound mix for extra grip, short heat build up and super responsive steering.
As testimony to the performance potential of this new tyre, race goers might be interested to know that this new tyre has already scored its first competitive success in 2007. The new PROXES R888 SG was the tyre of choice for Gary Thomas who won the 2007 Midland Speed Championship in his Lotus Elise.
The PROXES R888 SG is offered for immediate sale in 4 sizes initially:
185/60 R13
205/60 R13
195/50 R15
205/50 R15
with two further sizes being available later on this year:
225/45 R16
225/45ZR17
05/03/2008
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FIFTY YEARS OF MALLOCK CUSTOMER CARS
2008 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the first customer Mallock to be sold, which makes Mallock the longest running manufacturer, under the same ownership, of any race car constructor. A celebration weekend, including a special race for all types and variety of the marque, will be held at Silverstone on 23/24th August. After a scratch race on Saturday 23rd, Sunday’s main race at this 750MC meeting will be handicapped to allow the whole 50-year range of Mallocks to compete on equal terms. With a static display in the paddock, there will also be a parade of as many Mallocks as possible on Sunday morning. The Mallock Club co-ordinators would like to see as many sprint and hillclimb cars attend as possible and all Mallock owners, Club members or not, are welcome.
It is hoped to gather together the largest single gathering of Mallocks ever seen – surpassing even the turnout for Arthur’s 75 th birthday celebration in 1993. As plans for the event progress, further details will be posted on the Mallock Club website: www.mallockclub.com
22/01/2008
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MSA processes record numbers of competition licences
THE MOTOR SPORTS ASSOCIATION announced its best ever start to the licensing season in early January, when it had already processed more than 10,000 competition licences for 2008 - an increase of around 50% on the same time last year. Heavy investment in staff and hardware has accounted for the increase, while twice as many people as last year are applying on-line.
'We are getting licences to people well within the regulation 15 working days,' said MSA Licensing Manager Steve Redhead. 'But we would ask people to get their forms in as soon as possible and would recommend that people use the website to renew their licence. It's a far more straightforward process and is the fastest way to get your licence.' Visit www.msauk.org for full details.
20/01/2008
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On-line entries at Gurston Down
From the start of the 2008 Season it will be possible to enter and pay for meetings at Gurston via the Internet. Using this method is very much encouraged by the organisers and there is no extra charge to the competitor – they will absorb the bank fees. The reasons for doing this are to save a large volume of paper and cost of printing and postage.
20/01/2008
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New insurance for competition cars on the public highway
RICHARD EGGER INSURANCE, sponsor of the 2008 HSA Speed Championship, is now offering a club and competitor-friendly solution to the need for Road Traffic Act compliant insurance for cars involved in events which have sections on the Public Highway. Cover is available for competitors, officials and organizers and the paperwork is designed to be club and competitor friendly.
For further information, please contact: Richard Egger or Sam Bartlett, Richard Egger Insurance, 8 The Triangle, ng2 Business Park, Queens Drive, Nottingham NG2 1AE. Tel. 0115 985 0165, Fax: 0115 988 2757 or visit www.richardeggerinsurance.co.uk
18/01/2008
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Richard Egger Insurance to sponsor the HSA Speed Championship
The Hillclimb and Sprint Association's Speed Championship, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2007 is to be sponsored by Richard Egger Insurance in 2008.
In a recent press release, new HSA Chairman Chris Bennett said "Richard Egger Insurance is a well known specialist for all aspects of motor sport related insurance and consider this relationship with a leading club in speed events the perfect way to develop their business and at the same time support newcomers to the sport, the area in which the HSA excels".
Confirming the agreement on the 18th December, Chief Executive Richard Egger commented "the HSA has shown they can work successfully with a sponsor. Hill climbing and sprinting is a sector of motor sport that we wish to support and following our policy of encouraging motor sport at its grass roots the HSA Speed Championship is a natural place for Richard Egger Insurance sponsorship”.
29/12/2007
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Paul Matty Hillclimb Challenge
The Paul Matty Hillclimb Challenge for Lotus cars of all types is set to continue in 2008.
Paul (pictured right in his Lotus 35 at Shesley in 2007) is a lifelong fan of the marque and has been able to combine his business (dealing in sports and racing cars, predominatly Lotuses) with pleasure that he and his wife June get from competing with the many rare and interesting cars they have owned.
Good luck for 2008.
21/12/2007
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