‘Wild mix take to the hill’
Peter Scherer enjoyed the action at the Chateau Impney spectacular
Tom Walker became the first sportscar driver to win the Chateau Impney Hillclimb, when his ex-chuck Parsons
Lola T160 managed to improve his first run time by 0.54 seconds, to secure the title with a 39.14s benchmark run.
He was pursued all day, however, by three former winners.
Jack Woodhouse’s Lotus
20/22 came closest, but despite improving on his second run, he was 0.38s down at the end and had to settle for a comfortable Pre-1968 Over 1500 Single Seater win.
Last year’s victor Malcolm Thorne looked neat all weekend and his Lotus 35 topped the over 1500s after a close duel with Martin Jones’ Brabham BT21B. They were split by only 0.39s.
Andy Tippett’s Brabham BT30X-1 and David Gidden’s Lotus 23B had completed the top six after the first run.
Gidden managed to hold his place for second in the Pre-1968 Sportscar class, but Justin Maeers’ Lola T70 snatched sixth place overall, despite a wild spin after the finish.
“Once the dust had settled I could see what a good time it was,” he said.
It was the class battles that kept the healthy crowd entertained though, from the extreme to the spectacular and in some cases beyond.
Will Nuthall soon got used to the venue on his first visit with his ex-bruce Mclaren Cooper T53, improving on his second run to consolidate his Pre-1961 Over 1500 Single Seater class, despite some sideways moments.
Sarah Thorne’s Lotus 15 Buick had led the Pre-1961 Over 2200cc Sportcars last year, before losing out to Tony Bianchi’s Allard Farrallac. It was a role reversal this year though, with Thorne eclipsing Bianchi’s first run lead.
There was no such change in the Up To 2200 class though, as Peter Joy’s Lotus Seven S1 led all day with Barry Cannell’s Cooper T39 Bobtail securing second on his final run.
Both Mark Woodhouse’s Elva 100 and Mark Riley’s Creamer Special led their respective Pre1961 Racing Cars Up To 1500 and 1946-58 Up To 500cc Racing Car classes all day, but in the Pre-1940 Over 3000 Racing Cars, it was far from settled. Julian Grimwade’s Frazer Nash Norris Special and Maeers’ Parker GN were split by 0.46s after the first run.
“We are closely matched, so we will probably both mess it up now,” said Grimwade before the decisive run. Both improved and the gap came down, but Grimwade still held his lead by 0.28s.
The fastest of all the Pre-war cars was James Baxter’s Pre-1940 Over 1500 Racing Car class Riley Sprite ERA. The British Hillclimb Championship frontrunner’s time also placed him 12th fastest of the day.
Ben Fidler’s ERA topped the 1100-1500cc class with a personal best from his first run while, in the Up To 1100 division,
Winston Teague’s GN Wasp suffered defeat at the hands of debutant Harry Painter’s MG Kayne Special.
Despite the flame spitting spectacle of Ben Collings in the Beast of Turin Fiat S76, it was James Collins’ Hudson Super Six topping the
Edwardian and Veterans.
In the bigger Pre-1940 Special Sports , Mark Brett’s Ballamy Ford V8 Special led throughout, similarly in the other classes it was David Pryke’s Morgan
4/4 in the Up To 1500 class and both Marcus Black’s Talbot Lago and Tim Kneller’s Riley TT Sprite in the Standard and Modified Sports classes.
The Production saloon class went to Matt Clarke’s Austin Mini.
Results
Best time of the day: Tom Walker (Lola T160) 39.14s. Class winners: Tim Kneller (Riley TT Sprite) 47.68s; Marcus Black (Talbot Lago T23) 47.67s; Dr David Pryke (Morgan 4/4) 45.89s; Mark Brett (Ballamy Ford V8 Special) 47.14s; James Collins (Hudson Super Six) 51.98s; Harry Painter (MG Kayne Special) 47.96s; Ben Fidler (ERA AJM1) 44.53s; James Baxter (Riley Sprite ERA) 42.99s; Julian Grimwade (Frazer Nash Norris Special) 44.50s;
Mark Riley Creamer Special) 45.16s; Mark Woodhouse (Elva 100) 43.05s; Peter Joy (Lotus Seven S1) 46.26s; Sarah Thorne (Lotus 15 Buick) 44.40s; Will Nuthall (Cooper T53) 41.22s; Walker; Jack Woodhouse (Lotus 20/22) 39.52s; Malcolm Thorne (Lotus 35) 39.71s; Matt Clarke (Austin
Mini) 44.86s.