BARC SW member Paul Haimes took the overall honours at Torbay Motor Club’s Wiscombe Hill climb in August, one of the first hill climb events to be held in 2020 after the extended coronavirus lockdown, writes Rupert Barker.
Despite having to be held without spectators, ‘behind closed doors’, the popular Fusion Fostering-sponsored event drew a maximum entry of 110 car drivers and 40 motorcycles, contesting a total of seven national, regional, club, venue and marque championships.
The fine weather contributed to good course conditions, although proceedings were interrupted for a delay early in the second timed runs when Neil Catling (Lotus Elise) went off the track at speed at the Gate, thankfully without injury other than to his pride.
When action resumed, Haimes’ specialised Gould GR59 racer proved more than a match for the local regional championship contenders, eclipsing his opening timed run of 36.66 seconds by a further three-tenths of a second to take the Fastest Time of the Day award at 36.36 secs.
The ‘best of the rest’ comprised Woolbridge MC’s Andrew Forsyth (OMS CF04) and Taunton AC’s Tony Bonfield (Jedi Mk 4), who put up a spirited challenge to inspire Haimes, with best runs of 38.04 and 38.73 respectively, the only others bar the winner to dip below the 39 second mark.
The two most hotly contested classes proved to be A2, where the two Jonathans, Wright (Golf GTi) and Langmead (Lotus Elise), finished just 17 hundredths of a second apart, the former prevailing on his second timed run, and A3, where Ben Adams (Audi A3 Quattro) snatched victory from Rodney Eyles in the lovely Alfa Romeo 4C by an equally slender 2 tenths of a second.
Derek Kessell (Maguire Mini Cooper S) was far ahead of the four other Downton Engineering Works Social Club Speed Series contenders and Tom Short (KTM SMR) and Simon & Jane Foster (Honda F2) took the 2 and 3-wheel spoils in the National Hill Climb Association motorcycle competition.
The ‘Spirit of the Event’ award was presented to event official Howard West for his immense efforts to pull together the extensive Covid19 precautions.
Full results
Class, A1: Name, Simon Cox; Vehincle, Austin Mini; Club, BOC; Time, 49:73; A2; Jonathan Wright; VW Golf GTI1; Burnham on Sea MC; 44.10; A£; Ben Adams; Audi A3 Quattro; Woolbridge MC; 44:52; A4; Stephen Moore; Mitsubushi Lancer; BARC SW; 42:31; B2; Steve Hill; Caterham 7; Torbay MC; 45.56; B3; Neil Tuckey; Westfield; Torbay MC; 43.86; C1; John Tandy; MG Midget; Woolbridge MC; 47.71; C2; Shaun Tuckey; Ford Ka; Torbay MC; 46.42; C3; Martin Stubbington; VW Golf GTi; Woolbridge MC; 47.28; D3; Steve Ellis; Ford Escort Mk2; Woolbridge MC; 44.66; E1; Ben Bonfield; Jedi Mk 4; Plymouth MC; 38.73; E2; Andrew Forsyth; OMS CF04; Woolbridge MC; 38.04; E3; Phil Montgomery-Smith; OMS 2000M; Truro & District CC; 41.67; F1; Derek Kessell; Maguire Mini Cooper S; DEWS; 44.02; Fastest 2WH; Tom Short; KTM SMR; NHCA; 41.58; Fastest 3WH; Simon & Jane Foster; Honda F2; NHCA; 44.62; Fastest Torbay; Robert Clarke; Empire Evo 00; Torbay MC; 42.11; Most Entertaining; Jan Yeo; Ford 34 Coupe; Torbay MC; 42.94; Spirit of the Event; Howard West; FTD; Paul Haimes; Gould GR59; BARC SW; 36.36 .
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