| Round 16 - Harewood Hill 30th Aug 2009 |
 |
 |
 |
|
It's August Bank Holiday Monday so it's off to Harewood Hill, 6 miles north of Leeds in the West Riding of Yorkshire; one of the best hills in the country for both spectators and competitors. The track requires agility and power, ideal for the TVR Championship with the nimble, lighter and smaller engined cars in Class A able to compete with the less agile, more powerful V8's and Straight 6's in class B. With 24 Tivs entered we were the biggest class at the hillclimb, illustrating yet again the strength of this Championship. Spectators are spoilt with a view from the top of the valley of a good 75% of the track including the blast through the farmyard and the long uphill drag to the final bend. After a blustery night the day had dawned wet and misty; we were first class in the program so practice was a very slithery, slidy affair with times being irrelevant. Then the weather turned, the sun came out and grip returned in time for 2nd practice. Matthew Oakley (5.2 Griff) was setting the pace on the road followed by Paul Edwards' hot T350 (470 bhp - is that true or the commentator's imagination?). Martin Cockcroft (Tamora), Pete Watson (5.O Griff), Stewart Lobley (1.7 ltr Vixen) and local boy Stephen Broscombe (standard T350) were all under the magic 70 seconds barrier. Tim Scrivens was making a welcome return to the championship after his illness and clocked a respectable 70.42 but hotly pursued by John Carter, Steve(s) Dennis and Lyle and Mike Roe's Vixen. With handicap applied the little female foxes were right up there, the order being Oakley from Lobley and Dennis. Despite slick organisation by the BARC, there were considerable delays due to "offs" and breakdowns mainly amongst the Caterfield and single seater classes. Unfortunately one of our own was a victim too. Ian Bannister made a most uncharacteristic error and went off nose first at Chippy's making the car hors de combat for the rest of the meeting. First timed runs after lunch saw Oakley and Edwards slightly slower but Lobley, Roe and particularly Stallard were driving like banshees. Other notable improvers were Steve Lyle in the 4.0 V8S, Jeff Allan in the Cerb continuing his good season, Dave Wilkins immaculate yellow Chimera and Jaye Ridley in the ever improving S3. Roger Coulsey was out in his well-prepared brutish Tuscan Challenge car, feeling his way up Harewood after a 5 year break. The finish line is immediately after the long uphill right-hander at the end of the straight. It's a tricky bend that tightens at the last minute when you're tempted to apply the right foot to knock that last tenth off. Good place to watch the antics of the over ambitious including Steve Dennis but photographic evidence proves he had all four wheels off - so no time there then. After the first timed run it was Oakley, Edwards, Watson, Lobley, Lyle and Broscombe but apply the handicap and it became Lobley then Oakley, Stallard, Lyle, Roe, Watson and Edwards; two out of the first 3 being Vixens. A little down the field were Simon Smith in his Chimaera, Neil Hastle going well in his Vixen, John Carter, Jaye Ridley, Jeff Allan and Tim Scrivens in Cerbs and Dave Wilkins Chimp were all closely bunched with under a handicap second covering the seven of them. Having put a banker time in, it was all or nothing on the second run (there were doubts that the third timed run would take place because of the earlier delays). Oakley had to pull out all the stops and using every inch of the very narrow track, applied every one of his 350 horses to reduce his time by 1.2 seconds. Quite amazing and a new TVR Class B lap record and a new fastest TVR ever up the hill. The noise of that John Eales engine on full throttle is just glorious. However, it was not to be as Stewart Lobley, who is really on top form at the moment, screamed the life out of the little four cylinder Ford engine and reduced his time by 1.6 seconds to hang onto the handicap lead by 1/3 of a second and record a new class A hill record at the same time. Stallard improved slightly to secure third and Dennis made it all the way up this time snatching 4th place from Steve Lyle 5th, a much improved Paul Edwards in 6th, Pete Watson also much improved 7th, and Mike Roe in 8th. Just a handicap second covered 3rd to 8th place. Close or what? Stephen Broscombe has been up Harewood more times than most and set a personal best in his T350, Dean Keirl had been steadily improving all day and just pipped a baffled Martin Cockcroft (Tamora) who went slightly slower on each of his runs; it happens like that sometimes Martin. Neil Hastle is obviously getting the hang of his Vixen and carded a much improved second run along with Nick Hawkes and Sean Lacey. Dave Wilkins didn't get a second time owing to all four wheels off, but no damage luckily. It drizzled enough just before run 3 to deter some from taking their final run so a depleted line up of 11 TVRs took to the hill and found the track perfectly dry. Some shaved their times a little, some didn't. Three Nuts Watson span after the finish. Congratulations to Stewart Lobley and Matthew Oakley on their new hill records and thank you, as always to the TVR Car Club visitors who turned out to watch; your support is always appreciated. If you fancy having a go next year, it's really quite easy and doesn't cost too much. Have a look at the Speed Championship web site – www.tvrspeedchampionship.co.uk; you'll find the regs and requirements clearly laid out. To make it even easier for you, Matthew Oakley's Griff is up for sale at a very reasonable price. Highly developed, tractable, road legal and fearsomely fast, you could be winning next year (or maybe not judging by what Matt is planning next!) Pete Watson |
