Newsletter
of The National Hill Climb Association Ltd
Tel.
01275 854789 (7pm-10pm weekdays, any
time at weekends)
Here we are
again with our mid-season issue. There
has been plenty of activity over the past couple of months with events at both
ends of the country.
Tony
The BMOC don’t run the same policy as the NHCA for writing a race report. Basically we don’t write one, full stop. Anyway, I thought it’s about time I put pen to paper to let you know what’s going on down here ‘me handsomes’.
Sunday morning dawned bright and early….. hang on, that’s wrong, it’s Easter. Sunday morning dawned to the sound of the foghorn warning the local shipping. At Tregrehan you couldn’t se the top of the hill, it was that bad. Light showers and no sun meant a wet track becoming greasier as the day went on.
With a full entry of 20 for a change practice went smoothly and carefully. Gerald Spiers debuted his new Cheney 680 Yamaha and Steve Sherbird finally coming out of his 13-year retirement, riding a home made framed XS 650 Yamaha (sounds familiar, Mr French). There was also a new sidecar, yes SIDECAR, F1 at that. Brothers Patrick and Paul Keates from Wellington have given up 4 wheels and taken up 3.
Another shower during dinner break dampened down the track at the top, which had started to dry out. But these new Michelins are fantastic, even Tregrehan’s greasy start line could be attacked with a fair few revs.
The only mishap on the first runs was Steve Sherbird locking up and stalling at the hairpin. The real fun started on the 2nd timed runs. Paul Jeffery snatched the 250s from Pete Short and Martin Palmer had it his own way in the 350s. I only had Derek Cann to overcome in the 500s and managed 22.82 to take FTD, not only beating Dickie Bird’s Peter & Paul (FLY AWAY PETER, FLY AWAY PAUL), but also the fastest car by over a second …. YES!!
The 750s are where it all happened. Alan Jolly fell off on the right hander but managed to take second on his first run. Keith Hunt survived for third. Gerald was up next. Coming out of the right he forgot to turn his petrol on, quickly turning the tap on the short straight. The hairpin loomed up and off he went with a big bang from the exhaust. Richard Bowker was next with a clean, but a failure was to follow. Around that right hander came poor old Steve Shirbird – lovely smooth line but, just on the exit, round came the rear and he was on his ass. So, after some very promising practice runs, Steve failed to register a time in the afternoon. The class spoils go to hard charging Jon Staden on his Christmas present, looking very impressive around the top end of the course.
Ian Cornwell was another rider playing with himself in the 1300 class, which just leaves the sidecars, again I say sidecars, no Trikes and no Bucklands (sorry, I couldn’t resist it).
Stu & Ginge took the honours from Bill & Jenny in the battle of the 600s, while the new boys Patrick & Paul struggled to get to grips with the hairpin …. Must have been using the same braking points as their old Mallock.
The weatherman said that the July meeting will be hot and sunny, Ha ha!
Jamie Mitchell
Results –
250
1 Paul Jeffery 23.15
2 Pete Short 23.52
3 Damian Whitley
4 Paul Jenkins
5 Jess Little
350
1 Martin Palmer
500
1 Jamie Mitchell 22.82
2 Derek Cann
750
1 Jon Staden 24.47
2 Alan Jolly
3 Keith Hunt
4 Gerald Spiers
5 Richard Bowker
1300
1 Ian Cornwell
Sidecars
1 Stu & Ginge 27.70
2 Bill & Jenny 27.99
3 Patrick & Paul 33.00
(Taken in the paddock at Shelsley Walsh on 9 May)
Standards seemed to have slipped or maybe Wiscombe in early May was the first time out for some of you this year. Anyway,
¨ lots of loose nuts & bolts, including top yoke nuts, and
¨ no open pipes – there must be some form of silencing.
At Shelsley I noticed that
¨ there are still a few people who have not written the stroke on their engine or otherwise clearly marked on the bike.
Day licences – the purpose of a day licence is for people to try out our sport. It’s a pain in the xxxx for the secretary of the meeting to take the money and do the paperwork. The club gets no income from day licences. So can those of you who compete regularly please buy an annual licence from the ACU at the start of the year. Apart from anything else, with an annual licence you get sent a free copy of the ACU handbook so you can keep up to date with the relevant rules and regs.
Dave Wills
(not limping so much and very mobile on a CBR600)
Bryn Bach Park – 3 May 1999
Unusually good Bank Holiday weather made for some very close racing at this spectacular strip of tarmac set in the welsh hills. The Nantyglo Club’s delightful informality took me by surprise. Practice eventually got under way and I discovered that my Velocette’s oval front brake was not the thing to use at the tightening right hander at the top of the climb. The old girl shook her head enough to scatter the marshals, and seriously de-tuned me. Fortunately, I stayed on.
As the entry was quite small, there was time for extra runs for those who had fuel, energy and enthusiasm left. Tony Quinn and daughter Cathy made spirited runs in Tony’s lovely Morgan. Dave Dunk put on a good show for his grandchildren on his delightful sounding bored-out RS 250.
When the dust had settled Nick Beale had set a new course record on his quad, Ian Fry was very close to the record on his 350 and was just three hundredths of a second behind Ian Southerton who was King of the Hill on his 750.
Alan Hummerstone
As you will have seen from the note sent round in late April, Porthkerris is ON.
ACU News
.
Dave Massam
Vintage / Post Vintage Championship
David Childs
Motorcycle World Beaulieu
Update??
Doug
Parnell
For Sale
Apache leathers – one-piece with armour. Red & white, 38”chest, 32” waist. Very good condition, £75.
Brian Wills – Tel. 01392 436880 (Exeter)
For Sale
Honda 250 RSA hillclimber. Rebuilt, re-sprayed, in excellent condition. Ready to race. £550 ono. Full details from
Dave Dunk – Tel. 01291 624841 (Chepstow)
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