My other German powered car

The Rain Stayed Away

We were very lucky with the weather at Carrick on Suir Motor clubs Hillclimb weekend. Rounds 5 and 6 of the Premier Machine Tools Hillclimb Championship were held at Millvale near Rathgormack on Saturday and Garryduff near Piltown on Sunday.

Saturday had 3 entered in my class I managed to take 1st place even with my driving cautiously. I did not want to make it 3 events in a row wher I was bringing home a damaged car!

Pictures from the Sunday can seen here. Page 4 IMG_7621 and page 7 IMG 7838 and 7839 are me in the Vee . I did not set up the my camera on the car.

The Saturday Hill at Millvale is a combination of a slow start opening out to quick last section with a tricky right hander before the finish

The Sunday hill has been nick named the M50, it is so fast the incline of the road is the only thing that keeps the speeds from going ballistic. The car that finished 5th overall was on max revs in top which equates 136mph. I doing about 102mph, the Beetle engine just did not have the grunt to hit max revs up that incline. 

Overall a good weekend.

Next event Carlow Motor club Sprints at Bagenalstown Sunday June 3 and Athy Monday June 4

The rain didn't stay away

The Dungarvan hillclimbs took place July 7/8 organised by Tipperary Motor Club. Each day began with the threat of rain. Saturday had glorious sunshine in the morning. The practice run was dry on the revised from last year course. The second chicane was abandoned for 2007 bringing back the high speed blast that the Dungarvan hill is famous for. The first chicane was changed from a 2 element to a 3 element, this did not change speeds through the chicane much.

The single as a group had just finished their first timed run and were waiting at the top of the hill to return to the paddock when the rain arrived. Having learned from previous experience I keep a Black bin under the seat to provide shelter while waiting.

On returning to the paddock every single seater driver put their car on the trailer. The saloon competitors continued for a further 2 runs although times were greatly reduced.

My time was 82.01 seconds which I was quiet happy with.

Sunday started overcast a practice and 2 timed runs were in the dry. The rain then arrived and runs 3 and 4 were wet only 22 of the 68 competitors did the 4th run. Again no single seaters went up in the wet.

My time 81.91s

Both days I was the only competitor in my class so took maximum class points. I now require only one finish from the remaining 6 hills (3 weekends) to secure victory in my class. Next event Limerick 4/5 August

I had picked the car on Friday from the workshop where my suspected gearbox problem was repaired. The problem turned out to be the lightened flywheel had broken.

What a standard flywheel looks like

It can been seen from the machining and drillilling done that there was not much of the standard flywheel left in this lightened version

There is still a 3rd gear synchromesh problem to be sorted

AHEALY wrote: Ger, that is a great result even if it was by default. If you were to win, will it be your first time ?. Have you any other wins in other classes etc ?. Good luck in the Limerick event.

Last year too many Formula Fords meant the only time I got a third place was when one of them had sticking butterfly in one choke of his carb.

This year all the Formula Fords moved to other classes bar one Declan McNamara. Only 2 other cars entered class 5A (both Vees) this year. Dean was quicker than me at Ballyallaban and I broke the car trying to beat him  on the last run ! Nuisance these competitive urges. The other Vee driver Fran has a less developed car so has been no challenge to me (so far). Declan has missed a number of events this year so I have won 7 and Declan the other 5 of the 12 so far in 2007.

In the Ritmo when there was a Ritmo class I used to  regularly pick up 3rd places after Des Cullen and Tony Murtagh. Except for one glorious day when I beat them. Laragh had a spot where drivers who had done their run could spectate. Des said afterwards I would never repeat the way I took the last few corners, 1 of them on 2 wheels!

Back in 1995 in a race I was running in a new engine, so taking it handy. A major deluge came and I continued driving handy. If I had known that the car passing me on the last lap was passing me for the lead I would have made it difficult for him. Everybody except me had fallen off the track at some stage so I actually led the race for about half a lap!

Time to rest

At the Limerick Hillclimbs on the 4th and 5th of August, I only competed on the Saturday. I just needed the points from that day to clinch victory in Class 5A in Premier Machine Tools National Hillclimb and Sprint Championship.

The Saturday hill is near The Old Mill outside Newcastle West. It is a quick course with only one slow corner near the start and fast kinks after that. I drove practice and 1st run cautiously to gather my points. Dean Laffey also in a Vee was only competition in the class on the day, so on Runs 2 to 5 I tried my hardest to beat him, but in the end he beat me by 2.1 seconds. Final Result Dean 47.68s me 49.84s

Video

Sunday I marshalled on the Boula hill near Broadford on the Limerick Cork border. One of the drivers when walking the hill said that I had the most significant corner on the hill and it should be interesting

Boy was he right. First a Corsa couldn't straighten and mounted the ditch across from me, then an Uno spun just before that spot and finally a Puma ended up in the spot that Corsa had been in previously. The rear wheel drive saloons were very entertaining with their tail out antics.

There are 4 rounds (2 weekends) left in the championship. Donegal 1/2 September where I intend to relax and spectate and MEC 15/16 September near Ashford Co. Wicklow where I have offered to do startline timekeeper for the weekend.

After that will be the championship prize giving and then roll on 2008

Hi ger

good to see you are at it again

would love to come out and see the next run but have to finish the last paper for my degree (hand in date is 24.4.08) for sure will go and watch one later this year

best of luck in Galway

chris

Ger/Denis; be nice to the locals in Ballyvaughan; Digweed will be the bike marshall on both days, and I'll be somewhere between starter/paddock/everywhere for the 2 days!

Denis; make sure you come up and introduce yourself this year.

Ben O'Brien; are you coming up to spectate again this year?

Ger; hope you keep the nosecone on this year!

Fey! wrote: Ger; hope you keep the nosecone on this year!

I am a wee bit more cautious since then.

Can't be too cautious though with 6 in my class at Wexford, maybe more at the weekend

Eventually made it up there to see 2 runs. A hillclimb virgin, was good fun to watch as each car got it's own focus of attention, but the event passed by very quickly. Met Ger briefly beforehand - only got to see one of your runs though, Digweed on the bike (who was pretty busy and probably posted a good time himself !) Think I saw Fey after the event, not sure what he looked like and I'm a bit shy.......That white MkII Escort was absolutely nuts, there is definetley something else in that tank other than petrol, 2.4L 300+++ bhp,600kg and the noise..... Although Denis's M3 was by far the loudest car there - didn't meet him either. A lovely MKI escort bit the dust which was a pity.

Have a couple of photo's, if ever get upload working for Vista I'll post up.