CAMS NSW Hillclimb Championship » ARCHIVED REPORT: Canberra Hillclimb R1 2010

PETE’S BACK ….. AND LOOKING DETERMINED!

Date: 28/2/10 | Host Club: Southern District Motorsports Association

After a two year sabbatical from the NSW Championship, eleven times NSW champion and multiple Nationals winner, Peter Gumley made a welcome return to Round 1 at Fairbairn Park on 28th February.

Fresh from a record breaking run at the recent South Australian championships, the venerable 70’s Wortmeyer SCV was sporting a range of chassis improvements, designed to make it slimmer, lighter and stiffer as well.

An early shower made for a slippery track on the first run with Steve Moxon (Axtell Suzuki) setting the early pace (44.46s) from Ron Hay (RH Honda) and Stuart Inwood (Nissan R33) who was reveling in the conditions. Tim Edmondson with the Force PC, (also showing an update) was next quickest followed by Peter Gumley.

Warming conditions for the next two runs saw times improve with Gumley moving into the lead (40.15s) on the third run. His only worry was a telltale hint of blue smoke signaling the onset of an engine problem. Tim Edmondson (08&09 Champion) secured second place (41.68s) before an untimely suspension failure put him out for the day.

A shower of rain mid afternoon altered the conditions again but that did not discourage Doug Barry (Mudgee’s favorite son), as he shrugged of a fairly lurid spin in the esses to grab third outright (42.67s) on the final (fifth) run.

Steve Moxon and co-driver, Searle Courtright were rewarded with fourth and fifth outright, with only a tenth of a second or so separating them, both under the old record. Local quick lady, Michele Guyer (March 87B) took out sixth outright from Ron Hay, then Steve Hooker (Jedi Suzuki).

Stuart Inwood finished as fastest Tin Top in the Nissan R33 with ninth outright and a new record at 44.95s. Malcolm Oastler, driving his new “works in progress”, the fascinating Ferrabusa 156, rounded out the top ten. Fastest Junior went to Andrew Frost (Suzuki GTi).

Quickest sports car was local driver Geoff Boyd in the Rilstone Clubman – 13th Outright and a new record, while Steve Purdy headed back to northern NSW with the new (Sb) record. New records also to Jim Norris (280ZX), Barrie Coady (MR2) and Adrian Curlewis (Datsun 1200) and Dennis Roohan (VP Commodore).

Peter Gumley later commented that he was encouraged by the high tech chassis updates, the only downer being some plug fouling which had kept him away from his previous best. The next round is at Bathurst Esses and as Peter commented “..I am looking forward to that one ..I’m real keen to get back my record”.

Alan Barlow – NSW Hillclimb Website Editor

EDITORS NOTES:

For the technically minded, the SCV chassis now has alloy honeycomb infill’s to add lots of stiffness and this has allowed Peter to dispense with some of the bodywork for a lighter slimmer effect.
Peter reported that the “Purple Haze” following The SCV was caused by a suspect valve guide which was causing No2 to foul. Ought to go even quicker on all four cylinders!
The Edmondson Team had anticipated an escalation in “hostilities” at the front end of the field and brought the Force up to latest factory spec. However, Tim’s crew Chief, David Hill reckons it’s a bugger when you replace healthy parts to avoid problems and then the new bit fails. Ah well I guess if it was easy they all would be doing it!
Welcome to all the new competitors, particularly Mike Allen who travelled down from Queensland with Steve Purdy to harass Bob Wootton. I reckon with that effort Steve can talk the leaves off the trees and with five S(b) entries who’s complaining.
Malcolm Oastler showed off his latest project, the Ferrabusa 156. As expected, the workmanship on the car is amazing and we eagerly await the completion of the Ferrari inspired bodywork. F/L 751-1300 class was another well subscribed class.
Full marks to SDMA and the Bennett’s for a great weekend, they have set quite a benchmark for the other host clubs.