Outright Winner Malcolm Oastler – Image courtesy Stephen Ashelford/Rallye Track Motorsport Photography
OASTLER TAKES FIRST BLOOD!
Date: 4/3/17 | Host: BLCC
Fresh from winning the 2016 Oz Championships, Malcolm Oastler started the new year with a bang and a new outright record for the opening round of the Mantic Clutch 2017 NSW Championship. Saturday’s event, on the Esses course being the first part of the popular annual BLCC double header.
The absence of previous victors like Dean Tighe and Tim Edmondson (and even the chance of showers) did not dampen Malcolm’s enthusiasm for the task at hand. Driving his self-developed turbo Suzuki powered OMS open wheeler, he blasted a new outright course record of 21.24s.
Local driver and past NSW Champion Doug Barry (Lola T8750) pushed hard all day but had to settle for the runner up slot on 22.33s ahead Hillclimb Panel Chairman Ron Hay (Synergy Dallara, 24.01s).
Peter Dixon – courtesy Stephen Ashelford/Rallye Track Motorsport Photography.
Supersports racer Darren Barlow (Stohr) was next quickest, setting a new outright sports car record of 25.09s to finish narrowly ahead of Zac Lelievre (Westfield Megabusa). Zac also took out the 2A Sports class o-1600cc ahead of Neil DePau (debuting his Radical Prosport) and Andrew Walker in the Turnham Bandit.
Keith Hammond took out the over 1600cc 2A Sports class in the MX5 while 2B Prodsports was well supported with Paul Finch (PRB) taking the honours from James Pearson (RX7) and Tony King (MX5). Peter Brown reverted to the trusty BAP Clubman after his new mount had a malady in the lead up to the event and Michael Roberts (Elfin) set a new (Va) Vee record of 34.39s.
Matt Halpin – courtesy Stephen Ashelford/Rallye Track Motorsport Photography.
Richard Ostle took out the small capacity Sports Sedans and speaking of Minis “The Rev” Wrightson pipped Joanne Bell in the 1301-2000cc class…perhaps the longer nose cone of the later model is the way to go!
Phil Heafey (Mitsubishi Evo V1) was best of the Tin Tops and sixth outright on 25.30s ahead of Dave Morrow (Krygger Suzuki). The battle of the Nissan Skylines was resolved by Tony Dixon (Late Model Imp Skyline R32) ahead of Neville Shears (RRNL AWD Skyline R35) with David Isaacs (L/M Imp Evo 5) rounding out the top ten. Phil Pratt (Hooper) was quickest of the growing electric car class with three entrants in the running this year.
Phil Pratt – courtesy Stephen Ashelford/Rallye Track Motorsport Photography.
Travellin’ man John Gilbert, a regular at the NSW Champs despite living north of the Tweed, continued on his winning ways by breaking Dave Tutton’s longstanding Imp Prod over 3L record a total of three times on Saturday, leaving it at 27.33s!
Steven King had the Uberkart running well in the F/L 750cc class while Kevin Lewis Dallara F395 was quickest in the F/L1301-2000 class. Karen Wilson (SS Commodore) was Fastest Lady and Riley MacQueen (Commodore) fastest junior.
As an aside, a staggering 24 cars filled the RRNL over 2.5l grid – well done guys and girls. Geoff Brisby (HSV Clubsport) was the best of them ahead of Liam O’Brien (HSV GTS) and Robert Black (VY Clubsport).
Graham Orr – courtesy Stephen Ashelford/Rallye Track Motorsport Photography.
Pictured are Reps from Mantic Clutch (L-R), George Byrne, Sales Manager for NSW and Queensland and Mathew Psaras, the Area Service Representative for the Sydney/Illawarra. Don’t forget to visit our Major Sponsor Mantic Clutches website http://mantic.com.au/
Competition was keen all weekend with keen spectators enjoying Malcom’s sideways charge for The Dipper on the record setting run. He later commented “I hope someone caught a photo of that, I’m not sure exactly what happened…all I know is that it happened very fast”.
Ron Hay – NSW Hillclimb Chairman | Alan Barlow – NSW Hillclimb Website Editor