OASTLER CRASHES THROUGH, WHILE NSW STILL WELL REPRESENTED!

Date: 5/6/16

Gale force rain and local flooding along the east coast of Australia gave way to sunny, clear skies for competitors at QHCC at the challenging Mount Cotton course on June 6.

Dean Tighe (Dallara Judd) fired of the opening salvo with a first run of 38.60s, closely followed by Malcolm Oastler (OMS28) on 38.84s and a hungry pack which included Michael von Rappard (Dallara F392), Darren Read (Hayward 09), Neil Lewis (Fly 001) and Ron Hay (Synergy Dallara).

The second run saw Oastler grab the outright lead (37.87s) from Tighe (38.01s) as von Rappard moved to third quick on 39.40s.

Come the third run and chaos broke out as Malcolm Oastler clipped the outside bank on the run to the flag (a la Tim Edmondson’s prang a couple of years ago) while Tighe went a fraction slower. The “Very Rapid” von Rappard was next on 39.12s while Neil Lewis made a spectacular entry into the pile of nutshells at the bottom of the hill, after a braking issue, fortunately without harm to himself.

With Oastler now retired, the door was just ajar but Dean Tighe was unable to find the few tenths required in the rapidly cooling conditions and had to settle for second outright. Against the odds von Rappard did his best on the fifth run (38.97s) to lock up third outright.

Darren Read (Hayward 09) looked fast all day and battled on for a creditable fourth outright ahead of Neil Lewis. James Milner (OMS2000) was next quickest ahead of Ron Hay (seventh outright, third in class) and a fast finishing Dave Morrow (Krygger Suzuki) third in class and eighth outright.

Other NSW regulars to do well included:

• Steve Purdy (MG Midget) with best Group S and Best MG (49.87s);
• Roy Davis (TR6), best Group T and winner of the John English Trophy for the best performance by a Queenslander (49.13s);
• Grant Liddell (Datsun 1200), first in Imp Prod up to 1600cc (52.74s);
• Garry Ford (Escort), second in class over 2001cc Sports Sedans (44.87);
• Daryl Small (Commodore) third in class over 2001cc Sports Sedans.

In taking stock, Malcolm Oastler (as the current Oz, Queensland and NSW champion) was calm and philosphical, later commenting “That’s the great thing about hillclimbs – even if you bin it you can still win it..”

Alan Barlow – NSW Hillclimb Website Editor

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Courtesy: Ebarlow Photos

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