© Midland Automobile Club - Shelsley Walsh Speed Hill Climb website, adapted for use by tpix Motorsport.

Ladies Hill Record Tumbles!

The British Hill Climb Championship came to Shelsley Walsh on the weekend of 3rd and 4th June. Martin Groves left triumphant with another two rounds sewn up as he has done so often in the last two seasons. He beat off Ludlow driver Scott Moran in both rounds and Groves car share partner Paul Ranson took a third in round twelve as did Shelsley BTD regular and Herefordshire resident Deryk Young in round eleven.

But the big news is that Deryk's wife Sue lowered her ladies record of August last year by a further 0.72s to leave it at 26.27s. The elusive first ladies 25-second run is now in sight and Sue may be the one to do it. But for a lurid slide at the Esses perhaps she would have done it on Sunday and destiny awaits her again in August. Sandra Tomlin’s first run of 26.86s in Class L was also inside the previous record time, but by then Sue had already gone at 26.27s, so it’s both congratulations and commiserations to Sandra.

Records also tumbled in two other classes. Roy Standley lowered his previous record in Class C(1) to 31.18s in his explosively quick Mitsubishi Evo 5. Hamish Lindsay took class record in Class H down to 30.16s in his shrieking 500cc two-stroke Krauser powered Jedi.

Phil Cooke brought out his insect-like Force for the first time on any hill in 2006. He got in amongst the big cars with only 1600cc and ran within 0.7s of his class record every time he took to the track. Shelsley regulars Simon and John Rutland annexed the up-to-1600cc single-seater class in their new OMS Hornet with Simon just 0.05s ahead of his brother.

Nearly two hundred competitors took to the hill and the weather held up with the exception of a rogue light shower.