An early season start here on the horizontal at this bleak airfield in Essex for the hardy Ferrari hillclimbers. This handy early season warm up sprint attracted a very worthwhile entry, including most of last year’s front runners and two new players. We were pleased to welcome Sam Whitman with the ex-Spicer/Ward blue 308GTB now nearly obliterated with multi-colour American-style race stripes [undoubtedly an homage to Italian style and taste - Ed] and Stuart Burrage with a comparatively subdued Mondial 3.4t, both of whom have seen some action in Ferrari formula classic.

Not the most charismatic of venues, North Weald was blessed on this occasion with some surprisingly nice unseasonable weather, and furthermore a new course not used previously, meaning everybody started equal. Some 1.7km long, this ran left and right through several coned gates, and then went fast for a few hundred metres with an interesting left sweep before some doubling back and forth around more cones to the finish. This was all a bit disconcerting for chaps like me with suspect vision, and unlike most sprint courses not that favourable to the higher-powered tipos.

As we prepared for the practice sessions some unforeseen problems began to show –firstly David Tomlin's F355, which had come all the way from Worcester running beautifully following a winter engine rebuild, went on to four cylinders. This is not unknown on eight cylinder Ferraris and is usually down to loss of one bank of the ignition system. Unfortunately the F355 is loaded with new technology, and items like a malfunctioning catalytic converter can cause the engine management to shut things down. Several of us descended on David’s Ferrari, and at the same time called Robin Ward of Damax on his mobile for advice. We interfered considerably with everything Robin suggested, but to no avail – the 355 proving totally unresponsive to these efforts. A disconsolate Tomlin, who looked likely to finish around the top of the class here, had no alternative than to get his car home on a recovery truck.

Meanwhile Pauline Goodwin, another driver that had ventured a long way from home, was disturbed by an unpleasant jangle from her 328’s engine bay. Mike Spicer said she should not compete in it, but when I listened it sounded perfect! The noise did come back though, and was judged to be threatening. At this point Mike very kindly offered Pauline a drive of his 328GTB, which worked out well - the competition seat had enough forward adjustment to accommodate the diminutive lady. At going home time, Pauline called up the breakdown service for another truck, by which time I guess they had enough of Ferraris in Essex!

Two practice runs were taken before lunch, giving everybody a chance to find their way around the tricky track. Several Ferraris went the wrong way, but we will not name names, and one or two spun wildly too! Richard Prior was fastest on both of these runs with his 348ts, hotly pursued by Nick Taylor’s 348GTC. These two were well ahead of the next runners – Geoff Dark in his dazzling newly painted 308GTB and Chris Butler in his F355, intriguingly tied on time.

The weather remained good and over lunch we were able to admire the interesting planes using the main runway, these including a Percival Provost jet trainer, and a WW2 Curtis Kittyhawk flown, I have since learned, by FOC club member Peter Teischman. I also understand that the Kittyhawk is somewhat flawed in the handling department so Peter must be a brave chap. Also to be seen were quite a few Essex FOC members supporting us with some interesting cars, including a F430, Daytona and 456GT.

The afternoon runs that counted for the money saw Pauline steadily improve in Mike's modified 328, which felt a lot different to her own standard car, for a best of 64.83. Stuart Burrage too improved with each run, wielding the big Mondial around the cones to finish at 63.49. Andrew Holman’s Mondial was ahead on 62.72 not far behind the nimble 308s and 328s just ahead, with Sam Whitman at 62.05 just pipping John Day's 328GTB on 62.36. John still on his old Goodyear Eagles, had hoped to be on a new set of Pirelli PZeros but had been shipped some P7s by mistake!

Andy Grier, out for the first time on QV uprated suspension with his 328, was well ahead – his best at 60.60. Next up the chart was Richard Allen's 328GTB on 59.15 very close to Geoff Dark's 308GTB on 59.05 – a very good time on the first timed run that was to earn Geoff second on points after PEP application. Not satisfied and knowing Prior was ahead on points Geoff went really banzai on the second run losing the 308 comprehensively on the fastest part of the course. Chris Butler was only just ahead with a best of 58.78 and a little off the sort of pace we have come to expect from him.

Right up at the front Richard Prior maintained his Alonso-like championship form, his 348 mounted on brand new Pirelli PZeros [whilst his poor children went hungry - Ed.] he improved each run, was never threatened, not even by Nick Taylor, and won the class comprehensively with a cracking final run time of 56.83 and easily took the maximum points too. Nick Taylor was comfortably second on 57.64, but the big surprise came from Mike Spicer – he suddenly jumped his 328 several places to finish third overall with 58.48, and was very pleased as a result. Maybe Pauline had warmed the seat or something? Richard Prior was even more pleased though - this was surprisingly his first ever scratch win – he has missed several times before by just hundredths of a second. To cap it all he got a new North Weald class record too, claiming a “Triple” - hard to avoid really as we had never run on this particular course before.

Click here for the (official) results and points.

Click here for the Championship positions.

Click here to return to the Ferrari Hill Climb Championship page.

Supporters from Essex AG brought along some nice wheels

RA proudly leads his men (and woman) out for the 2006 PFHC

Pauline Goodwin tests Mike Spicer's 328's brakes

Nice to see classic racer Stuart Burrage having a go in the PFHC...

...he finished one place behind fellow Mondialista Andy Holman

John Day should have his new Pirellis on by the next round

Sam Whitman's famous 308 could not be easily missed!

Andy Grier tries out his new QV suspension...

RA finished just behind...

...fellow Essex veteran Geoff Dark - doesn't his car look great!

After David Tomlin's withdrawal Chris Butler's was the only 355

With one mighty bound Spicerman leapt onto the podium!

Nick Taylor's 348GTC was a surprising second..

...beaten by '05 Champ Prior, who took max. points too

Galleria pics by Dave Clark, race pics by Simon Cooke, e-mail him to buy hi-res prints