Report - Round 16 - 2007 Pirelli Ferrari Hillclimb Championship - Club Racing Series'

217 days and 15 meetings after it started the Club's most successful '07 competition series arrived at its finale, the Midland Automobile Club sprint at Curborough. Such is the popularity of the Series that there were 21 entries at this once less popular venue - last time we we here for a single-lapper in 2004 there were only 12 Ferraris. Unfortunately there were a few non-starters, including Dave Tomlin which meant that third place in the Championship would now be settled between Geoff Dark and Nick Taylor, former Champions both.

The 355 was the most popular tipo and seems increasingly the weapon of choice for the PHFC until some brave soul properly develops a 360. It was from the 355 ranks that the outright winner was likely to emerge. The PEPs winner was less easy to predict, there being no recent form for a one-lapper at the venue. As soon as practice started it was clear that '07 Champ Richard Prior would not be in either category as his 348ts was only running on seven cylinders. He argued that as it was effectively a 308 he should have a PEP of -2%. Others argued that as the engine was non-standard he should be disqualified!

Unlike far too many meetings this year the day was bright and sunny after early morning fog, though the track was damp and slippery at first. Richard Allen (355) was comfortably quickest in practice with a 36.27 sec run. Nick Taylor was second on 36.48 and Chris Butler, perhaps a bit subdued after his Longleat off, was third on 36.98. "Mad Dog" Holman lived up to his soubriquet with a wild first run in which the tail was wagging the dog and a spin coming out of the top corner on his second.

Over lunch it emerged that he and several others were attempting, with various degrees of success, the "Frost Flick". This is where you fire it straight and deep into the top corner and turn in sharply on reaching the outside edge. If done properly, the back end of the car flicks neatly out, thus killing any tendency to understeer and enabling the preferred fast exit. The skilled operator will get the throttle open as soon as possibly and power out of the corner in a neutral/slightly oversteery slide, balancing the vehicle with a deft and judicious application of opposite lock the while.

Like many things in life this is easier said than done and unlike circuit racing you can't work up to it slowly - you only get one chance. The results of getting it wrong range from piling in too fast, booting it and spinning off (a la Mad Dog) or lifting off and applying too much opposite when the rear end flicks out, whereupon it grips and fires the car across the road the other way. In extremis, this can actually result in going off on the outside of the corner! [Who says you only get serious racin' s... ,er, stuff in Compress? - Ed.]

It was warm, dry and sunny for the first competition run. Gooders led the class away and once again I was struck by the beauty and purity of the Lusso's lines which makes many a modern car look bloated and vulgar. He got his "Frost Flick" spot-on on his way to 38.75. A quick punch of the calculator revealed that with Lucy's PEP of minus 7% this gave Gooders 36.03 secs, which looked good for the 20 points. Geoff Dark's swap to a left-hooker 355 hasn't worked out for him and he'd abandoned it in favour of his trusty 308 modificato; they favoured a wider line round the top and his first run time of 37.63 proved to be his best of the day.

Sergio Ransford (308) and Tracey Haynes (328) were having a scrap of their own. She was quicker in practice, but Sergio improved to 39.24 on his first run, his best. Tracey experienced another Curborough phenomenon - that of going slower the harder you try! She recorded 39.56 on her first run and was slower still on her second, which meant Sergio won their battle this time.There's no shame in this, double Hillclimb and Sprint Champion, now renowned historic Ferrari racer David Franklin used to say that his first practice run was often his best.

Pauline Goodwin's run looked useful, but something funny happened near the finish line. It emerged that after hitting the rev limiter in third in practice, she went for fourth, only to find the gear-blocker in place. Nevertheless, she recorded a good 37.39 and was certain she'd improve next time. Unfortunately she didn't - another to fall victim to the aforementioned Curborough phenomenon.

Richard Prior drove with his customary brio, rattling it over the kerbs, even though his V7 348 sounded like a bag of nails. He still did 37.37 which was to give him an amazing fifth place overall. The last time we were at Curborough for the two-lapper in August, Andrew Holman had been the surprise PEPs winner, so it was going to be interesting to see what he would make of one lap. He got into a tank-slapper exiting the fast right-hander that leads to the Molehill, but his "Frost Flick" looked just spot on to me this time, though Gooders thought he'd turned in too early. However he was comfortably in the 36s to take the lead.

Pa Hitchman was noticeably more subdued and recorded at 39.91 in his Mondi t but he got round, unlike Peter Wilson (348tb) who did a complete 360 in the Molehill. Richard Allen was up next. Like that other oldie David Coolthud, he seems to be right in contention in one or two meetings in the year and this was one of them. Driving with noticeable bravery and aggression he was impressive in the fast corners and sideways out of the top to take a comfortable lead with 35.67. He is handing over the running of the PHFC to Richard Prior on his elevation to the FOC Chair and it looked like he wanted to go out with a win.

Nick Taylor's (348GTC) 36.20 gave him third overall but this was only good for 12 points. As neither he nor Geoff Dark added to their score, this left Geoff with the final 2007 "podium" spot. Nick has seemed a bit de-tuned this year after his Shelsley shunt but expect him to be fully in contention next season when he will also have dropped the reigning Champ's +1% PEP. Charles Haynes was next in the second of the 348GTCs and his first run too was his best, a 38.61. Tracey and him have been welcome additions to the Series, competing in 13 and 12 rounds respectively in their first full seasons.

Chris Butler won here in August, but his first run of 36.45 was slower than Holman and Taylor and miles shy of RA. Mike Spicer did 37.84 and next was Chris Hitchman in yet another 355. He was disappointed to record 38.34 as he has had some good scores on his few outings this year, though these were in Peter's Mondi and I suspect that will become his favoured car, so bad luck Pa! Last but by no means least was Jeff Cooper. He too is in his first year, which I think is the first full season for a 360. He has competed in nine rounds and become a useful competitor, especially at venues where he can use the power of the tipo and the F1 jiggery-pokery is less of a disadvantage, but this isn't one of them and he just broke into the 37s.

On the second runs Mike Spicer spun, Mad Dog improved a smidgeon to 36.37 which would leave him fourth overall and with the third place 15 points. He has always been a determined driver and his change to a 348 has made him a into a serious contender with two PEPs wins to his credit this year on his way to sixth in the Championship. Coming from East Anglia he does go better at flat venues, which is another good reason to drop Hethel and North Weald.... Joking apart, the webteam would like to thank Andrew for his support, encouragement and enthusiasm throughout the year as well as his words, movies and many photos.

Phil Whitehead improved too and Peter Wilson got round, though slower than his P2 time. Gooders pinched the 20 points with his second run time of 38.70, so the "I Love Lucy" brigade went home happy. RA was slower, so that left all eyes on Chris Butler who faced the uphill task of finding nearly eight tenths. This is difficult enough anytime, but more so on this tight and technical track - and it was getting colder. Nevertheless he did it with a typically smooth and clean run in 35.56 seconds to take the win by just over a tenth. It is another measure of the spirit of this series that Chris didn't know whether to be happy for his win or sad to have taken it from RA., so he tried both. His was a fine performance, he dug deep, came from well behind and took the win; a remarkable recovery from his Longleat off and the best way to finish his best season yet.

So, a good end to another excellent season of motor racing and camaraderie. Only 135 days to go to the start of the next one Ragazzi !