Report - Round 9 - 2008 Pirelli Ferrari Hillclimb Championship - Club Racing Series'

The previous round at Longleat had turned from insult to injury when the few who had their entry accepted had the meeting cancelled. It also clashed with the National Concours and the British GP, so seems unlikely to feature in the 2009 calendar. One of our lot said it was like tearing up £20 notes in the shower whilst having buckets of mud flung at you. Consequently the PFHC racers were glad to be at Loton and 23 were entered, the most this year, though this would be beaten on the morrow. The Swifty 355 was sadly a non-starter, I was told the engine had refused to go.

The day was bright and sunny when I reached Loton and with Mozart being piped into "the facilities" I reflected yet again what a truly civilized sport this is. Of course I immediately identified it as the piece Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford) plays to the monkeys in "Out of Africa" and wondered if the organisers were trying to say something....

P1 was incident filled, though there was only one in my sight, Richard Prior losing the back end of his 348ts going round the right-hander before Keepers. Despite initial protestations to the contrary, he later came to grudgingly accept that this may not be entirely unconnected with the combination of new Toyo tyres on the sharp end and ancient Kwang Po remoulds on the blunt end. Ironically, Toyos are rapidly becoming the tyre of choice in this Championship, due in some part to the Series' sponsor's inability to supply their product in the correct sizes!

Out of my sight, Nick Taylor (348GTC) almost missed his run because the scrute (a Mr C Butler Snr.) had dislodged the throttle cable whilst checking it. Chris Butler (355) had two Bambis leap out in front of him going up to the first corner, fortunately without damage to man nor beasts and as for Dave Tomlin.... He looked a bit wild low down the hill and shot straight on at the end of the straight, disappearing into the bracken, kept going like a submersible for a while, disappeared but was eventually found by marshals. RA added another to the "Drivers Book of Excuses", £1 coins got ready for the M6 toll rolled under his throttle pedal, causing it to stick open. It turned out amusing, but could have been serious and is a reminder to all to clear this detritus out before venturing onto the track. After all the excitement it was Butler who was quickest.

It rained before P2, but was bright sun by the end of it, setting the pattern for the day. At the end of this one it was again Butler who was quickest, though Gooders and Lucy would have had the points due to her -7% PEP.

That night a dinner was due at the Albright Hussey owned and run by Club Members the Subbianis; most of the racers staying there too. Jon Goodwin had also arranged for Paul Subbiani to bring his splendid motorhome to Loton and provide a superb BBQ on both days. Most generously, Paul said those who had arranged to camp at Loton rather than stay at his hotel could kip in the motorhome! I believe the BBQ was subsidised by Jon, for which many thanks. Incidentally I see that Franco Subbiani won Class G of the FOC National Concours with his F430 Spider, so congratulations to him.

There was a heavy shower before R1, the sun came out, decided it didn't like it, went back in, it started to drizzle and then moved on to rain. Pauline Goodwin (328) decided to see if missing Triangle out would give her a better time, so she went round the cones on the exit and it may well have done, though I think the Stewards would probably have imposed a drive-through penalty had it stayed wet. It stopped raining and left the remaining runners with that most difficult of situations - a drying track and only one chance to get it right.

Geoff Dark (355) took an early lead with a 72.25. Ed Briscoe (GT4) survived a tank-slapper in Fletcher's Dellow. Sergio Ransford went further and celebrated his 65th birthday with a big spin. His 308 went a long way off the track, but he rejoined to the applause of the spectators. He continued at racing speed and went off again at the top of the hill. Discretion is always the better part of valour after an off, but fortunately no damage was incurred in either incident.

Championship leader Holman took a decisive lead with a 70.75 until Richard Allen appeared. He was the first to really attack the hill, the tail of his 355 twitching on the exit of Triangle where some tyre squeal indicated that it was drying up. A similar tail-happy approach through the right and left handers followed and his time was 68.53! Quickest by over two seconds. Dave Tomlin was too cautious and Richard Prior perhaps intimidated by his non-stick rear tyres. In marked contrast to RA, Chris Butler drove smoothly, slowing the car down a lot for an incident-free Triangle. Slower proved faster and he took the lead by a couple of tenths. The sun shone brightly on Gooders and Lucy and his 72.77 gave him the lead on points by miles once the minus 7% PEP had been applied.

Happily, the rain stopped and it was 95% dry for the second run and of course, all who completed an incident free run improved. Sean Doyle's GT4 again revealed its tired shockers in the transition between the right and left handers following Triangle. Nevertheless, his 70.83 captured him the Handicap Prize as John Marshall was rendered ineligible by finishing in the first three. His cannot have been an easy drive as the Loton track is only 2 Butlers* wide and a 430 is about 1.1B. I asked John how much the gizmos had interfered during the day and he said not at all as he'd had it in 'CST' mode because only then did he find it predictable.

Tracey Haynes had been puzzling me for some time as her runs looked to deserve better times than she was achieving. Her 328 looked decidedly bouncy and maybe it needs new shocks too. Afterwards she confirmed that she'd already arrived at this conclusion because the time aren't there and the car is treacherous if pushed. Sometimes we forget that some of these lovely shiny Ferraris are over 20 years old. Tracey intends getting it sorted over the winter.

A loud howl announced the departure of Holman from the start line, then there was a long pause. He eventually appeared and arrived at Triangle at racing speed. In contrast to his first run, he tried "slow in, fast out" and it worked. Consequently he arrived at the right-hander following at higher velocity than previously, lobbed it in and got very sideways. He survived the rest of the run but of course the time was hopeless. He later revealed that he'd gone straight on at the first corner, blaming an improved start. Later in the week it emerged that playing pinball at Doune had misaligned the suspension somewhat. Dave Tomlin claimed that Holman's slipstream had hoovered him into that corner too fast, which was creative as he was four cars later.

Mike Spicer (355) attacked the hill to record a 63.56, Phil Whitehead looked, to a mere fence-leaner, to be hugging the inside of the track too much and squeezing the apices too early, in contrast to Richard Prior who took a text book line round Triangle. His 348ts's sidelights came on between the right and left hander. It must have been them, because he insists he doesn't brake there. Nick Taylor attacked the hill with vigour, but the 348GTC understeered at Fletcher's Dellow then gave a strange little front end hop as the front tyres bit. Later he was well sideways round the right-hander, but his 62.60 gave him the lead. It turned out that he'd run with the front bar disconnected in a bid to tame the tipo's inherent understeer. Another suspension expert.....

Nick's lead lasted for as long as it took Chris Butler to complete his run. He was clearly on a mission, though a smooth and well-controlled one, using all of the road and appropriate kerbage. 355 sidelight switches are obviously better than 348s' as there was no hint of red lights in between the right and left hander. Chris stopped the clocks on 61.33, a decisive victory by 1.27 seconds.

Last, but by no means least were Gooders and Lucy, another smooth and quick run, tidy and economical with no hint of the wheel lifting which used to afflict the Old Girl. Jon reckons this is to do with the limited slip diff he had fitted the winter before last, but I reckon the four-way adjustable Penskes don't hurt either. [Joke - Ed.]. Jon recorded 67.20 which gave him the 20 points by a couple of tenths from a quietly disappointed Chris Butler. This was Jon's fifth maximum in a row, maintaining his 100% record and giving him the Championship lead for the first time.

The next round was to be the very next day at the very same hill where Gooders would switch to his 430 and Butler have the chance to get his own back.

* A Butler is the PFHC standard unit of length.