ROUND 15 : Curborough : 3 October 2010

by Graham Easter

So to the MAC Curborough for the 15th and final round of the 2010 PFHC, the traditional meeting at which we end our season. Here we had the biggest entry of Ferrari drivers of the year, a magnificent 24, which made up about half the total entry.

This included returnees Mike Spicer and last year's winner Christian Mineeff, both in 360s. It was great to see Andrew Holman there after Herculean efforts to repair his 355 after his off at Shelsley just a fortnight before.

The forecast said rain and unhappily it was correct. when I arrived in time for P2 it was raining hard and was windy. It was soon so dark the flash went off automatically on my camera. I was greeted by the sight of Lorraine Hitchman spinning her 328. RA spun and mounted the Mole Hill and Jeff Cooper spun when past the finishing line. Jon Goodwin and Lucy the Lusso looked great, MD Holman went very slowly around the top corner so he could get the throttle open early with the car pointing straight. By contrast Richard Prior (355) was sideways. MD's approach was clearly correct as he was quickest on 40.77 with out-going Champion Nick Taylor (348GTC) second on 40.96. These two were over two seconds clear of the field.

The hardy, happy hillclimbers made the best of a bad lot over lunch, but everyone was relieved when the time for the first competition run rolled around. It was raining but not as bad as it had been. Ed Briscoe showed just how treacherous it was when his 308 went sideways shortly after the start and fishtailed into a spin on the straight. Despite the conditions Charles Haynes, driving Tracey's 328, recorded his best time of the day with a creditable 47.83.

The game stepped up a gear with the launch of Sean Doyle, surely the driver who has made most progress this year. There was a nice modulation of throttle for the fast left and right handers. He carried speed into the Mole Hill and used the kerb on the exit. The top corner saw a partial "Frost Flick" on the exit and the GT4 crossed the line on 43.76, quickest thus far. Peter Hitchman's 550 was next up and one would imagine he had all the driver aids on, including the heater and the stereo. It was a nice smooth drive in the big car and his 47.88 was his best time of the day, despite it being drier for his second run.

RA was next up in his 328 Rat Racer. His general preference for this older car over his 355 has paid off with him winning the "Classic Cup" with a 20 pointer en route. His run was smooth and fast in the fast bits and not too fast into the slow bits this time. There was the beginnings of a "Frost Flick" in the top corner, but instead he went wide, down the straight to take the lead by 2 seconds - 41.72.

Andrew Holman was the next of the quicker runners, the Flatlander desperate to score a win before the year was out. He set off briskly, went straight on in the first corner then spun. He then entertained his fans (known as Mad Doggers) by performing a perfect F1 style spin turn to drive back into the paddock! Next up was Richard Prior. He carried too much speed into the Mole Hill and had it at 45 degrees on the exit. 43.32. Then we had Jon Goodwin and Lucy with another smooth and fast run of 44.20 seconds from the 45 year old car.

From the oldest tipo in the Series we went to the newest, John Marshall's 430 Scud; perhaps not the ideal tool for the circumstances. He had a mini four wheel drift going into the Mole Hill and stopped the clock on 43.97. So with just one runner to go, RA was in the lead, however that runner was Nick Taylor. It was a good fast, generally tidy run,though a little wayward on the way into the Mole Hill. He drove steadily round the top corner in the middle of the road which meant he could get the throttle open early. Down the straight and over the line at 99mph, 4mph more than the Scud to record a 40.27 and to take the lead by 1.5 seconds.

It rained continuously before the second runs but was to get better for (most of) them. Jack Hargreaves (308m) was first to go, which was unfortunate for him and his run was slower, leaving his first run time of 46.44 his best. Mineeff's run looked better and was a slight improvement to 43.88. He zoomed over the line and back into retirement, having spent much of the day looking thoroughly bemused. The 360 is now up for sale.

Ed Briscoe got round carefully in 49.36 seconds. It had by now brightened up and was only spitting with rain and conditions were slowly improving, but Anthony Chadwick's improvement (driving Ian's 348) was beyond this at 2.21 seconds. Ian was to improve too to 46.63, so the lad beat the Dad and very happy about it he was too. Wendy-Ann Marshall (328) improved nicely to 47.39 and Pete Wilson (348) to 46.77. Lorraine Hitchman had a bit of a shimmy exiting the Mole Hill but improved to 47.07.

Sean Doyle drove another good, smooth but fast drama-free run to improve to an 43.01; an excellent fifth overall and third on PEPs. Let's just say it was not PG's day, although she did improve to 47.22. Tracey Haynes lobbed it into the Mole Hill, but collected it to record 45.34, a good 11th overall and eighth on PEPs. She is another to have taken a big step forward this year. Our Chairman delivered another competent and aggressive run and improved a bit to 41.43.

Local man Chris Hitchman (355) had the tail out in the Mole Hill but controlled it to improve to 44.13; about time he did a full season. Spike Micer's lovely Rosso Corse 360 was next out, looking and sounding wonderful. He was another to find a bigger improvement than that from the conditions and he was pleased to get down to 41.86. Three seconds off and fourth overall. We look forward to next season when the 360 will return to posing purposes and Mike will be out in a 328.

Phil Whitehead was a gnat's too fast in the second corner, a fast right-hander. He slid wide off the track and ran very close and parallel to the barriers, but got away with it. This was a failed run. Jeff Cooper (360) was strangely a bit slower than R1,then we came to Holman. It had stopped raining and this was his last chance this season. He looked very fast and through the left and right handers, but managed to get it slowed down enough for the Mole Hill. He exited well and ran straight and true and hard into the top corner, carrying such speed in that it was thinking about understeering, but didn't. He executed a proper "Frost Flick" to exit tight and right and to get the throttle open early for the run to the finish. 39.64 and into the lead!

Richard Prior was next up and for once his formidable car control may have been more of a hindrance than a help. The tail came out in the first corner, he caught it then it snapped back hard and shot forward into the ditch and the bank. The 355 was a bit battered but he was able to drive it home. There was obviously a delay whilst the car was recovered during which it started to rain again. By the time it was Gooders' turn it was chucking it down. Jon still drove his very valuable car very hard, though but his time was over 2 seconds slower than his first.

John Marshall was understandably cautious in the mighty Scud. This was the car's last outing in the Series as John is going back to grass roots with a GT4 next season. The conditions meant that we could not bid a proper farewell to this fabulous car. It has enhanced the Series, broken a number of records and has been a sheer delight to watch. Next we had Nick Taylor. Realistically he had no chance, but it was a sublimely skilful, controlled and aggressive drive to 40.88, just six tenths slower than his first run time, proving yet again that 1Bs are useless in the wet. To Mark Hargreaves fell the honour of closing this year's Pirelli Ferrari Hillclimb Championship. He dutifully splashed around and that was it.

So another great year of fun, camaraderie and competition came to an end. The weather and Richard Prior's shunt put a dampener on things, but MD worked hard to get to Curborough and drove brilliantly to take the win and if you look at the times you can see just how competitive it was throughout the field e.g. there were six drivers in the 47s. Meanwhile, far, far away Up North new Champion Chris Butler was snuggled up, warm and cozy under the duvet until late morning....