Hillclimb: Groves extends championship with victory and double podium

Martin Groves extended his points lead at the top of the British Hillclimb Championship last weekend thanks to a victory and a pair of third places in the latest rounds at Barbon Manor and Harewood Hill.

The double-header weekend kicked off at Barbon Manor in Cumbria on the Saturday where just the one Top 12 Run Off was completed thanks to atrocious weather conditions that delayed the event after the initial qualifying run for 90 minutes.

When it resumed, Groves took charge. Despite running on a damp but drying hill, the Gould GR55 driver posted a 21.58secs effort, the best time of the entire meeting and 0.25secs faster than Trevor Willis in second.

“I am pleased with that performance given the conditions and I’ve pulled a little further away from the others,” said Groves after.

Chris Merrick completed the podium, one place ahead of Groves’ nearest title challenger and reigning champion Scott Moran who experienced problems off the line with his Gould’s traction control. His father Roger, who shares the car, encountered similar problems and finished seventh, just behind Eynon Price in his ultra-light, bike engined Force and Steve Owen. 

Round 5
Martin Groves 21.58
Trevor Willis 21.83
Chris Merrick 22.43
Scott Moran 22.44
Eynon Price 23.39
Steve Owen 23.89
Roger Moran 23.95
Andrew Platt 24.02
Alistair Crawford 24.60
Mike Fitzsimmons 25.02
John Bradburn 27.43
Andy Coley - No time

Sunday saw the Championship and poor weather move south to Yorkshire and Harewood Hill where Scott and Roger Moran were back on form, taking a win apiece.

The first Top 12 Run Off saw the older of the two triumph, Roger one of only two drivers to record a time before the rain returned, his 55.77secs run over a second and a half clear of fellow dry time setter Paul Ranson.

Martin Groves put in a superb performance to finish third. Finishing as top qualifier from the morning, he was still able to set a sub 60 second despite running last in the wet conditions to extend his lead at the top of the standings after Scott Moran could only manage eighth.

Moran Jnr. returned to form in the second of the day’s rounds however despite conditions continuing to thwart all the drivers. His 59.56secs run in the re-tweaked Gould-NME was the only one of the round to dip under the 60 second barrier, half a second clear of Paul Ranson in second nearly a full two seconds ahead of Groves who recorded another third.

“The weather has been horrible and conditions were not nice for not nice for anybody,” said Moran. “It was too wet for slicks, but not wet enough for wets.” 

Chris Merrick solidified his third in the standings with two fourths while Eynon Price continued to look the best of the 1.6L runners slipping and sliding his way to eighth and ninth places.

The next rounds take place at Gurston Down on May 24.

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ROUND 7
1. Roger Moran 55.77
2. Paul Ranson 57.45
3. Martin Groves 58.98
4. Chris Merrick 60.24
5. Trevor Willis 60.98
6. Paul Haimes 61.29
7. Andy Coley 61.36
8= Eynon Price 61.44
8= Scott Moran 61.44
10. Adam Fleetwood 61.64
11. Andrew Platt 62.90
12. Oliver Tomlin 66.65

ROUND 8
1. Scott Moran 59.56
2. Paul Ranson 60.06
3. Martin Groves 61.52
4. Chris Merrick 61.98
5. Roger Moran 62.03
6. Trevor WIllis 62.99
7. Tom New 64.35
8. Paul Haimes 64.94
9. Eynon Price 65.04
10. James Blackmore 66.30
11. Oliver Tomlin 66.49
12. Andrew Platt 67.54


Tom Hornsby