The 2007 Season
NEW OUTRIGHT HILL RECORD AT BRILLIANT OCTOBER SHELSLEY
The Midland Automobile Club concluded its 2007 season with a successful and
dramatic meeting at the world famous hill on the weekend of 6th & 7th
October. Martin Groves won the the 2007 MSA British Hillclimb Championship
and even lowered the outright hill Shelsley record to an astonishing 22.81
seconds, taking it from holder Scott Moran.
The event took place this late in the season after postponement due to the
summer floods. Back in August when weather news seemed nothing but bad news,
who could have dreamed of a record breaking day so late in the year as the
nights draw in towards winter?
On this final day Groves and Moran took one win each with the course record
falling to Groves in the morning run off to leave him champion. In the afternoon
Moran took a win with Groves a comfortable third behind the rejuvenated Graeme
Wight Junior who gave the delicious sounding V10 Predator its best ever day
and his best result since 2004.
Groves commented “I am relieved to finally win after a long three weeks
since Doune. Scott has been a formidable opponent all year long and deserves
great praise. We are fiercely competitive on track but great friends off it”.
With Roger Moran finishing 2007 in his habitual championship third place some
ten years after his sole championship win, Shelsley Walsh hilltop resident
Simon Durling ended his top twelve tenure with championship fourth by taking
a third and fifth.
With the Gould sold to Karl Davison, Durling will drive a classic Brabham
single seater next year and even drove his new steed home up the historic
hill in the gathering darkness after the event.
Class records fell: Hard charging Robert Kenrick took the 1.6 litre record
and qualified for second run-off gaining a point. In addition Adam Steel piloted
the elderly but constantly updated one-off Martlet to a 600cc record and Gary
Stephens (Himbleton, Worcestershire) took the hillclimb supersports (Clubmans)
record in the 1979 Mallock he shares with brother Gavin.
A healthy crowd enjoyed the spectacle and went home delighted with such a
day’s competition. There was a fascinating cavalcade of past British
Hillclimb Championship winners in appropriate cars at lunchtime which followed
a tremendous and spirited display overhead from a Second World War Supermarine
Spitfire courtesy of valued sponsors Stratstone which had everyone craning
their necks skyward as they listened to a knowledgeable commentary from the
MAC’s own Chris Drewett.
