Over the last two weeks I have competed twice at the Morwell hill climb track which was formerly named Haunted Hills and is now called Bryant Park. I really like this track as it is a very challenging drive that rewards those who are prepared to have a bit of a go, but will punish those who push it too far. Week One. This was the first round of the Victorian Hill Climb Championship, the next step up from club level racing. It is ruled by the quick cars from Formula Libra, which is a wide array of very quick open wheelers, with the rest of the field made up of sports cars, sports sedans, MGs, clubmans, and improved production. For some reason the groups are based on small capacities so I find myself competing in the "Sports cars open/closed 1600 and above". In a hill climb bulk horsepower isn't always what you need. The meet was a twilight one so the morning was spent with untimed practice, and the racing started at 1.00 and continued through till after 7.00. It alternately rained or drizzled non-stop all morning and most of the afternoon so the track varied from damp to wet and then back to damp and the early times reflected this. If people think this track is scary in the dry they really should try it in the wet!! scary to a whole new level. After 3.00 the rain stopped and the track dried out allowing the times to come down. Twice during the afternoon the outright track record was reset. I didn't get to my previous best time but I did get close. For all the times click the following link. http://vichillclimb.com.au/2010/VHCCResultsClassFeb62010%20(2).pdf Week Two. This was the second round of the MSCA championship and with such a short gap from the first round (Sandown) and given the dodgy weather there was only a very small field. Once again it was wet, and while it didn't rain constantly the track never really got completely dry. In the morning we ran the track in the conventional (clockwise) way, and after lunch we ran it in a figure 8. I was very interested in trying the figure 8 layout as the last round of the VHCC will be run at Morwell with a figure eight layout. The rain absolutely bucketed down during the lunch break making the first runs on the figure 8 course very slow and slippery. Doing the bottom half of the track backwards and going through "oh shit" corner the wrong way is weird. There is one corner that is normally a right over a crest that is now a left that is super scary and caught a lot of people out. You basically have to start turning left before you can actually see the corner because if you wait until you see it then it is too late. A lot of people spun at that point. Unfortunately the results aren't up on the MSCA website yet so I can't link to them. I do know that I spent the entire day swapping the lead with a Triumph TR7 but I don't know if at the end of the day I won or he did. As soon as all the times are up I'll link to them. I don't have any photos, and need to get software from Col to edit down my videos but I know that Mikey, Mark and Krausey all got footage so hopefully one or all of them will post some. Next event is a two day one at Rob Roy on the last weekend of Feb. If you have nothing on come and have a look.
Great work Pete. Great to see you representing the zed in the racing community! I'll make it along to cheer you on when the family stuff slows down a bit. As for the software I put it in your letterbox on Wednesday afternoon (but now I realise that I forgot to SMS you that I put you in there!). If you didn't get it I can drop it past again Mon night.
Couple of videos .... excuse the mike noise ... both days were very windy. Week 1 - tail end of standard layout at the VHCC: http://s153.photobucket.com/albums/s208/redzedmikey/Mikey Vids/?action=view¤t=DSCF4214.flv Week 2 - front end of the fig 8 layout at MSCA round 2: http://s153.photobucket.com/albums/s208/redzedmikey/Mikey Vids/?action=view¤t=DSCF4252.flv Pete in action around turn 2. Some of these motorcycle engined, chain driven Formula Libres were damn quick! New record was set on the VHCC day, a high 47 second time. Aggressive, and impressive . These rims would have made for an interesting handicap! Guess you have to get it on the trailer somehow. I look forward to tackling this place again one day ..... probably about 2020!
nice, looks like you've now got the figure 8 done as well Pete. I have to say I am in love with this place. I'm curious about how your ratios matched with the track? Are you running the stock TT final drive?
I have the stock TT ratio and it was pretty good, although with such a big mix of tight corners and short straights it would be very hard to get a ratio that suited everything.
Video footgae from in the car during the figure eight. For memory this was run 2 and the track was still damp. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2f9-gjd3lY
The track wasn't wet in my vids - I only took dry vids. Something to do with an aversion to standing in the rain! The VHCC day started wet and dried out as the day went on, but the MSCA day was wet, dry, damp, wet, damp, dry .... wait 5 minutes and it would change. Luck of the draw as to whether you got similar track conditions to the guys you were up against.
Results are in for the MSCA round. Here is the link. http://www.msca.net.au/BRYANT%20PARK%20HAUNTED%20HILLS%20HILLCLIMB%20RESULTSRevisedv4BD.pdf I came really close to winning, but got beaten just. I was nicely on target to win when the guy who beat me had the timing stuff up on his last run, giving him the chance to have a 4th timed run. We were only allowed 3 timed runs at each layout, with the results averaged. I got in a 4th run which was once again faster than his but this wasn't counted (bummer). Just as well that I do this for fun.........
Congrats on the 2nd place, but a pity you didn't win. Given all the opposition in class, it would have been good to say that you triumphed .
