Review by Senan O'Connor, PRO, Dunlop Hillclimb Championship

Results - Round 5 - Saturday, 12th June 2004 (Click Here)

Results - Round 6 - Sunday, 13th June 2004 (Click Here)

Pat Roche resumed his attack on reigning Dunlop Hillclimb Champion Michael Roche at the Clare MC’s, Scalp Hillclimb near Carron in Co. Clare. He set a record time on the hill and narrowed the points deficit to his fellow county Wexford rival. However, Michael won’t give up his title that easy. In literally a last ditch effort, on Sunday, he went across the finish and crashed into the hedge, recording a faster time than Pat, on the timing gear, which he scattered in the process. Fortunately he emerged from the wreckage unscathed.

While all eyes were on the championship battle, like a Red Indian, in his Ferrari coloured Lant RT4, Simon Mckinley scalped another second and a bit off the new record. Simon was forced to leave the event early suffering the effects of too much sun. His scorching time must have contributed to his symptoms. Burren Racer, Sylvester Mullins, in his Sark Starfire, collected the award for first in class on Saturday and third overall. John McNamara’s growling, Coogar engined, RT1 Rover, climbed from fifth on Satuday to fourth on Sunday. Darryl Ramsay leapt his lightweight OMS into sixth place both days getting lots of air on the jump short of the finish line.  

Derek Daly claimed seventh on day one and two and first in the up to 1650cc Formula Libre Single Seater Class 5b. Brian McMahon, another from the Burren Racing Team, came 8^th overall on Saturday. Seamus Morris was the fastest GT/Sportscar, winning his class 3b both days and finished as high as 8^th overall on Sunday.  

9th on Saturday was Paul O’Connell, a hillclimber, who tried his hand at rallying in the Circuit of Munster last week. Unfortunately the blown head gasket that he suffered in his rally Manta, must have been contagious as it spread to his Delta T79. He pulled out of the event on Saturday night after discovering damage to the head. 9^th on Sunday was rally driver, Anthony O’Halloran, sampling single seater hillclimbing for the first time. He was a respectable 3^rd in class 5b. Kenneth stamp was 10^th on Saturday and second in 5b. Alan Kessies immaculate yellow Gryphon C73, blazed golden in the June sunshine and rounded off the top ten on Sunday, 3^rd in 5b.

James Doherty won class 2 on Saturday and Sunday. John Farrell won Class 4 in his Mk1 Escort by less than two tenths of a second from Stephen Doyles Lotus. This scintillating battle went the other way on Sunday with Mr. Doyle going a second faster. Both drivers appeared to be pushing to the very limits of their Classic Cars with some great sideways action. Barry Meade won the up to 1650cc rally class 8 both days and Chris Crowe won class 9, for over 1650cc cars, on Saturday. John Spain gave us some more of that Manta Magic in Austin McHales old car, to win 9 on Sunday.

In another closely fought class battle, it was the blue Crossle of Brendan Keane that took the win in 5a on the first day, from Burren Racings, Declan McNamara.  The local lad turned the tables on the second day, to take the win in his yellow and red Formula Vee. Eddie Cogan took class 1 on Saturday in his Suzuki Swift, by less than two seconds, from Denis Cummins in a Mini. Denis was second again on Sunday headed this time by the Cooper S of Ray Cunningham. Keith Naughton collected class 3a on Saturday in a Vauxhall Astra. This class was left to brothers John and Des Fitzgerald, first and second on Sunday, in their Zetec-engined Ford Fiesta. Their car survived a hefty rub of the hedge on Saturday. Those hedges saw many visitors over the weekend and it is tribute to the safety crews and equipment in the cars that none were badly hurt. It’ll be hard to forget the Clare MC’s Scalp Hillclimb 2004, a welcome addition to the Dunlop Hillclimb Championship.