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It was another day of records as Adam Fleetwood reset his Loton Park marker twice in the Nicholson McLaren British Hill Climb Championship. First he did it in morning qualifying, then won the morning top 12 run-off. In the afternoon he was top qualifier, then in the final top 12 he reset the mark to 44.90, the first 44 second run in Loton’s history. Lynn Owen reset the Ladies outright record, Robert Kenrick took a class record, and the Dazzling Dentist Phil Cooke took the nearly ten year old 1600 single seater record into the 49’s! If we have missed any others we humbly apologise, but this season of records has left your reporter reeling!

Class runs qualifying for the morning run-off saw 2 litre chargers Trevor Willis and Tom New make the cut. In the top 12 run-off first runner Roger Fleetwood had a minor off out of Loggerheads into Fletcher’s Dellow for a failed run. This did not prevent Adam’s successful run-off but repairs to the car took place in the lunch interval with the car raised on the Wight family transporters tail lift. Willem Toet had a damage free off even earlier in his run, out of Hall corner. This meant that all who completed a run would score points and the 2 litre cars of Willis and New finished 6th and 10th respectively. With Adam Fleetwood winning on a 45 second run, Graeme Wight Junior in second on a 46, the remaining 8 runners were in the 47’s, 48’s and 49’s. Roger Moran got back into top end territory with third and Paul Haimes a fine fourth.

Recovering our breath after lunch we were treated to more top class qualifying. 2 litre men Trevor Willis and Tom New did it again to prove no fluke. Scott Moran joined his father in the run-off this time around. Simon Durling made the cut, Willem Toet qualified second with Paul Haimes well up the order. In the final run-off Martin Groves Gould GR37 did not start and Graham Wight Junior had a slight off course problem around Loggerheads. Willem Toet had a lurid spin out of Triangle. Junior told us afterwards that the car had not been picking up properly out of bends and this caused him difficulty. “I need a holiday” he quipped. “But you’ve got Doune next week” we replied. At the end of the run-offs we had Paul Haimes with a career best second, Roger Moran third and Simon Durling back up there with satisfying fourth. But the final run-off from Adam Fleetwood treated us to the first 44 second Loton Park run and another victory.

Adam, who along with his family will be missing from Doune owing to the little matter of his sister’s wedding told us that if he combined the best sections of both his record breaking runs he is sure he can go quicker still! Apparently the wedding date was chosen before this seasons fixtures were announced!

A brief conversation with Martin Groves co-driver Paul Ranson revealed that if the transmission problem with their car is sufficiently serious they may not be able to get it fixed in time for Doune. We wish them well and hope to see them at Doune!

If you are looking for a man of the meeting, lets try Adam Fleetwood for his 44.90 second run, but who would deny Phil Cooke with the first 1600 single seater class 49 second run on another day of glorious weather.

Report by Eddie Walder