I am continuing to run the SCCA / PHA Hill Climb -Time trial events for 2018. ” RED” the little Saab 900 notchback runs in SMF class. Street modified Front wheel drive. You can do most any mods except it must retain a ‘streeable’ appearance. This is the sixth year that I have competed. I won the class championship in 2013, 2016 1nd 2017. Lots of good quick cars.  The first event was a time trial event at Jefferson circuit in WV.  This is a good event to see if the car runs after resting all winter. 5 cars in the class, I was 5th. Not my best driving.

We missed the second event @  Weatherly Hill Climb and took our 2 stroke wagon to a “car show”. This car has $$$ in the motor and sits in a little rough condition Station Wagon Body. That’s another story for another day, but needless to say we are pretty excited about this build.

Duryea Hill Climb

The third event was Duryea Hill climb 1.23 miles 9 turns. Rained Saturday and then damp early Sunday. I was fifth place of 8 cars Sunday as it started drying. everyone picked up the pace. I had been fooling with some driving changes and somehow it all clicked and I dropped almost 12 seconds and took the lead. No one bested that time and I had a really fairy tale win, just 1.2 seconds off the record that has stood since 2011!

Giant’s Despair Hill Climb

The fourth event was Giant’s Despair in Wilkes Barre PA. This hill is 1 mile long and steep. HORSEPOWER is the answer here.

4 really quick cars and drivers that had beaten me here before. I was running 5th and then 4th and worked down to just .10 second off my best time ever.

The class winner here was Bryan Dion with a 2007 GTI @ 380 HP @ flywheel. Second was Ray Hollister with a Cobalt Supercharged on E 85 fuel @ 300 HP @ the wheels. Third was Matt Phillips in a Honda with a SAAB Aero TDo4 setup that I recommended as being inexpensive. Matt’s car is about as quick as mine, but he out-drives me and runs the tar out of the Honda. He is not afraid to break the car and spent Friday night installing a head gasket and Saturday night fixing the transmission. I was fourth and I broke nothing, just drove a bit sloppy. Too much wheel spin.  Fifth was Hunter Hoffman with the class record holding Honda. He broke after the first run and I jumped past him. His record was finally broken by Bryan Dion.

If you watch the videos, as a reference, I  was running about 90 -91 MPH before going thru the first bend flat out in 4th gear. I was crossing the finish line wound tight in 3rd doing about 90 + there. Matt Phillips had very similar radar speeds to me and Bryan Dion and Ray Hollister were  doing 95-97 at the first bend.

Time to buy  some bigger injectors and a 3 Bar MAP sensor and dial up the boost again.  Ever here the phrase” Time is running Out ?”  I turned 71 in March so TIRO applies to me. Not stopping yet!