Round three of the ANICC Millers Oils Northern Ireland Hillclimb Championship took place on the outskirts of Belfast on Saturday.
This event was also a round of the British Hillclimb Championship and we welcomed over 20 overseas competitors. Again, this event was massively over subscribed with a reserve list of over 20 competitors.
We focus on the NI event and on the first timed run, Gerard O’Connell went fastest in his Radical SR8 with Chris Houston 2nd and Alan Cassells 3rd, Andy Hawthorne 4th and Trevor Roberts 5th. Trevor leading the NI class 14 group.
Graham Thompson had mechanical trouble for his first run but got it repaired and made the 2nd run and with the class 14 competitors all very close on time, it was to be a great battle all day.
The 2nd timed run was to change things however with Houston pulling a fantastic time of 43.72 placing him fastest in the NI event, Thompson was back out for run two and was less than a second off with a 44.43, O’Connell was faster than his first run with a 44.94, Richard McGimpsey appeared into the mix with a 4th fastest run and Cassells dropped to 5th.
All top 3 competitors went slower on their 3rd run while Richard and Cassells both went faster, ending up with 0.2 of a second splitting the pair, Alan reporting a slipping clutch on the last run.
Photos: Gary Craig Motorsport Photography
Regular modified saloon competitor, Oliver Cormican, had a transmission issue in practice and didn’t start the timed runs, Roger Gage was also missing from the results as his car was not ready in time for the event, Stewart Strain was top modified in his Peugeot 205, Daniel Campbell in 2nd and Alan Jardine in 3rd.
For the Roadgoing Saloon Championship, Paul Montgomery was back out in his Subaru and was fastest, this being Pauls first Hillclimb of the year, Phil Cardy was 2nd and Michael McAllister in 3rd.
The Classes
Class 1 was won by Dennis Watson, William Heaney 2nd and Pete Storey in 3rd.
Class 2A was won by Michael McAllister, Andrew Robb in 2nd and David Gibson in 3rd
Class 2B was won by Paul Magill, Kevin McNamee in 2nd and Tony McLaughlan in 3rd
Class 3 was won by Paul Montgomery, Conor Lavery in 2nd and Phil Cardy in 3rd
Class 5 was won by Richard Munnis, Gardiner Mcillwaine in 2nd and James Perry in 3rd
Class 6A was won by Gordon Fogarty, with Stephen Harvey in 2nd
Class 6B was won by Steven Robb with Brian McDonnell in 2nd
Class 7 was won by David Hawthorne, Johnny Mckenzie in 2nd and Steven Hawthorne in 3rd
Class 9A was won by Garry Cambell
Class 9B was won by Gerard O’Connell, Alan Cassells in 2nd and Lee Kirkwood in 3rd
Class 10 was won by Norman Harvey
Class 11 was won by Stewart Strain with Daniel Campbell in 2nd , Noel Strain in 3rd
Class 12 was won by Allan McDonald, Ivan McCullough in 2nd
Class 13 was won by Jack Brien
Class 14 was won by Darren Gumbley, Leslie Mutch in 2nd and Liam Cooper in 3rd
Class 15 was won by David Uren, Wallace Menzies in 2nd and Richard Spedding in 3rd
Class 16A was won by Jago Brett, Trevor Mcllroy in 2nd and Paul Taggart in 3rd
Class 16B was won by Alan Jardine, Robert McGimpsey in 2nd and Simon Brien in 3rd.
Photos: Gary Craig Motorsport Photography
Top 10
1st Chris Houston
2nd Graham Thompson
3rd Gerard O’Connell
4th Richard McGimpsey
5th Alan Cassells
6th Andy Hawthorne
7th Trevor Roberts
8th George Stevenson
9th Ryan McGimpsey
10th Lee Kirkwood
We look forward to seeing you at our next event Knockagh on the 18th May
Words: ALAN CASSELLS #5 | Photos: Gary Craig Motorsport Photography
[images must not be used in any way without prior written consent of the photographer]
2019 ANICC MILLERS OILS N.I. HILLCLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR
13 April: Croft Hillclimb Holywood, Co. Down
27 April: Drumhorc Hillclimb Laurencetown near Banbridge
04 May: Craigantlet Hillclimb Craigantlet Hills above Belfast
18 May: Knockagh Hillclimb Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim
25 May: Spamount Hillclimb Castlederg , Co Tyrone
28 June & 29 June: Cairncastle Hillclimb Festival Larne, Co. Antrim
10 August: Garron Point Hillclimb Carnlough, Co. Antrim
24 August: Eagles Rock Hillclimb Magilligan, near Coleraine
