Throwback Thursday: 1977 Wiscombe 5 Clubs
On this day in 1977, we ran the second “5 Clubs” hillclimb at Wiscombe Park Hillclimb, an event that continues to this day. Here’s what Dick Mayo, the Clerk of the Course, wrote in our newsletter at the time…
A Clerk of the Course looks back on Wiscombe ’77
For the second year the club were part of the 5 Clubs Hill Climb at Wiscombe on 7/8 May. This year we had been granted Guyson—BARC championship status, so places in the entry list were very heavily in demand. In fact we oversubscribed on Sunday to the tune of 50 over our maximum of 120. The club meeting on the Saturday was not so hectic with 59.
Saturday ran without a hitch and was over by the almost unprecedented time of 3.30. It very pleasing to see that 12 drivers had entered under the club banner. Some of these were new members but there were one or two ‘old’ faces such as Paul Hemmings, Terry Osborne and Ted Williams to be seen. We were well represented in the awards, newcomers David Starks, Mark Williams and Godfrey Crompton all won their respective classes and Jack Astley, Brian Wilson and Bliley each got a 3rd in Class. Of those members we have seen before, as It were, Derek Boddy and Terry Osborne both got 2nd in class and Ted Williams was a splendid FTD. The club award for the driver not winning any other award who Improved most on his class average was another new member, John Wilson. Not a bad effort, 10 awards from 12 club members.
If the Saturday ran without hitch, Sunday staggered from one disaster to another. The number of drivers who spun or went off in a small way were to many to mention and we had three serious crashes, luckily without damage to the drivers. What happened to the cars is something the drivers know only too well. Then as if we hadn’t had enough trouble and delay the last man in the 1st run of the 18 championship/Top 8 run off dropped all his oil around Martini. This took another twenty frustrating minutes to clear up. In a way it was a wonder we finished by 7.30, yea 7.30. If it rained, we would have been there until Monday.
There were 7 drivers entered under Bristol on Sunday out of 120 and we still managed to take a few awards in spite of all the extra opposition. This is all the more meritorious too when you consider that 5 class records were broken during the day. Dave Franklin and Mark Williams both got 2nd in class and Hugh Trotman 3rd in class. We also had 3 drivers, Dave Franklin, Ted Williams and Terry Smith in the fastest 8 run off. The class improvement award this time went to Ted Williams with an even better time than his Saturday FTD.
So much for the drivers. I’m sorry about the weather, it was dull, windy, with no sun. However that was out of my control thank goodness, unlike the rest, but it did mean that we were short of spectators, which was a shame, for they missed a good days racing. It wasn’t a financial disaster, however, and each club has come out with a small and adequate profit on their outlay.
I must in conclusion say a word about the marshals. From me goes the biggest vote of thanks I can muster. Marshals apart from having mostly been there on Saturday and camping overnight etc. were out in by 8 o’clock and the hill was manned by 8.30. Apart for an all too short lunch break it was over 11 hours before I could let them finally stand down. No wonder I had comments about brass monkeys! This was fantastic and just shows what the poor unloved and unsung marshals will do in order that others enjoy themselves. Thanks again everybody and don’t forget next year, I’ll let you know the date later.
Dick Mayo
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