1969 Eagles Rock Hillclimb

KELLY ROCKS THE EAGLES

This uncredited account, with pictures by Douglas Gabby, was published in Motorweek 19th July 1969.

On Saturday last, Coleraine Motor Club held their first Eagles Rock hill climb on the 1.2 mile hill at Ballyleighery which was reviewed in MotorWeek several weeks ago. The entry was a varied one with both cars and motor cycles being catered for and there were several well-known names on the list, including Jim McClements, Cahal Curley and Formula Ford man Brian Kelly.

The hill itself has a variety of bends, including a very tricky ‘S’ which is approached over ‘yump’ and a goodly straight section which obviously suited the faster cars, which were all travelling very quickly on the latter part of the hill.

Practice started at 1pm on Saturday. Although there had been a session the previous evening as well and there were no major incidents, although several people tried ‘hairies’ at the top S bend, notably Dennis McKeag, with his Escort TC and J. McNeill, whose Midget got perilously close to the undergrowth at one stage.

When the official runs started, it was obvious that the men to watch were Messrs. Kelly, McClements and Curley. Cahal had suffered clutch bothers during Friday night’s practice and Donald McEnaney had worked till all hours getting the Escort going again so that ‘CB’ could uphold local honour with his usual very spectacular performance.

On his first run, Jim McClements turned in a very neat performance with the red Riley (soon to be extinct, we hear) Elf, to record 63.4 secs. Curley got fairly close to this with a run that was a real crowd pleaser, but Kelly was not yet “in the groove” and, in fact, his practice times were better.

UNHURT

Tony Forsyth provided a bit of excitement near the bottom of the hill when he got a wheel on to the grass and swiped a wall with the front of his Cooper. He was unhurt, which is more than can be said for the car, which needed a breakdown truck to tow it away, and that took rather a long time.

The second runs were, in the main, slightly slower and McClements was rather more ragged this time, although still quicker than the ever hairy Curley. Alwyn Buchanan, making a welcome return to the speed scene, took his Cooper to the top slightly quicker than a very fast looking Mervyn Johnston. Among the ladies, Mrs. King’s Cooper, beat Miss Joan Dobbs’ E-type Jaguar which must have been rather a handful on the tighter bits of the hill.

Brian Kelly looked very determined as he set off on his final run with 63.4 secs to beat. Through the twisty bits, the Lotus looked really hairy and on the faster upper reaches of the hill, he proved that Formula Fords are not the gutless wonders that some people seem to think, turning in a time of 62.7 secs. for Fastest Time of the Day. A very creditable performance for a driver who only started competing this year.

RAPID MINI

In the classes, Ron Neely scored his usual win among the 850 saloons, with his noisy but very rapid Mini. Sister Irene came second 1.1 secs. behind. Alwyn Buchanan upheld the honour of Londonderry by winning class 2 from Mervyn Johnston’s Riley Elf, while Jim McClements beat Rob Pollock in class 3.

Dessie McAuley collected another ‘pot’ with his red Midget in class 4, his paceman being Donegal man Tommy Burns with the Mini-based Firecrest. “Down among the Escorts”, Cahal Curley justified Donald McEnaney’s all-night session by beating Dennis McKeag by nearly four seconds and S. Christie won the handicap with his Cooper S from the fastest lady, Mrs. King.

All in all, the event was fairly enjoyable, the officials friendly, the weather good, the hill excellent, but the organisation disappointing, with long delays and a rather Heath – Robinson method of timing competitors, although it must be said that this latter feature appeared to work quite well.

PROBLEMS

For next year’s event, the very enthusiastic band of organisers at Coleraine should have their problems ironed out and, in addition, there are plans afoot to increase the length of the hill, by raking in another bit at the bottom, complete with a very slow hairpin which should sort out the men from the boys. It would also be nice if the finishing line were moved back a few yards, to give competitors a chance to slow down before hitting a rather frightening dip in the road. A minor point, but one that several competitors have mentioned to us since.

The motorcycle contingent suffered rather from non-starters, but in the main, the bike men seemed to find the hill quite to their liking. A. Mayrs (250 Bultaco) and S. Adams (350 Aermacchi) dead heated for fastest Two-Wheeler time on their second runs, the honours going to Mayrs on account of his faster first run.

RESULTS

Motorcyles:

250cc: A. Mayrs (250 Bultaco) 66.8 secs;
350cc: S. Adams (350 Aermacchi) 66.8 secs;
unlimited: B. Taggart (500 Norton) 72.5 secs;

Overall: Mayrs, 66.8 secs.

Cars:

Class 1 – 1st, R. Neely (0.9 Mini) 89.1 secs; 2nd, Miss I. Neely (0.9 Mini) 90.2 secs.
Class 2 – 1st, A. Buchanan (1.1 Cooper S) 69.0 secs; 2, M. Johnston (1.0- Riley Elf) 70.5 secs.
Class 3 — 1st, J. McClements (1.3 Riley Elf) 63.4 secs; 2nd, R. Pollock (1.3 Cooper S) 68.0 secs.
Class 4 — 1st. D. McAu1ey (1.3 MG Midget) 69.0 secs; 2nd, T. Burns (1.3 Firecrest) 69.7 secs.
Class 5 – 1st, C. Curley (1.6 Ford Escort TC) 64.5 secs; 2nd, D. McKeag (1.6 Ford Escort TC) 67.9 secs.
Class 6 – 1st, S. Christie (Cooper S) 74.3 secs; 2nd, Mrs. F. King (Cooper S) 74.6 secs.

Ladies – Mrs. F. King (Cooper S) 74.6 secs.

Overall:

1. B. Kelly (1.6 Lotus 51) 62. secs;
2. J. McClements (1.3 Riley Elf) 63.4 secs;
3. C. Curley (1.6 Ford Escort TC) 64.5 secs.

DOWNHILL UPHILL

Motor racing in the thirties is still revered as the “good old days“ of the sport and yet how many people can remember the events of the forties, held more than twenty years ago in the most difficult circumstances the sport had ever known. New racing cars were unobtainable, the 500cc Formula had not caught on fully, and local club meetings were made up of a curious assortment of Ford specials, resurrected racing cars from the previous decade and the occasional production sports car.

Races like the Ulster Trophy remain well known, but some events from those far-off days have all but passed into oblivion. Last Saturdays Eagles Rock Hill Climb has been hailed as a great new attraction for holiday makers in the district but was nothing new! History does repeat itself, for almost twenty years ago, on July 23rd 1949, the 500 MRCI organised a hill climb at Downhill, a short distance ‘from the latest course.

It was a small event with only 19 cars competing in five classes and if the hill climb has been all but forgotten, the leading drivers have not. Bobbie Baird (Baird Meteorite) and Geoff McCrea (R-Type MG) were contenders for FTD on the climb up the first 3/4 mile of the Bishop’s Road. It was McCrea, whose supercharged 750cc MG was going particularly well, who beat Baird by only one fifth of a second on his second run to win the day. Chris Lindsay and Robin Scott sharing the Lindsay-Scott Ford Special, and Doc Tinsley (M.G. TC) took a fair share of the honours.