New machines excite with debut records

NEW machines for 2006 got the pulses racing at yesterday's first hill climb of the season. In glorious sunshine, a large crowd was treated to some great action at Le Val des Terres.

Conditions were in stark contrast to last year's traditional Easter Monday event, when the drivers not only had to contend with the twisty track but with fog as well.

The stars of this year's opener were class record breakers Karl Marshall, Steve Marquis and Neil Ridley who set the fastest time of the day in his 250cc twin kart.

All three were debuting new vehicles.

Marshall in his RPM Services Honda went faster than John Dunne's August 2005 record of 41.82sec. in the Production Cars up to 1600cc class a total of three times.

'It's going well,' said Marshall.

The hospital porter's quickest time was 41.46. He has been hill-climbing since 1989 and has set records in the single seater and modified saloons classes.

He thinks that he can still take time off his latest achievement.

'The course was good today but it was a bit slippy in the ?S's?,' he said.

Marquis is also a Val des Terres veteran having been competing regularly for the last 24 years.

It was the first time that the Rabeys mechanic let his mid-engine Citroen 2CV Special, with its dropped suspension and striking lines, loose on the hill.

He gave the car a run out in a sand-racing event last year and at the Vazon Bay sprint two weeks ago.

He took 0.3sec. off Nigel Ozanne's record set five years ago with a time of 36.34 in the saloons class.

Marquis is also bullish about going even faster.

'I'm very pleased,' he said afterwards.

'I didn't expect to get it so soon in the year. Everything came together today.

'Roll on next time. There's a 35sec. run out in that car if I get another day like today.'

Ridley, in his EPM Anderson, was one who set the pace for the others with a time of 31.15, which he did in his second run.

'Yeah, it was not too bad,' he said.

'It's a new kart. I kept crashing the other one...

'For its first hill climb it's going well. I think on a warmer day we will get quicker. I hope we will any way.'

A number of people did not have as a good day as Marshall, Marquis and Ridley, namely Neil Robert, James Hill and Mark Stanford who all had crashes. Fortunately, none of them was hurt.

'I can't remember too much about it,' said Hill.

'I was going into the ?S's?, the passenger side hit the bank and I did a complete roll. I've put it on its side before but I've never rolled it.'

The electrician, who is originally from Sheffield, has been involved in the sport for six years.

He shares a Mini 16v with Tim Le Pelley and both of them competed in the saloons up to 1400cc class.

When Hill rolled the car in the second run, it also meant the end of Le Pelley's involvement in the day.

He was quite philosophical about it afterwards as he looked forward to the next meeting on May Bank Holiday Monday.

'I rolled it two years ago,' said Le Pelley. 'So it's a return effort.

'We'll have to do what we did two years ago.

'We'll get it in the shed and get it ready for two weeks time.

'That's motor racing.'