While the traditional season finale’s future is uncertain, with rising costs meaning that it may cease or be run less often in the future, the motorsport veteran has only consolidated his status as a true great of the event.
On a windy and relatively chilly Saturday, but one where the almost inevitable rainfall was restricted to a few brief downpours, Mallock driver Torode climbed the tight hill in 28.33sec. to back up his 2023 and 2024 successes.
That time came on his seventh run, and he needed it, as in-form karter Chris Law’s own finale of 28.55 would have otherwise been enough to take the spoils and make him potentially the last Petit Bot winner in a while at least.
Having, like many other top drivers, struggled with tyre supply issues this season, Torode was not too disheartened to be far outside his outright hill record of 25.43 from a decade ago.
‘I’m elated with the season that we’ve had, with us not having good tyres and things,’ he said.
‘It’s great to do what I would call one of my favourite events.
‘Is it my favourite event because I always manage to run it at the front?
'Maybe that’s why, but I just enjoy the event.
‘I would be sad to see it go. There’s different rumours, whether it may carry on biennially and things... but I can totally understand it, as it can’t carry on if it’s running at a deficit for the club.’
Torode’s main threat had come from the karters, not only Law, but with previous winner Mike Brehaut putting down a 29.33 and Riley Carre a 29.52.
Then there was teenage motorcyclist Harry Mann, whose 29.59 on his GasGas was good for fourth overall and put him within 0.2sec. of Andy Mechem’s class record in the 250s.
It also set him well clear of the second-fastest man on two wheels, Anthony Poynder, who managed a 30.55 on his 450cc machine.
The weather proved more pleasant than forecast and, indeed, the triumphant Torode had actually considered not turning up.
‘I got up at my normal time this morning and looked at the weather and thought, “Do I bother coming? I haven’t got any wet tyres, I’m on slicks, do I bother?”
‘But I was going to come and watch anyway, so I might as well bring my car and participate where I can in the showers.
‘That was a really tight battle come the end with Chris Law.’
Nearly 50 competitors had entered, though several did not complete any timed runs, with the powerful non-transaxle specials class being ruled out by 2022 winner Scott Rayson being busy on official duties and a first-run gearbox breakage for Peter Jory.
The day largely ran smoothly, with only minor crashes, and competitors got up to nine timed runs.
But only one record was credited – and a disputed one at that.
Jonathan Robilliard was driving his Citroen C2 for the first time on this particular hill and smashed Martin Young’s listed sports libra saloon rally 2WD 1,401 to 1,600 mark of 36.44 in the first run with a 35.61, then lowered it to 35.07 on the second, which would remain his best time.
But the rallying enthusiast was upfront that he believes the true record to be John Dunne’s 34.63 from 2022.
Regardless of whether he actually holds the record or not, Robilliard said of the popular and challenging hill-climb: ‘It would be sad to see it go.
‘It’s just a cracking event.’
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