Saturday’s warm Guernsey Kart and Motor Club hill climb brimmed with eye-catching performances, including in-form Steve Brehaut’s outright win and personal best of 28.32, but none as significant as that of the Subaru Impreza driver.
He unleashed a 32.95 on his third timed run and then stepped out in elation as the fastest saloon driver ever, topped off by the massive milestone of bringing the record under 33sec.
Prior to that assault in his striking black-and-yellow vehicle, the outright saloon record had been Tim Torode’s 33.12 from 19 years ago.
‘I am absolutely blown away by how many people have congratulated me on my achievement,’ Queripel said after also improving his own Modified Limited Production Cars 2,001 and over mark by 0.30sec.
‘It’s been a fantastic example of the hill climb community.
‘For me, this wasn’t just a record. I had a goal in mind, and I wanted to be the first saloon car in history to achieve a 32sec. run up the Val des Terres.
‘I was absolutely over the moon that the Impreza and I achieved just that.’
This achievement sets Queripel up nicely for 18 July’s ‘National’ and after that, potentially, the UK’s prestigious Prescott Hill Climb.
He could not go without singing the praises of motoring veteran Torode, describing him as ‘an incredible driver’.
‘It’s an honour to now take over the title from such a respected competitor,’ he added.
‘A lot of resilience and hard work has gone into making my car capable of achieving something like this, especially considering it is home-built, and I am incredibly grateful to my support network and sponsors for helping make this fantastic achievement possible.’
He was far from the only competitor pulling all the stops and producing a big performance on Saturday.
In favourable conditions, karter Chris Law and fellow saloon driver Gary Duquemin also came away with records.
Chris did not take long to break the Senior Gearbox 250 Mono record of brother Adam.
After dipping under a mark not even a year old with a 30.88 on his second timed run, he posted 30.78 and 30.65 on successive efforts.
In contrast, Duquemin re-wrote a record set 11 years ago by rallying star Dale Crowsley.
He drove his Escort up the hill in 35.13, removing 0.03sec. from the old mark in the Sports Libra Saloon Rally 2WD 1,601 to 2,000 class.
It is only last month that Brehaut hit the milestone of a fastest time of the day at Le Val des Terres.
This time he did it again – and in some style.
He refused to post a single run over 29sec., even in practice, and progressed from 28.98 to 28.32 for his four timed efforts in his 1.3-litre Empire Wraith.
Matt Bougourd put down a 28.88 in his own single-seater and left Nick Saunders, the most prolific FTD-setter of recent years, settling for third on 29.24.
Both Ian and Paul Le Messurier, Nick’s son Luke Saunders, and Scott Rayson also ducked under the 30sec. barrier.
It was just outside that barrier that a close contest unfolded for women’s honours.
All-time hill queen Emma Rayson was on the money from the start, producing a consistent series, her best effort being a 30.08 on the third run.
But regular rival Jackie Le Cheminant kept on the pressure and finished with a shiny new PB of 30.25 – having throughout the day put down just the sector times she needs for that coveted sub-30sec. run.
As with the previous month’s hill, the top motorcyclists served up a treat.
But there was a different winner this time – young Jamie Bacon.
He had been engaged in a duel with veteran Colin de Jersey, but his breakthrough 33.56 on the fourth run looked tough to answer, being a hundredth outside his rival’s PB from a month prior.
De Jersey’s opening run of 33.83 ultimately remained his best of the day and comfortably enough for second spot.
Casey Mackrell followed on 34.17, while Reece Hicks (34.45) edged the next position from Adam Girard (34.52) in a fast top five.
K’Han Holden had been a casualty of the otherwise successful day when he turned his own saloon over on the last corner, but he made a quick recovery.
