Records tumble as King of the Hill drivers push limits
ONE of South Africa’s most thrilling motorsport events not only delivered three days of roaring entertainment for speed enthusiasts, but also saw record after record being broken.
The annual Jaguar Simola Hillclimb in Knysna came to an exciting end yesterday with some of South Africa’s most powerful engines being pushed to the limit as drivers went after King of the Hill glory.
“This year was not only a fantastic year in terms of spectator turnout, but also great racing with drivers making it up the hill in record times,” event spokesman Robin Emslie said.
About 12 500 spectators flocked to the coastal holiday town last year for the event – which sees drivers racing against the clock up a 1.9km twisty stretch of road leading to the Simola Lifestyle Estate.
But early indications this year are that the race attracted more than 13 000 petrolheads, despite two days of cold and rainy weather.
And the crowds were definitely in for a treat with several thrills and spills.
One of the highlights was the blistering speeds the cars achieved, with former hillclimb champion Franco Scribante not only regaining his title in the Classic Car Friday event, but also in the main King of the Hill shootout yesterday.
Scribante wrote his name into the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb record books by becoming the first-ever double winner of Classic Car Friday in his 1970 Chevron B19 – the same car with which he won the title in 2014 – in a time of 41.432 seconds, beating his own fastest winning time from two years ago of 41.811 seconds.
This despite not making it to the first two practice sessions on Friday after breaking a driveshaft.
He also managed to cross the finish line in a time more than six seconds quicker than his closest rival, Brent Watts in his 1973 Porsche 911 RSR, who finished in a time of 48.204.
From a standing start, the Chevron B19 covered the tricky course at an average speed of 165 km/h.
Scribante went on with his winning streak and made it a double victory for the weekend after once again taking King of the Hill honours, this time in a Chevron B26, after winning the coveted title in 2014.
He did this in a time of 38.646 – the fastest King of the Hill shootout-winning time in history, with an average speed of just under 177km/h.
Last year’s champion, Desmond Gutzeit, in his Nissan GTR R32, ended in second with a time of 40.324 and Anton Cronje in a Suburu WRX in 42.564.
Not everyone handled the course as well as the podium finishers did.
“There were a few cars that left the track, but no one was injured and the damage to the vehicles was not severe,” Emslie said.
Yesterday’s racing saw several racers for the first time breaking the 40-second barrier during the qualifying rounds as well as in the class finals, where Gutzeit set the weekend’s fastest time of 37.696.
