Mt Cotton Hillclimbs – Oct 2017 – Lotus Club Queensland

ICC Rd 7 Mt Cotton Hillclimb – 30 Sept 2017

Story by Vyvyan Black. Pics by Vyvyan Black and Shane Murphy.

I’m not sure what the temperature gauge registered on the Saturday of the ICC Mt Cotton Hillclimb but it was certainly an unusually hot day, even by Brisbane’s heady standards.

That didn’t stop a great turnout for this event, though it did see many leave the track before the last couple of runs. There were the usual suspects and, being an InterClub Challenge, a party of Porsches came to play. Pity, because they did a nice job of putting the Lotus Club quartet onto the lower step of the dais. Well done guys… we’ll just have to do our best to get on top at the next event.

I think Mt Cotton is the kind of place where a bit of grunt doesn’t go astray, especially when it comes to getting up the hills quickly. Talking of the need for grunt, my poor little engine struggled and my novice capabilities meant that I wouldn’t be of much help in getting the Club up a rung or two!

This was my third go at the track and I admit I was quite a bit quicker last time. Maybe it was the heat, I don’t know, but inconsistency decided it was to be my companion for the day.

This was not the case for our Clubman members who all performed admirably. Dick nabbed a PB (along with a clip of the Armco), and a Shane Murphy run sliced a big whack off his previous time. I asked what his secret was…

“No real mystery,” he said. “You just have to go faster than you think you can! Be braver.”

“Hmm, be braver,” I thought. “I can do this!”

Little did I know what was to come. I jumped into the Plus 2 with elan (!).

The heat in the cabin was full-on as I waited in line for my next run. The doors on the cars in front of me were waving open and shut as their owners tried in vain to fan some air inside. Directly ahead of me was Daryl Morton’s blue Mini – a highly modified track-only car that goes like stink. I continually needed to wipe the sweat off my hands by patting them on my driving suit. The Mini was as loud as a banshee as Daryl skidded up to the start line. My turn next. “Be braver” I confirmed to myself. Just as Daryl’s run was about to end I heard an official yell out.. “What the..?!” I looked quickly to see the Mini tumbling along the track. “Oh my God”. I sat on the start line, in the heat, as the medic jumped in his car, and the trucks and rescue guys leapt into action.

Luckily Daryl was only slightly shaken and walked away with a sore arm. Suddenly I realized that my run was about to start. My hands were wet. “Be brave?” Bugger that! I just wanted to get through to the finish without incident. Needless to say, that wasn’t my best run!