A DROITWICH man who triumphed in the last Chateau Impney sprint almost 50 years ago but never had his victory officially recorded will be back in the driving seat this weekend in a bid to set the record straight.
David West was a teenager in 1967 when he raced in the Hagley and District Light Car Club event – he was not meant to be competing but jumped in the car at the last minute to replace Team Autoquip driver Fred Jones who was away due to an emergency.
With no time or thought to inform organisers, he drove the Jones’s 1275cc Morris Mini Cooper S up the old 550-yard course, seeing off six other Mini drivers, as well as a more powerful Triumph 1300, and completing the course in an outstanding time of 28.49secs.
Fred’s name, despite him not even being there, went in the historical record and, with no motor racing event at the Chateau for the next half a century, David had no chance to right the wrong.
He was hoping to complete his long-awaited task last year but was pipped at the post by Richard Parsons who competed in a Morris Mini Cooper S, and beat him by a quarter of a second.
This weekend David returns to take on the more challenging course in his own 1967 Austin Mini Cooper S where he hopes to finally make his mark.
David said: “I’m not going to fluff it on the line, like I did last year.”
He told The Standard last year he noticed a lot of changes from the event back in the 1960s, including increased health and safety.
“We used to be able to get into a car and just put a crash helmet on – you could literally just turn up on the day and drive.
“Now the records have to show the right names and permit numbers.
“What happened to me in 1967 couldn’t happen now.”
But he said last year’s event felt a lot better than it used to.
“There’s a lot more going on and there’s a real buzz around the place – last year the atmosphere was fantastic.
“Lots of people were coming over and talking to me and asking questions.
“They all love the Mini because they’re used to seeing them driving on the roads.”
Tickets for the Hill Climb are £20 on Saturday, £25 on Sunday or £40 for the weekend, and under-16s go free when accompanied by a ticket-holding adult.
Visit www.chateauimpneyhillclimb.com or call 0845 017 0637 to buy tickets.
