We returned to Loton Park in Shropshire for the second time this season on Saturday 10th September. This popular but challenging hill climb provided a day of close competition, unexpectedly good weather and a great turnout. Eighteen drivers entered and completed the day without too much drama but with plenty of excitement and some very fast times.

Class P1 produced an excellent field at Loton with five drivers entered and the fastest three all within 1.6 seconds of each other. Karl Lupton drove his supercharged 944 brilliantly and finished the day with 61.35 seconds for third place. Tim Barber (964RS) put in two very close timed runs and some very tidy driving to finish in second place with 60.97 seconds. Fastest Porsche on the day was Paul Howells driving his superb 1973 911 RSR to a well deserved class win. Paul’s last run was completed in 59.78 seconds (including 2% penalty for slicks).

As at Shelsley Walsh in July this year, it was very close competition in Class P2 between Andy Tomkins (911 3.2) and Geraint Evans (911 3.2). After running very close in the practice and timed runs, just a third of a second finally separated them with Andy taking second place in 62.48 seconds and Geraint taking first place in 62.12 seconds.

Four drivers ran in Class P3 at Loton, with Thomas Robinson taking his smart and relatively standard 911 Carrera 3 litre to third place in 66.76 seconds. As so often in this class, the merest fraction of a second separated first and second place in P3. Throughout the day David Strange (911 S) and David Chivers (911E) produced close times but David Strange clinched it with just 0.12 of a second in it. David Chiver’s fastest time for second place was 64.13 seconds while David Strange won first place in 64.01 seconds.

It was a full house in Class P4 with all seven registered drivers in attendance. It was a closely fought battle between two 924s for second and third place with Stuart Maclean and Justin Mather putting in similar times in practice and timed runs. By end of play just a third of a second margin left Stuart in third place with 65.70 seconds and Justin in second with 65.40 seconds for his fastest time. Star turn at Loton belonged to Graham Rose who took first place in his 924S. He had come close to the class record when we ran at Loton in May but this time he comprehensively smashed it with a fastest time of 62.02, nearly half a second off the previous record.