Micallef claims Gozitan success

The convoy of racing cars competing in hill climb travelled to Xaghra hill, Gozo last weekend for the fifth round of the Grimaldi Lines I.C.C Hill Climb Championship.

The event commenced on Saturday afternoon comprising two practice runs (untimed) and continued on Sunday morning with three official timed runs.

Good warm weather, a fresh breeze and excellent organization meant that this two day event turned out to be a wonderful competitive spectacle. The level of commitment was high but for some the day ended badly with the occasional car being pushed beyond its mechanical limits and some drivers also incurring chicane-penalties and missing out on a chance to achieve a better time.

Drivers from Gozo together with a number of classic cars joined a further 60 competition-cars from Malta in this event which again ran like clockwork. One of the highlights of this hill climb was the participation of the MDA (Malta

Drifting Association); talented drivers who drifted their cars sideways putting on some great tyre-shredding action and excellent drift battles.

Mark Micallef driving his AutoTraderMalta-MBL Radical Prosport was again the winner of a closely contested competition. It was a close thing throughout.Current champion Zach Zammit likewise carried on with the form he had shown a week earlier when he and current championship leader Micallef fought tooth and nail for the win. In the end it was Micallef, driving his Radical, who stopped the clocks at an outstanding 49.107secs. The win moves him further ahead in the championship, with only three rounds left.

Zammit, driving his Urban Jungle Ralt, was a close half second behind. His performance at Xagħra confirmed that he has lost none of his skills, the gap to first being just 0.468 of a second. Zammit had just the final run to compete for after his car stopped half way through the second run due to a faulty cut-out switch.

An excellent third was Jason Muscat (B4 - Radical Club Sport) with a time of 51.429secs. On his final run he clipped the middle row of tyres in the 3-point chicane which incurred a ten second penalty, though his previous time was good enough to put his Radical on the podium.

Adam Bugeja is getting more confident with his Jekran OMS (51.550secs) and finished fourth as Jonathon Tonna and his Fat Harry's Tattus rounded off the top five spots with a time of 51.656secs.

Alex Zammit produced the best performance in the category for veteran drivers, achieving a superb time of 52.879secs with his popular black Radical Prosport, ranking 10th overall.

John Zammit was ballistic with his Lotus Elise, posting the eleventh best time in run two and fastest of the rear wheel drive saloon cars. He was closely followed by Noel Galea (Ford Escort Mk2).

Didier Bugeja (Peugeot 106 GTi) came out tops in the competitive front wheelers ahead of Etienne Grech (Citroen Saxo VTS).

Steve Buttigieg (Ford Escort Mk1 Cosworth) was fastest in the four wheel drive series, posting a time good enough to slip past Christopher Aquilina in his Subaru Impreza.

The next event is scheduled for Friday the 7th June at Ta'Penellu by-pass, Mellieha. The first run commences at 9.00am