PA Hillclimb

1972 - The record falls…the new owner of Duryea is Craig Smith in a Cooper bodied - Chevy powered modified 3 car. Craig has been a seasoned hill climber and put a stamp on the Mod 3 class in '72 winning the overall championship and taking at least 3 hill FTDs. Craig lowers record to a 2:03.185.

1973 - The Hitt man cometh…Kerry hits the scene and takes the first of, as you will see, many Duryea FTD awards. He brings the Corvette back as King as well. He runs this event with 2:03.573.

dspgti wrote:Leaping Lizards! How does Morg get into every thread?

It's all a vast right wing conspiracy.

Or, in Morgan's case, a center-mounted rear wing-ed conspiracy.

1974 - John Flannery takes it all with a Volvo out of the B Sedan Class. John being VERY local and excellent driver takes FTD with a 2:14.562. At this time, small bore and sedans ran on Saturday and the big bore, modified and formula cars ran on Sundays. It is believed a wash out on Sunday kept the "big cars" at bay.

1975 - Kerry Hitt comes back and this time sets a new hill record. Running Duryea with a time of 2:00.900 the first time we really pushed the sub 2 minute mark!

1976 & 1977 - Oscar is back and this time it is with the McLaren - Chevy…he becomes the first to set a hill record and time under the 2 minute barrier!! He takes the hill with a 1:58.256. He comes back the following year to even lower the time further…same car…but the record is down to 1:56.645!!

1978 - A car that had been around a long time…finally hits it big. Alvin Knepper take Duryea FTD honors in the Corvair powerd Sabel! He is way off record pace with a 2:10.869..it is actually the slowest FTD since the course was shortened. Weather issues??? Not sure if this photo is correct for the year...you can see other shots of it on the Specials Thread.

1979 - No event…the only time Duryea is not held. I've seen the reason stated as "gas crisis". ??

1980 - 1986 - Kerry Hitt is back and dominates more than half of the 80's!! The biggest FTD streak in Duryea history (7). His vow to keep Corvettes on top of Duryea…takes off!
1980: 1:57.561
1981: 1:56.009 brings a new hill record
1982: 1:59.003
1983: 2:02.317
1984: 1:59.735
1985: 1:54.228 resets hill record
1986: 1:54.001 lowers it even more!!

1987 & 1988 - Here come the formula cars! Not since 1970 was there an open wheeled FTD…Long time hill climber Jerry Coffee stikes down the hill record in a March formula Atlantic. He lowers the hill's record to a 1:52.164 in 1987 and comes back again in 1988 with a 1:53.990

1989 - Tommy Van Scoy slams the record down more, running a 1:49.472. He is the first person to go below the 1:50 mark. He too is in a March formula atlantic.

1990 - Yet another formula car takes FTD at Duryea…this time Henry Kowalski comes in with a 1:56.145 in his Reynard formula ford.

1991 - Kerry Hitt comes back to regain the top honors. He runs a 1:52.234 and yet again reclaims the hill for Corvette. I'm running out of Hitt photos...and certainly don't know exactly what car he took FTD with this mass span...but, I'll post Hitt cars regardless. If you have photos of Kerry Hitt....send'em my way to add to the photo files I've started to set up.

Ron - to say that you are a goldmine of hillclimb historical facts/archive photos etc. would be criminal understatement.

Keep it coming!

thanks Tim....all part of the job and I love it!! Looks like I might see you at Duryea!

1992 - 1994 - Enter the Floyd Schrammeck era…Floyd's formula Reynard takes 3 straight Duryea titles running a 1:53.324 in 1992, Setting the hill record (which stands today) with a 1:47.659 in 1992 and in 1994 he runs a 1:49.557. Again…his 1:47.659 is the lowest time in Duryea history!!

1995 - Mr. Hitt is back and amidst a formable field with; Vince Gladfelter in a sports 2000 Royal, Jim Oswald and the Viper SR-1 and Merlin Miller in his Tiger, Kerry takes FTD honors again. This time he runs a 1:49.630. The first time he goes sub 1:50.

Ron Mann wrote:1989 - Tommy Van Scoy slams the record down more, running a 1:49.472. He is the first person to go below the 1:50 mark. He too is in a March formula atlantic.

I can remember listening to the New York radio stations in high school (Cousin Brucie, etc.) and hearing the ads for the Van Scoy Diamond Mine stores. That was him according to Wickipedia.

You are correct Stan...same family...we are dealing with Tommy Jr.

1996 - The Bandit….Jerry Kieft comes in from Ohio with the Mazda powered special called the Bandit and snags the FTD of Duryea. It runs a 1:51.505…open wheeled cars are back on top!