The Women of Hill Climbing....

[Ron Mann]

If you were at the banquet you may have heard about this next thread….

Since the 50's (I have no record of a female running in the early Giant's Despair days) female drivers have run our hills. Most of the time they were a wife or girlfriend, but there were also sisters, daughters, mothers and even grand daughters of males, competing & sharing a car. Then on occasion…there were some that were all on their own. Using the result archive I can come up with the top all time winning female drivers in the PHA **(now remember…we are still missing quite a few results…hint, hint!!!!)***

Between 1958 - 1971 a "ladies' class" was offered. At first there were two…one for cars over 2000cc and one for ladies with cars under 2000cc. Later a formula was devised to determine a class winner no matter what car they drove. It was also not uncommon for a female driver to win the regular class…but yet lose the "Ladies' Class" due to the formula. Then again...some of the females would win out in the regular classes too!

After 1971…there was no "Ladies' class" and the females were "one on one" with the men. Many female drivers would "sock it" to the men and were highly competitive in the the regular classes!!

So…before I crank it up….who is on your list?

[FV195]

I'm thinking Rich's mom, Connie S. Norma Oswald. not sure of any of the others.
I pretty sure the the Women we have running now want no part of a ladies class. I'm sure I heard Grace say she wouldn't run with the girls. just wants to beat the men, which she did in milage this year! WAY TO GO GRACE!
THOR

[Rich Sweigart]

My Mom did well for the class that she was in, E Production Porsche 356 class, but she had no wins. EP Porsche was a brutal class to run in with George Frey, Denny Frick, Denny Gilbert, Carl Rinker, Jesse Holshouser, my Dad and my brother Paul, etc.

My list of female winners,
Patty Enzman-Alspach
Norma Oswald
Daphne Heide
Jane Stinsmen
Sue Salsburg
Toni Keiser
Judy Beattie

[Ron Mann]

Now we're talking!

[Mark Aubele]

What about Adrienne Vrabel? She kicked quite a few of our asses in SP at a couple events this year, in a car that isn't exactly easy to drive fast. Could she be the fastest woman EVER up Giants' and Rose Valley?

[FV195]

That is true she is a fast one, but what were Jane Stinsmans times? I'm sure that the FC is faster than the vette.
I think Ron is looking for class champions? Sue in her really fast Jag! won her class this year.

[Ron Mann]

Mark is working something for sure....we don't have to go too deep to find some of our female competitors.

Class champs...overall wins...impact players....I'll start posting pixs and scoop soon!

I'm surprised both Rich & Thor have not mentioned one in particular....

[Ron Mann]

At quick glance...Adrienne could very well be the fastest female ever....I'll have double check and confirm. She is close to going sub 50 at Giant's! Mary Vitale Sincavage is also close!

[Rich Sweigart]

What my hillclimbing sister who still brags that she beat me at Giants in 2001 in her Zeitler?

Rich

[Ron Mann]

She would be one....but it was 2002

[Rich Sweigart]

Damn, got the year wrong.

Rich

Back to laboratory to breath life into one of my race cars in the fleet.

[Ron Mann]

Before we get into the big winners....I'll post some notables!

The first...well...seems to be the first. Anese Ash won the Ladie's class at the 1952 Duryea Hill climb (the second running). She was running a MGTD special and did the hill in 3:16.8 which set the record for the ladies. Remember...the hill at this time was one turn longer.

The next fastest woman was Honey Roth in another MGTD...she ran a 3:34.4

Anese is the earliest female winner I have record of.
Note the lack of roll bar, driving suit, gloves...she does have a spiffy helmet and lap belt!

[Rich Sweigart]

I forgot a few,

Gloria Hill
Tammy Oswald
Mary Anne Fieux
Jen DeHart
Jean Remick

Rich

[Ron Mann]

You hit some big time rollers with that batch!

[dspgti]

Ron,
Thank you for all the interesting historical information that you present.

Maybe my posting wasn't as funny as I thought it would be. Message removed in favor of good taste.

Conflict avoided if not too late.

Dave Y

[Ron Mann]

thanks Dave! I enjoy my job...PHA history has a little bit of everything...right?

[Ron Mann]

Ok...Thor mentioned Rich's Mother; Helen "Connie" Sweigart. She started in the SCCA in 1958 and worked her way to a National road racing license only 7 women in the country had that license in 1961. She was a national road rallist, hillclimber, and autocrosser. As Rich stated in an earlier post…co driving with her husband Richard Sr. and a huge field of talented drivers within her class didn't make winning easy but, In 1973 & 1974 she finished 3rd overall in E Production. It appears she stopped competing around 1978 (Rich can confirm) but continued working events for many years afterwards.

[Ron Mann]

I'm going to do a few name drops at this time, unfortunately I don't have photos (at this time) for the following ladies.

Shirley Allwoerden: The 1961 "Ladies over 1500 cc" Champion. She hailed from Parisppany, NJ and drove a Porsche 1600.

Joanne Mayer: The 1962 "Ladies Champion". Joanne was from Stroudsburg, PA and drove a Porsche 1600N.

[Ron Mann]

Shaune Piper of Chatham New Jersey...ad TR3 and MGB driver from 1964 - 1965. Ladies Champ at the 1964 Fleetwood Hill Climb. As you will see later the mid 60's was dominated by a couple of women.

[Ron Mann]

Matha "Martie" Fellman from Hummelstown/Etters PA….also running an MGB in the mid to late 60's…found her success at Hershey. She won the Ladies class in Spring 1966 and Spring 1967