The Women of Hill Climbing....

[Rich Sweigart]

My parents gave up hillclimb driving in 1978. We autocrossed the Speedster from 78 to 89. My Mom won the 1995 Philly Solo Ladies class championship in my VW Golf at the age of 65. She also spent some time as the PHA treasurer, organized 2 time trial events at Pocono, spent many years as a PHA rep for Philly Region and Reisentoter PCA. She also help organize the Phila. Vintage Grand Prix in Fairmont Park, tech inspector and paddock marshal for Tri-Region, Philly SCCA treasurer, did registration for SCCA at Nazareth Speedway pro events, won Philly Region's Mark Freed Award. Plus, you got love a Mom that can bleed brakes and hold a timing light for you.

Rich

[Ron Mann]

Francis Lochner of Philadelphia ran her MG Midget from 1967 - 1972. She got on the winning track in 1971 with (at least…due to some missing results) Ladies class wins at Topton and Giant's Despair.

[Ron Mann]

As mentioned before…Norma Oswald wasn't always a corner worker! She and Oz Sr. raced together since the early 70's! Starting out in Touring 1 with a VW bug and later co driving the venerable Kellison Modified 1 car. Driving against her husband wasn't so easy…but Norma beat him early September 1972 at the Tuscarora Hill Climb. Norma ran a 1:01.503 nipping Oz, with a 1:02.084. Not only was this a notable victory within the Oswald racing history…it is also notable due to the fact that Norma became the first woman to out right win a class "post Ladies class" formulas.

Norma made PHA history again in 1975. This year she, along with daughter Antoinette, co drove a 1956 Beetle in Touring 1. I believe this is the first, mother/daughter co- drivers in PHA history. Norma grabbed victories in the 1975 season at the Goldmine, Pine Grove & Red Rock hill climbs.

[Ron Mann]

Patricia Davies: 1987-1990 in an ITC Mercury Lynx accumulated 5 class wins. These included 1987 Giant's Despair, Fall Weatherly, & Summit Point securing a year end championship.. 88 & 90 she was ITC champ of Duryea.

I believe this is a photo of Patricia at the 1987 Fall Weatherly…can anyone confirm?

[Ron Mann]

Running hills off and on from the early 90's up to 2003, Nicole Cooper found success running an ITA Mazda RX2 & RX7(thanks Rich). She captured ITA wins in 1995 at Duryea and Spring Weatherly. She followed up 95 with an overall ITA championship in 1996. She also drove a SSC Neon.

[Ron Mann]

Adrienne Vrabel started out driving her 1986 Corvette(Co-driving with her father George) in the Showroom Stock GT class in 2005. She has since moved into the very competitive B Street Prepared class. She started her winning ways in 2006 with class victories at Spring Weatherly and Giant's Despair. 2008 was also a good year for Adrienne, she again took BSP wins at Giant's Despair, Rose Valley and Fall Weatherly and could very well be the fastest female driver in PHA history!

[Ron Mann]

Mrs. Elly Fronina of Reading started out co-driving her husband's Jaguar XKE in 1964, but it wasn't until she started running her G Production Morgan in 1965 that she hit full stride winning the Ladies' classes at Spring Hershey, Fleetwood & Rose Valley. 1966 was an even better year for Elly…competing against the men in G production she placed first at Giant's Despair, Rose Valley & Hobbie/Green Mountain and ultimately was the overall G Production champion for 1966!!

[dspgti]

Running hills off and on from the early 90's up to 2003, Nicole Cooper found success running an ITA Mazda RX2 & RX7(thanks Rich). She captured ITA wins in 1995 at Duryea and Spring Weatherly. She followed up 95 with an overall ITA championship in 1996. She also drove a SSC Neon.

Nicole is a regular Club Racer today. Maybe somebody knows if she has made the National Runnoffs yet?

Dave Y

[Number 56]

Nicole is a active road racer in Show Room Stock C. She has not qualfied for the National Runnoffs. She runs mostly Regionals. Runs a lot at Pocono and Watkins Glen. Does a good job at it!

[Ron Mann]

Ok…Up next we have a driver with quite a span of hill climb history. It was kind of tricky to track her due to name changes…but Karen Snow/Nesbitt/Collins started hill climbing in the early 60's and I have tracked her running into the early 90's. She started with a Mini Cooper in Touring 1…went on to an H Production Bug-Eye and lastly in a Showroom Stock Toyota MR2. In 1964 she was the over all Ladies Champion running at Duryea, Giant's Despair, Weatherly, Pocono & Fall Hershey. Her class winning in the 80's starts in 1987 with wins at Summit Point & Fall Weatherly. She follows that up with a class win at the Spring Weatherly event in 1988. Karen sweeps the Showroom Stock C classes at both Weatherlys in 1989. At this time…I have her last class win at the 1991 Giant's Despair Hill climb.

[Ron Mann]

I had the pleasure of meeting our next female driver early in my quest for information pertaining to the Hershey Hill Climb back in 2001 and saw her quite regularly afterwards. Daphne Heidi of Palmyra Pa…started her successful hill climb career in 1967. Daphne and her husband George would go on to co-drive a spattering of cars including: Porsche 914, Porsche 1300, Fiat 850, and a Fiat Abarth 1000 OTS Spyder. Her first taste of success came in 1970 with Ladies class wins at Spring Hershey & Duryea. In 1971 she took the Ladies class honors at Fleetwood. It wasn't until the 1976 season that we have a bit of history. This is the year Daphne becomes the first female in the post "Ladies' Class" era to be year end champion. Where Norma was the first to beat her husband at an event in this era…Daphne was the first to beat her husband for overall honors. She wins Showroom Stock A at Pine Grove, Weatherly, & Giant's to seal the deal. Unfortunately we lost Daphne in 2005

[Ron Mann]

We are going to go back in time a bit for this female driver…Toni Keiser starts popping up on the hill climb radar in 1960! She hailed from Royersford Pa and is most related to driving an H Production Bug-Eye Sprite! In 1960 she takes Ladies Class wins at Spring Hershey, Fall Springtown & Fall Pocono. It really fell into place for Toni in 1961 with a great season in both the Ladies' class and H Production. With the women she places first at Duryea, Giant's Despair, Fall Pocono and Fall Hershey…but with the men in HP, Toni takes a win at Hyner View and is both year end winner in the Ladies' Class and H Production.

[Ron Mann]

Rich picked up this next driver in his second batch of guesses. Jeanette (Jan) Remick first pops up in 1968 winning the Ladies' Class at Fall Hershey. It was 1969 when she exploded! Almost dominating the women with her Touring 1 Beetle, Jeanette wins the Ladies' class 7 times and adds the Touring 1 win at Giant's Despair capping off an over all championship for the Ladies' Class. She backs 1969 up with a repeat championship in 1970 highlighted with victories at Jefferson & Tuscarora hill climbs!

[Ron Mann]

Janet Possinger of Mt. Pocono PA started her domination of the Women's class in 1959. In this year she won at Spring Hershey, Spring Springtown, Fox Gap/Cherry Valley, Duryea & Fall Springtown. In 1960 she continued her winning ways at Spring Pocono, Giant's Despair, Fall Pocono & Hershey…and was the Women's class champion in 1960. She was back in 1961 with a win at Spring Hershey and again in 1963 with a Ladies' class win at Weatherly. Her main car was a Triumph TR3 but also drove an H modified Saab Special.

[Ron Mann]

Our next driver…is also the newest addition to the PHA hall of fame. For many, Jen Dehart may only be seen as one of our fine safety stewards, but Jen has stacked up a slew of class victories in her racing career! I first pick her up in 1991 and setting the hill record at Montage in a Zeitler Formula Vee against very tough competition! In 1996 she takes FV honors at the Pocono Solo in June. She moves over to Showroom Stock A in an RX7, and take class victories at the Jefferson Cruise, Jefferson Dash and Rose Valley events in 1999. 2000 she is back in SSA with wins at Giant's Despair & Fall Weatherly. Through 2001-2005 she is back in the Zeitler and mostly hitting up and winning at four Summit Point events.

[Ron Mann]

Jane Stinsmen of Allentown started running hills around 1966. She first pops in the win column in 1968 with a win at Spring Hershey driving a Simca. She ran a 60.205 in this Mod 1 car that she co-drove with her husband John….it actaully would have placed her second, behind John, in a class of 13!! In 1969 she and the Simca claim the Ladies' class at Rose Valley, Topton and Weatherly…she battles with Jeanette Remick this year. Jane has another big year in 1970…winning again at Topton, Fleetwood, Rose Vallley, Weatherly and Fall Hershey. Jane follows up 70 with an even bigger 1971. She wins the overall Women's championship…main compeition that year came from Daphne Heidi and Fran Lochner. In 1972 the Stinsmens' move into Formula 1 class with a Lola T-142…the Ladie's class is no longer and Jane has tough competition within the family as John does quite well with the Lola. We see Jane currently running the Van Dieman or the beautiful Aston Martin.

[beachfv14]

I remember Gloria Malinauskas,
She Ran lots of autox's and many Hills in the late 60s' and early 70s'
She ran a 65 Midget, a Lotus Super 7, a MG1100, and an F Prod Spitfire.

She was always competitive in the ladies class,
and usually beat most of the men in her class
In autocrossing she was usually unbeatable in her Porsche 914, and her Pontiac 455 GTO.

Thank GOD she never beat me in the same car,,,,
She later became Mrs. Tom Hartman..
God bless her...

and a great cook

[Ron Mann]

Tom & Gloria...serving as PHA President and Secretary 1972

[Ron Mann]

Tammy Oswald, one half of Tamnoz racing…started co driving the venerable Kellison with her husband Jim (the same car Jim's parent's co-drove in the 70's) in the 80's. She later drove the Viper SR-1…but mainly focused on formula vee (driving Viper FV-1 & Viper FV-2). Once behind the wheel of the FV's Tammy started racking up class wins! I have her first popping up in 1991 with a win at Giant's Despair. (Unfortuantley…this time frame has some holes in the result archives..hint, hint!!) She wins gets another win in 1993's Spring Weatherly. 1994 appears to be a big year with wins at Duryea, Pine Grove, Pagoda & Fall Weatherly!! She wins Giant's Formula Vee class in 1995. 1997 she is back at Duryea with a win. 1998 & 1999 she hits big a Fall Jefferson. Perhaps this was the start of her road race career…for she does not pop up again until 2003, and becomes a specialist at Duryea…winning there 2003, 2004, 2006 & 2008! Just think what terror she could release if she ran FV all season!?

[Ron Mann]

Since 1977, Sue Salsburg has been on the hill climb scene. She rebuilt a 1956 MGA that had a long hill climb history…with this car she competed along with her husband Dave Arron. I have her picking up her first GP win in 1999 at Fall Weatherly…she followed in 2000 with a GP win at Giant's Despair. In 2005 she comes to the hills with her new Mini in Showroom Stock C and racks up another win at Fall Weatherly. 2007, when she brings the big Jag out to the hills, Sue really cranks it up. She has a full season sweep of the hills (no Summit) in Vintage 2. She sets the record at Polish and wins the overall class championship! In 2008, the Jag is back as well as wins at Giant's, Polish, Duryea and Fall Weatherly. Sue served as Fall Weatherly Chairman for over a decade at one point and is quoted to have said; "I'm not as fast as the other drivers. But, somehow, sitting in my old MG at the top of Duryea after a good run…I don't really care about trophies…just being here makes me feel like a winner." (from a Duryea Program "In The Driver's Seat")