Photos: Jonathan Murphy and Tony Gregory
The Cultra Hillclimb has become a must-visit event in recent years, with dozens of Northern Ireland’s top historic racers descending on the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum for a day of sprints and demonstrations, static displays and parades.
This year’s event, which took place on 11 June, drew a number of high-profile examples of the region’s engineering and motorsport history, including Alec Poole’s ‘Cyclops Sprite’, which returned to the province following a 50-year absence. The 1275cc Sprite competed in Irish events from 1962-1964, including appearances at Dunboyne and the 1964 Circuit of Ireland. It was driven to 3rd in class by it’s current owner, James Thacker.
The 200bhp-per-ton Issigonis Lightweight Special made its first trip to Irish shores from the British Motor Museum, where it is on permanent loan. Its pioneering rubber suspension proved an intrigue for the mechanically minded, while younger enthusiasts enjoyed seeing it driven enthusiastically by Andy Storer.
As in previous years, a large club presence added to the garden party atmosphere. This year, the event played host to the MG Car Club’s ‘Ulster Triple M Tour’, which resulted in 51 cars from three continents and ten countries gathering in the museum’s grounds. Three of their number entered the main hillclimb competition, led by Australian John Gillett’s stunning K3 Magnette, which was also raced by Prince Bira in the 1930s, as well as competing in half a dozen Australian Grands Prix and winning the 1949 Australian Hillclimb Championship.
Ten specially selected post-war MG Midgets and Austin-Healey Sprites fought for top honours in the Mike Wylie Trophy, with Aaron Bunning’s Midget pipping Jack Brien’s Midget Atlantis by just one tenth of a second at 36.64 secs.
“This was by far our most ambitious Cultra so far, but once again the small TSCC team, supported by our colleagues in the British Motorsports Marshals Club and other local clubs, delivered an event of which they can all be immensely proud,” said Thoroughbred Sports Car Club president William Heaney. “Today we had the largest number of competitors and participants from outside the province, and I’m proud to say they were all full of praise for what this unique partnership with the museum has delivered.”
Greg MacLeman is a contributor to and former Features Editor of Classic & Sports Car, and drives a restored and uprated 1974 Triumph 2500TC