GIANTS DESPAIR HILLCLIMB is 100yrs.old!!

[0-100-0]

Hello Fans!!

The USA's OLDEST HILLCLIMB (1906) YES ,Older than Pikes Peak, will be run on July 7, 8, 9 ,2006. Wilkes-Barre PA (Laurel Run actually)
We are putting together a DVD of old photos & films from any of the years.
I have photos of JOHN FITCH in a F3 car, WITH A SPORTSCOAT ON!!
Jackie COOPER in a Jag SS. BRIGGS S. CUNNINGHAM & PHIL WALTERS. Also ROGER PENSKE in a Porshe. Walter Thompson in a Corvette. OSCAR KOVELESKI in Chevy FERRARI & CA AM McLAREN. HAL KECK in a 427 COBRA.
GOLDSCHMIDT' ALFA. Dave Garroway, CARROL SHELBY in a Ferrari
I NEED some photos of RALPH DePALMA (1906 ) FIAT. Also anyone know a driver from Locust Valley LI named John V. Meyer? John drove a MEYER spec. in 1953 also in 1963 a SPORTSCAR named the MEYER SPEC. also John bought Penske's LOLA T70 1968 . and raced it at the GIANT>

Anyone have ANY photos of ANY driver at the GIANTS DESPAIR , please contact me.

THANK YOU!

Rich C.

[thebear]

Welcome to 10-10ths.

I knew John Meyer & his `special' from various SCCA races that I ran or worked. At the time I never looked to see what the engine/chassis was other than `a big V-8'.

I do rember that it was dark blue and he and Gordon Mackenzie (C-type Jag) used to go for FTD all the time at the Mount Equinox (VT) hillclimb, where I picked up a trophy in my Mini (1964) & two & in my Sprite (1965).

See my TRIVIA THREAD

I am interested in the earlier Giant's Despair hill climbs up to 1950. Are there others besides the 6 meetings I show below?

1906, May 10 1st (1 mi) f/s Harding, Hugh Daimler 45 hp 2m11.2s T
1907, May 30 2nd (1.08 mi) Ryall, Jimmy Matheson 60 hp 1m59.4s R
1908, May 30 3rd (1.08 mi) Haupt, Willie Chadwick 50 #11 1m38.6s R
1909, May 31 4th (1 mi) Bruce-Brown, David Benz 150 hp 1m31.6s R
1910, Jun 14 5th (1 mi) f/s De Palma, Ralph Fiat "Mephistopheles" 1m28.4s R
1916, Oct 7 (1.25 mi) Junk, Fred H. Chalmers Special 1m41.0s R

[Darren Galpin]

The event was abandoned in 1911 - it was to have taken place in June. The Indianapolis Star said that it “fell through because the Wikes Barre Automobile Club no longer cared to shoulder the expense of the annual event. Being less spectacular than road or track races, there is less public interest in hill climbs than in the former mentioned style of contest. This is because the events are simply a series of time trials and lack the sporting element of the neck and neck finishes.” In addition, in a separate article the newspaper also said that “hill climbs are on the decline, and it is largely because the promoters have to provide too much free fun for the spectators without getting anything back. Since the promoters make no money themselves they are naturally cautious in their expenditures for prizes. Famous drivers do not like to risk their necks for ribbons. They want cash. Consequently, promoters or clubs are not eager to give hill climbs, and when they do give them, professional drivers are not anxious to enter.”

...and this was in 1911. One can see how America was ahead of Europe already in 1911. The European situation was somewhat different because after the Great War (1914-1918) is was easier and less expensive to stage hill climbs on ready made secondary roads on the continent. The isle north of the Channel was an entirely different situation. The Horse Lobby had prohibited racing on public roads and after an accident at Kop in 1925 even hill climbs were completely banned by the ACGBI. Yet hill climbs florished on the continent.