Final Results
Scores Courtesy of: Brad Emery
FIN. CL CAR
POS. POS. NUM. CLASS DRIVER HOMETOWN MARQUE SCORE
1 1 2 0 Frank Sprongl Mississauga, Ont Audi Quattro S2 6:41.99**
2 2 1 0 Selcuk Karamanoglu Georgetown, ME Eagle Talon 7:02.33
3 3 3 0 Carl Merrill Ogunquit, ME Ford Cosworth 7:05.44
4 1 28 3 Andrew Havas Chapel Hill, NC Honda CRX 7:07.33**
5 4 81 0 Daniel Rutan Centerbrook, CT Audi Quatro 7:07.72
6 5 6 0 Jon Kemp Attica, NY Audi 4000 7:15.64
7 1 7 4 Seku Vierimma FINLAND Mitsubishi 7:25.53**
8 2 8 3 Chris Havas Richmond, VT VW Golf 7:29.58**
9 1 26 2 Doug Valliere Lebanon, NH Sunbeam 7:32.15
10 2 39 4 Roy O. Hopkins Spencerport, NY BMW M3 7:32.74
11 6 4 0 Bruno Kreibich Rdgwd. Queens, NY Audi Quattro 7:33.62
12 2 62 2 Drew Young Loudon, NH Chevy Camaro 7:34.60
13 1 90 1 Gerald Driscoll East Randolph, VT Modified 7:38.48
14 1 32 5 Elizabeth Campbell Rutland, VT VW Golf GTI 7:40.81**
15 3 53 4 John Bellerose Bedford, NH Eagle Talon 7:42.62
16 3 75 3 Charles Rutan Chester, CT VW Sedan 7:42.50
17 2 80 1 Bill Rutan Centerbrook, CT VW Golf 7:42.89
18 3 5 2 Jim Larsen Hardwick, MA Ford Mustang 7:45.69
19 3 78 1 Arthur Heath Warner, NH Dirt Modified 7:46.33
20 4 54 1 Jim Langenback Pittsfield, MA Sprint Car 7:50.17
21 4 88 4 Don Taylor Claremont, NH Shelby CSX 7:51.96
22 4 20 3 Timothy B. Mather East Hartford, CT Nissan Sentra 7:56.11
23 5 19 3 Charles D. North E. Wallingford,VT Dodge Colt 7:59.47
24 5 51 1 John Reed Ctn. Barnstesd,NH Dodge Paeton 7:59.96
25 5 27 4 Brian Goss Concord, NH Dodge Omni GLH 8:00.01
26 4 18 2 Dave Valliere Gratham, Nh Chevy Camaro 8:00.03
27 6 36 4 Kevin Holmes Goffstown, NH BMW M3 8:02.02
28 6 9 3 Jim Adams Williston, VT Chevy Cosworth 8:03.21
29 7 50 4 Raymond Blethem III Bow, NH Mitsubishi 8:03.46
30 8 45 4 Arlo Cota S. Burlington, VT Peugeot 8:07.53
31 9 99 4 Scott Hartman Newport Coast, CA Audi S6 8:07.61
32 10 49 4 Bill Driequt Burlington, VT Mitsubishi 8:11.28
33 7 85 3 Bert Cox Weare, NH VW Golf 8:21.04
34 8 64 3 Lester Bottone Westport, CT Toyota Corolla 8:28.12
35 2 11 5 John Howe Newport, NH Honda CRX Si 8:28.87
36 3 96 5 Allan Dennis Tiverton, RI Omni GLH 8:30.81
37 1 937 7 Kim Eastman Standish, ME 53 Kurtis 500s 8:32.28
38 2 55 7 Patrick Curran Alstead, NH 66 Ford Mustang 8:35.65
39 3 91 7 Ed Valpey Center Harbor, NH Allard 8:37.59
40 9 31 3 Scott Wallace Bosford, MA VW GTI 8:40.04
41 10 89 3 Brian Dennis Bristol, RI Triumph Spitfire 8:47.18
42 4 30 5 Mark Besso East Hartford, CT Audi 4000 Quattro 8:47.43
43 6 25 1 Michael Wilson Bolton, MA Dodge Shadow 8:48.82
44 11 48 4 Donald Bigelow Charlestown, NH Dodge Shadow 8:54.06
45 7 86 1 Willie Schuldt Asheville, NC Mazda Formula 8:57.65
46 11 79 3 William Grabowski Stuart, FL Porsche 911E 8:59.40
47 4 66 7 Bob Girvin Holliston, MA 58 Allard GT 8:59.83
48
49 1 92 6 Richard Rische Chester, MA Ledgend 9:08.54**
50 5 134 7 John Schieffelin Florence, MA 53 Allard K-3 9:09.90
51 5 10 5 Herbert WilliamsIII Claremont, NH Dodge Shadow 9:13.07
52 6 123 7 Charles Bordin Scarsdale, NY 59 Philson/Falcon 9:18.55
53 6 57 5 Gail McGuire Avon, NY VW GTI 9:28.81
54 2 22 6 Nicholas DiGennaro New Lebanon, NY Legend 9:30.55
55 12 14 3 Doug Mepham Toronto, Ont. Volvo 142 9:33.21
56 7 236 7 Brad Marshall Dudley, MA 356 Porche 9:33.97
57 8 120 7 Karen Miller Stormville, NY 50 Jaguar XK120 9:35.84
58 6 29 2 Darryl Desmarteau Clemson, SC Datsun 240Z 9:36.50
59 12 44 4 Brian Desmarais Sr. Claremont, NH Dodge Daytona 9:46.17
60 9 52 7 Kristian Winroth Camton, NH 58 Pikes Peak Cham 10:22.25
61 10 580 7 Richard Waite Topsfield, MA 52 MG TD 10:58.79
DNF 13 0 Chris Sanborn Wilton, NH Audi Quattro
DNF 69 5 Dave Richmond Essex Jct., VT Honda Civic
DNF 12 3 Rob Campbell Coatsville, PA VW Bug
DNS 33 7 Gordon Matson Concord, NH E-M-F Stock
DNS 37 7 Robert W. Valpey Center HArbor, NH 31 Stuabaker
DNS 00 4 Thomas Weaver Medford, NJ Audi A4
DNS 95 2 Tom Dowd Boxford, MA VW GTI
DNS 21 3 Dave Patten Dunbarton, NH Datsun 510
** New Record.
For Immediate Release - June 28, 1998
For More Information, Contact: Paul Giblin - (603) 466-3988
CANADIAN PRO RALLY CHAMPION FRANK SPRONGL SETS NEW OVERALL RECORD AT THE
AUDI-MT.WASHINGTON HILLCLIMB
Pinkham Notch, NH - Under nearly perfect conditions Sunday, Frank Sprongl from Mississauga, Ontario became the new "King Of The Hill" at Mt. Washington by setting a new overall record in the 1998 Audi-Mt. Washington Hillclimb. Driving an all-wheel-drive, 350 horsepower Audi Quattro S2, Sprongl completed the 7.4 mile asphalt and gravel course in just 6 minutes, 41.99 seconds at an average speed of 66.27 miles per hour. The previous overall record of 6 minutes, 45.22 seconds was set in 1995 by current SCCA Champion Paul Choiniere of Williston, VT in 1995.
"I was really focused today", stated Sprongl after the race, "I've known for the past couple of years I could beat Paul's record if the conditions were right, it was just a matter of time. The conditions were fantastic today and the gravel section road was the best I've ever seen, it was a perfect day. This was my fifth race of the year and my fifth win, I couldn't be happier!"
For setting the new overall record and capturing first place in his class, Sprongl received over $2,500 in prize money, part of which was $1,500 from Audi of America through a sponsorship contingency program.
Finishing second overall, was Selcuk Karamanoglu of Georgetown, Maine driving an Eagle Talon. A former Turkish National Rally Champion, Karamanoglu came into this year's Audi-Mt. Washington Hillclimb as the defending champion. Posting a time of 7 minutes, 2.33 seconds, Karamanoglu stated after the race, "I just didn't have the horsepower today. This was Frank's day and he deserves the win, he drove very well."
Taking third place honors at the event overall, was Carl Merrill of Ogunquit, Maine driving a 400 horsepower Ford Cosworth Escort. Merrill,who currently leads the points race in the Sports Car Club of America Pro Rally Series, covered the 7.4 mile course in a time of 7 minutes, 5.44 seconds, just over 3 seconds behind Karamanoglu.
In other racing action at Mt. Washington, Jerry Driscoll of East Randolph, posted a time of 7 minutes 38.48 seconds to capture the win in Class 1 for the third year in a row.
Andrew Havas of Chapel Hill, NC set a new record in Class 3 driving a Honda CRX he prepared himself. Havas posted a record setting time of 7 minutes, 7.33 seconds to become the fastest driver ever of a front wheel drive car on the Mt. Washington Auto Road. Finishing just behind Havas in Class 3 was his brother Chris driving a Volkswagen Golf GTI Pro Rally Car. Chris posted a time of 7 minutes, 29.58 seconds to take second place honors.
In Class 4, Finland's Saaku Vierimaa who flew to the United States soley for the purpose of competing at Mt. Washington drove his Vermont Sports Car prepared Eagle Talon to a new class record by posting a time of 7 minutes, 25. 53 seconds.
Class 5 was won by Elizabeth Campbell of Rutland, VT driving a front wheel drive Volkswagen Golf. Campbell captured her 9th Class 5 victory in as many attempts by reaching the summit of Mt. Washington in a record setting time of 7 minutes, 40.81 sec.
Richard Rische of Chester, MA won Class 6 for the second year in a row by eclipsing the record he set in 1997. Driving a Legend Car, Rische covered the 7.4 mile course in 9 minutes, 8.54 seconds, beating second place finisher Nicholas DiGennaro of New Lebanon, NY by just over 22 seconds.
In the hotly contested Vintage Class, Patrick Curran of Alstead, NH claimed victory for the second time in three years driving his 1966 Shelby Mustang to a Class 7 win.
Sponsors of this years Audi-Mt. Washington Hillclimb included Audi of America, the Mt. Washington Auto Road, Byrnes Auto Centers of Dover, NH, the Wentworth Hotel & Resort located in Jackson, NH, Pepsi & Varsity Beverage of Conway, NH & Heritage NH, WHOM 94.5fm, WMWV 93.5fm, The Mountain Ear and Castrol Lubricants of North America.
Next years Audi-Mt. Washington Hillclimb is scheduled for June 25th- 27th, 1999. For more information regarding the results of this year's Audi-Mt. Washington Hillclimb, please contact the Mt. Washington Auto Road in Gorham, NH at 603-466-3988. # # #