Martin Groves

British hillclimb driver

Martin Groves is a British hillclimb driver, who won the British Hill Climb Championship in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010. With older cars he had won five rounds of the BHCC between 2001 and 2004, but in 2005 he was exceptionally quick in his new Gould GR55B, clinching the championship at Craigantlet in early August having finished first or second in every one of the 28 BHCC rounds up to that point. He retained the title in 2006, after fending off a strong challenge from Scott Moran.

Also in 2006, Groves drove a Gould (though a 2.65-litre car rather than his usual larger-capacity machine) at Bathurst in the Australian Hillclimb Championship, dipping well inside the hill record.[1]

In 2007 Groves became the first man to dip under 23 seconds at Shelsley Walsh, when he recorded 22.86 seconds on 3 June.[2] However, he lost the record to Scott Moran later that same day.[3] At the final meeting of the 2007 Championship, at Shelsley Walsh on 7 October, Groves secured a hat-trick of titles when he won the first run-off, regaining the outright record in the process with a time of 22.81 seconds.[4] On 17 August 2008, Groves lowered the record further to 22.58 seconds.[5] This record stood for two days short of 13 years before being broken by Sean Gould, Wallace Menzies and Alex Summers on 15 August 2021.[6]

At Val des Terres in July 2009, Groves equalled Roy Lane's long-standing record of 90 wins in BHCC rounds.[7] He became the first driver to record 100 wins in August 2010, reaching the mark at Craigantlet.[8]

Notes

  1. ^ "Groves AU". 2T4T. 4 March 2007. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2007.
  2. ^ "SHELSLEY WALSH RECORD SHATTERED - 16.30hrs". top12runoff.co.uk. 3 June 2007. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2007.
  3. ^ "SHELSLEY WALSH HAS NEW RECORD HOLDER". top12runoff.co.uk. 3 June 2007. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2007.
  4. ^ "GROVES WINS THIRD TITLE + SHELSLEY RECORD". top12runoff.co.uk. October 2007. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2007.
  5. ^ Martin Groves times at resultsman.co.uk
  6. ^ 2021 British Hillclimb Championship Round 21 results
  7. ^ Walder, Eddie (23 July 2009). "Groves and Moran level as duel hots up". Autosport: 89.
  8. ^ "RANSON & GROVES = 101 WINS!". top12runoff.co.uk. August 2010. Archived from the original on 17 June 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Adam Fleetwood
British Hill Climb Champion
2005-2007
Succeeded by
Scott Moran
Preceded by
Scott Moran
British Hill Climb Champion
2010
Succeeded by
Scott Moran
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1947  R. Mays
1948  R. Mays
1949  S. Allard

1950  D. Poore
1951  K. Wharton
1952  K. Wharton
1953  K. Wharton
1954  K. Wharton
1955  T. Marsh
1956  T. Marsh
1957  T. Marsh
1958  D. Boshier-Jones
1959  D. Boshier-Jones

1960  D. Boshier-Jones
1961  D. Good
1962  A. Owen
1963  P. Westbury
1964  P. Westbury
1965  T. Marsh
1966  T. Marsh
1967  T. Marsh
1968  P. Lawson
1969  D. Hepworth

1970  N. Williamson
1971  D. Hepworth
1972  N. Williamson
1973  M. MacDowel
1974  M. MacDowel
1975  R. Lane
1976  R. Lane
1977  A. Douglas-Osborn
1978  D. Franklin
1979  M. Griffiths

1980  C. Cramer
1981  J. Thomson
1982  M. Bolsover
1983  M. Bolsover
1984  M. Bolsover
1985  C. Cramer
1986  M. Griffiths
1987  M. Griffiths
1988  C. Wardle
1989  R. Rowan

1990  M. Griffiths
1991  M. Griffiths
1992  R. Lane
1993  D. Grace
1994  D. Grace
1995  A. Priaulx
1996  R. Lane
1997  R. Moran
1998  D. Grace
1999  D. Grace

2000  D. Grace
2001  G. Wight, Jr.
2002  G. Wight, Jr.
2003  A. Fleetwood
2004  A. Fleetwood
2005  M. Groves
2006  M. Groves
2007  M. Groves
2008  S. Moran
2009  S. Moran

2010  M. Groves
2011  S. Moran
2012  T. Willis
2013  S. Moran
2014  S. Moran
2015  A. Summers
2016  S. Moran
2017  T. Willis
2018  T. Willis
2019  W. Menzies

2020  Cancelled
2021  W. Menzies
2022  W. Menzies
2023  W. Menzies


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