Anastasi sprints to title

Grimaldi Team Malta driver Joshua Anastasi, in his familiar orange JBR3 Kawasaki single-seater, clinched the 2008 Hill Climb and Sprint Championship of the Island Car Club at Tal-Ħandaq on Sunday when he won the seventh round.

It was probably the most tightly-contested win of the season with Paul Deguara (Motoflash Yamaha R1) heading the timing sheets for all but the last run of the day when Anastasi put in a "blinder" to take the win by seven tenths of a second.

The sprint at Tal-Ħandaq was logistically a very difficult event to organise. Yet the ICC worked hard in a very short space of time to produce another event that will be remembered, thanks to the co-operation of Qormi Local Council, as well as the many helpers the club now has.

The electronic timing equipment worked flawlessly for the third event in succession, producing instant times to three places of a decimal.

And with the racing being so close in all the classes and groups this is certainly becoming necessary. The Clerk of the Course duties were again assigned to Barry Owen who by his own admittance agreed that things ran even smoother than expected.

Whilst the battle at the very top was between Anastasi and Deguara all day, the competition for the third spot on the rostrum was just as fierce with 2006 champion Lino Brincat (Dallara Alfa Romeo), 2007 champion Hubert Camilleri (Chevron Cosworth) and Johan Spiteri (Jedi Yamaha) battling it out tooth and nail and finishing in that order. At the end of four runs, just over half-a-second separated the three of them.

Completing the top six was another Grimaldi Team driver Steve Zammit Cutajar (Tatuus Hyabusa).

A surprising seventh overall and fastest touring car was Mellieħa’s Joseph Cutajar (Escort).

Eighth and visibly enjoying every bit of it was Nikolai Degiorgio (Lancia Delta Integrale) and if the Italians thought he was impressive on the Etna, they should have seen him at Ħandaq.

Ninth overall and first time in the top 10 was the ever-improving Neville Chetcuti (Cosworth Turbo Dax) while the 10th spot was taken by Gordon Farrugia (OMS Honda).

In all, 49 competitors started the Ħandaq Sprint, with 45 registered finishers. Ivan Deidun was an impressive 13th in his Alfa 33, Charlie Cutajar was equally impressive with his Ford Escort, as was John Zammit who had another good showing in his Lotus Elise.

The same can be said of Duncan Cassar with his newly-acquired Westfield as Zach Zammit had to be content with driving his road-going Subaru Impreza again as his Ralt Honda single-seater developed clutch problems.

At the champagne presentation, newly-crowned champion Anastasi thanked his sponsors without whose help he said none of this would have been possible.

These include John Bull Racing, Grimaldi Group, Ryan’s Pub, Dunlop, Shell and Doda "and last but not least my father, without whose constant support, help and guidance I would not be standing on the top step of the rostrum today."