Finger Wins Eagle’s Nest In Dramatic Fashion
Sunday Aug. 3, 2008
Press Contact: Mark Seiler, Marketing/PR 704-898-0141 mark@ccrscca.com
BANNER ELK, NC - At the Second Annual Rock-N-Road Hill Climb at the Lodges at Eagles Nest John Finger, whose racing career includes multiple wins at the Chimney Rock Hill Climb and the 24 Hours of Daytona, returned to hill climbing in dramatic fashion. With little time left and “King of the Hill” honors in hand he loaded up his Riley Protofab Super Vee only to see his victory being snatched away by fellow Greenville, SC resident Gary Ramsey in his Cobra replica. Finger then unloaded his car for one last run and was able to recapture the crown. “I really had to pedal hard for this one.” said Finger, “I’m on top of the hill, not over it.” Finger’s winning time was 1:28.368, one and a half seconds faster than Ramsey. For Ramsey, whose background is decades of circle track racing, it was only his second attempt at a hill climb in a car that he builds and sells; the ‘66 Cobra Replica.
The top street-legal car was a 2006 Subaru WRX STI driven to, from and at the event by Steven Rankins with a time of 1:34.733, good for seventh overall.
The closest competition of the weekend was in C-Street Prepared class where Jeremy Cox edged defending CSP Champ Willie Stock by .059 seconds in a back and forth battle that saw Cox’s car go down with mechanical problems on Saturday afternoon only to be fixed by noon Sunday and return to action. It was Cox’s first hill climb win.
August 4th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Hell of a show…Gary Ramsey for President!!!
Need more fans here though.
Where were all my drinking buddies from Chimney Rock…”nobody left to run with anymore”???
August 4th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Fine article, Mark. Thanks to all my co-chairs, stewards, workers and drivers for a great, fast, fun weekend at Eagle’s Nest. If you missed this one, well ask someone who was there. Congrats to John Finger and Gary Ramsey for their close competition and good sportsmanship. BT is right, spread the word about both of our hillclimbs: Wolf Ridge and Eagle’s Nest.
August 4th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Dispite my rather abrupt retirement from the “shootout” yesterday, it was still the most enjoyable weekend I’ve ever had. To be able to compete against one of my heros was a true honor and VERY SPECIAL. Although I think we all knew how it would come out. Thanks to all of you for creating these great memories.