Friends Dermot Treanor, Eddie Fries bring Irish flair to Pagoda Hillclimb
Jun. 24—Thousands of miles from where they were first introduced to the form of motor sports, Ireland natives Dermot Treanor and Eddie Fries brought their passion for racing and unique vehicles to Reading.
The longtime friends were two of the racers competing on the first day of the 2023 Pagoda Hillclimb on Saturday, speeding up the 1.35-mile stretch of Duryea Drive, each in a 2018 Speedcar Xtreme.
"It's good fun," Treanor said. "It's clean. There's no drama, there's no stress."
Originally from Monaghan, Ireland, Treanor was a rally racer in his home country in the 1990s and early 2000s. Now a resident of Queens, N.Y., Treanor has taken his talents to hillclimbs.
Originally from Donegal, Ireland, Fries used to work at a hillclimb near his hometown, and became hooked. Now a resident of Mahopac, N.Y., he competes in hillclimbs on the Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association circuit with his friends across the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
"It's just a pastime," Fries said. "I was always interested in motor sport, and I had to try it someday."
The pair brought a pair of unique vehicles to the Pagoda Hillclimb on Saturday, as the Speedcar is similar to a go-kart or dune buggy and seats one person. Produced by Industrias Lahoz of Spain and designed for racing, the small cars are extremely popular in Europe.
"In Ireland, England and France, there are massive (events)," Treanor said. "It's a big racing program for them."
The cars are powered by a 750-cubic centimeter Suzuki GSX motorcycle engine and feature a manual transmission. With different tires and modifications to the suspension, the cars can be driven on dirt, snow or ice. Only 25-30 have been imported to the United States, according to Treanor.
"They're small and nimble," Treanor said. "They're pretty light. Fun to drive."
The pair began competing in the United States in 2018. Fries, 46, made his debut at the Pagoda Hillclimb in 2019, and Treanor, 46, competed for the first time in Reading in 2021.
"This course is good," Fries said. "The first four or five turns really suit these cars."
Fries and Treanor both finished the first day of competition on Saturday ranked among the 10 best times. Heading into Sunday, defending champion Mark Aubele sits atop the leaderboard with a time of 77.806 seconds.
While they have some of the fastest cars at the event, the pair of friends said they are solely concerned about having a good time.
"It's a great rush," Fries said. "It's good fun."
