Dad will be dual driving my car at Harewood that day so won't be at the event, his car isn't rebuilt anyway, the target is the end of July but most stuff is bespoke so currently at the mercy of suppliers.

 

Rob, shame the Audi will not be out on the 5th.

Makes getting up at 0600hrs on a Sat/Sun morning and trecking to a hill worthwhile to hear the car:





Video of Mick Start Line - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Richard

 

Stunning car. was trying to swap my ra for a quattro the other week. owner wasn't having any of it. even though the engine on the Audi was in need of a rebuild. wonder why?

 

couple of quick questions if i may:

do i need any other form of licence than my driving licence?
if i put the interior back in with the current spec of my car, what class am i likely to be in? A3?

 

MSA non race B licence for hillclimbing, I believe

 

Correct.

Although some are National A status. You have to start with non race B I believe.

 

Matt

You will need a Non Race National B license from the MSA (cost approx £35) and this will last for 12 months. The MSA will send a reminder to you when your current one is due to expire.

This will enable to to compete an NAtional B and National A/B events (the latter are usually 2 days (Sat for practice and Sun is competition/timed runs).

National Bs are 1 day events with practive runs (2 or 3) in the morning and timed runs in the afternoon.

It is in the form of a photo id style card - similar to the driving license.

You will be given an individual license number and it is with this that you "sign on at an event.

Other documents I take along:
MOT certificate - thats it!

You - helmet, suit and if you want to look the whole part gloves and boots.

Car - timing strut (we have spoken about), yellow tape around the negative lead of the battery, door numbers and some events like to seet the car number on the nearside/bonnet area:



Check these links out for further information as there is loads of useful stuff and links to circuit guides and pictures:

The MSA is recognised as the sole governing body of motor sport in Great Britain

HSA - for information on hillclimbs and sprints in the UK

hillclimb - how to get started

The Midland Speed Championship

The Official Hagley & District Light Car Club Website

You would be classed as follows for the HSA Championship (and I think others follow the same format):

A3 Roadgoing Production Cars over 2000cc (I'm in this one).
C3 Modified Production Cars over 2000cc (stripped interior etc).

However, there is always an exception to the rule, and at the recent Owen Motor Club Sprint at Curborough there was a class 1D for 4 wheel drive vehicles

Richard

 

John

Am I right in that you can have your National B upgraded at each event - or rather the Clerk of The Course will sign to confirm you have competed to a satisfactory standard?

I think it is 6 or 8 events and then you can send your National B to the MSA and they will reissue as National A status?

 

Cheers Guys.

Thanks Richard. I guess i may as well leave the interior out (and i mean out, no carpet, roof lining, all uneeded gromets, aircon, even thinking about taking the dash out ) and start as i mean to go on. poly windows are on the to get list too although i guess i'll well and truely get a hiding in C3.

I'll get sent off for my National B. Best have a haircut and shave for the photo though lol.

got a track approve lid already for when i do karting. i got fed up with putting on a sweaty one owned by the track. will look at getting a suit, glooves and boots. a suede deep dish steering wheel is on the to get list so gloves will be a must to keep it in good condition.

timing strut will be fabricated at the weekend so i can check that off. The battery is being relocated to the boot to even out weight and to free up space for my oil catch can so can put the yellow tape on then. numbers on the car aren't a problem. planning some new graphics at the moment. will be putting some advertising of my own company on there. not much just website on the sunstrips.

never heard of a 4wd class before. sounds like it could be open to a lot of interpritation. what's stopping someone entering a rallycross car in that category?

 

For the major Championships the definitions are well spelt out, it is the one-off/clubbie ones that can catch you out.
This especially applies to the tyres you choose to run with.

IMHO: get to several hillclimbs/sprints and look hard, chat hard and remember everything you get told.

Then you will find out what is right and wrong.

IMHO again, all the advice given here is dead right, just read all the print everywhere.

It is a VERY infectious sport, so be ready for a lifetime of it.

Having a separate 4 x 4 class to my mind is senseless. Imprezas etc take over from Cossies, that took over from... etc.

= progress.

 

Got a price on R888's today.
215/45/16 for £99 a corner +vat.

And I believe that the race license lasts from DEcember to December.

got the forms on my desk.

Have a look on this page championship
At the bottom are the entry regs. Gives you a good idea of what your allowed in each class.
This is the event I'm thinking of entering. 4 rounds on the same hill. And it's a corker of a hill thats 15 miles from here!!

YouTube - Wiscombe Park Hill Climb

 

A few of my customers compete at Wiscombe regularly , one of which has had 2 seconds and a third so far this year ......Not bad for his first season of competitive motorsport...
The other has unfortunately just written off his Pulsar GtiR at Manhead hillclimb so will be using his 420bhp and 480lbft 22B for the rest of the year....

Cracking hill , may be joining you next year...

Martyn

 

Cheers for all the info guys. Was doing a little bit of work to the car last night. bit more weight gone, improving the looks a bit. providing the weather is dry i'll do a bit more tonight and over the weekend. Have a couple of days off planned for next week and the week after so hopefully make some real progress. will get some pics up. well when i get round to taking them lol.

oh also was looking round the engine bay last night and the negative wiring has already got a yellow stripe running through it all. i guess that's where the ra was the homologation model to start with. (mine was one of the first 1000 impreza ra made).

 

sorry another question. if the interior's gone which will put me in the modified class, am i right in thinking i'll need a full roll cage and plumbed in fire extinguisher system?

 

I think you need to visit an event and read the blue book.

All will become clear after that.

 

Matt

I am not sure about the cage/extinguisher rule, although, if common sense prevailed, an extinguisher is a good thing to have with you.

I ran a Ford Escort in 2004/2005, and the car's interior was stripped, but no cage and no extinguisher, never caused issues with the scrutineers (but times may have changed, new rules etc etc):



2005/2006 I ran an old 206 GTi - caged, but I did not get around to fitting an extinguisher:



Anyone got the definitative answer??????

So many cars, too little money.

 

Report:
Monsoon weather on the approach to Shelsley in Saturday morning, and I seriously considered whether it was worth risking damage to car under such conditions. Weather cleared during practice runs, and some good grip on the bottom of the hill, but very damp and slippery at Top S bend.

Sideways with full lock under full throttle - car went fanbloodytastic.

Standing water everywhere.

Programme stated "The Subaru Impreza is the car most likely to be stolen and/or used as a getaway vehicle by villians. Formidable power and a superb 4WD system should enable it to take on the muc more powerful "supercar" TVR and porsche entries today".

No pressure then

First practice
2.21 seconds for 64 feet, 37.71 seconds finish

Second practice
2.02 seconds for 64 feet, 35.64 seconds finish

First competitive run
2.04 seconds for 64 feet, 35.41 seconds finish.

Second competitive run
2.02 seconds for 64 feet, 35.05 seconds finish*.

This was my personal best time after 2 years of competing at Shelsley, and meant I was 2nd in class to Blademaster's Impreza.

Great run for the Imprezas with the 1st and 2nd positions in class.

More to cme from the car, and more importantly, on a very dry run I think I can find 1/2 or 1 second more............bit more commitment into Bottom S bend will help.

Apart from a 3rd place in class at Curborough in June, the RA has not been lower than 1st or 2nd in class since 2006 - so all working well at present.

I would love a 100% committed dry run at Shelsley (a great summer we are having), altough not as tough as the conditions for Lewis today - what a great drive.

Congratulations Lewis, you are a driving God

 

Well done mate, Mr Murphy is on fire!

I got a cancellation entry at the members day there on the 19th of this month, so much for some time off, target 29 seconds!

 

I could have been....it was a bit hair raising at times.

I dont do many hills, but thats all about to change. I was only ever running 38's in my old RA. Suspension was too stiff and it had fueling issues....lessons learned, hence these times.

my best two times on the day were 35.18 & 34.45 with both 2.06 off the line.

For a fully trimmed road car with road tyres thats looking good.

To quote Richard, one dry run might have brought the times down for me sub 34? a hard task in a car of 1465kg.

Best day out I have had for a while, Richard is a good sport. We had a fair bit of banter through the day. that's what it's all about.

I have had 6 out of 6 class wins this year in the road class with 3 events to go.

PS. Richard, when you got out of the car punching the air on the last run remeber? I was sure you had me, it was a long walk to the timing shed.

I NEED MORE POWER!

John

 

Missed the lunchtime programme today , but the shedule shows a repeat tomorrow morning at 1100hrs

I think the producers concentrate on the top 12 run offs (single seaters), but I will watch and see.

MARTIN GROVES
Link to Martin Grove's record breaking 22.71 second run (even though it says Loton on the left of the screen, Martin is running at Shelsley):

On board camera with the winner of British Hillclimb | Videos Motors TV -

 

I think you will need the power soon mate,speaking to Roy Standley and he's on his way back to hillclimbing/sprinting running only in the road class with you guys. He has a new engine with more power, he was running low 32's at Shelsley and still holds the 33.6 record at Curborough and 58.26 at Loton in his fully trimmed Evo on 1A rubber, and this was on his old engine, mental fast times!

 

rob, bought a copy of banzai the other day and spied a pic or 2 of your car

 

Hi Rob, just got home from NL. So just read your comments.

(Bold Statement coming that WILL BITE ME IN THE A*SE)

Unlike some past Scooby competitors, running against the likes of Roy has inspired me to do more rather than quit.

My goal is to be quicker than him. It’s a clear objective, I am pleased he is back, the benchmark for you I think once (pre Audi)?

Plus he lives across the field from me!!!!!

I think I need to stop ‘home building’ my cars and get some more professional support and enter a more competitive championship. As long as I am getting faster, that’s all the motivation I need.

If the rules stay as they are in my class I think I can do it…..you did!

But isn’t the real competition coming from Yorkshire these days from the dark side?

Thanks for the heads up…need to ring Paul sharpish!

John.

 

It is good see he's coming back even if he will not enter the mod prod class as he's just quick and will raise the bar again in the road class I think.

I'm glad to hear your up for the challenge, that's the spirit, it's a shame that when the going got tough people just moved on in C1, our class at Loton this time last year had 11 people in it, this year there was 4 and I think Geoff T might not be coming up next season to concentrate on more local things. So that would be 3 with the other 2 dual driving one car if it has a mechanical failure I'm in a class on my own?!?! Unless Pete ever finishes his car of course.

I wouldn't normaly run at Curborough but wanted to get in the mix with some of the MLRSS boys for the crack and whilst my car isn't set up very well for sprinting I was still competetive which is good, I would like to think on the hills the big power (and big lag) super stiff, super low sprint evos that I was racing at curb would struggle against the softer more compliant, smaller turbo'd hence lower lag set up that I have which is how Paul and I set the car up for the bumpy windy tracks like Loton not the drag strip flat straights of Curborough and Mira.

Get on the phone and get some Zen horses!

Are you at Shelsley next weekend?

Rob.

 

Rob

John isn't an MAC member (yet), and therefore is not at the meeting on the 19th (but I think he will be joining at some time in the near future)?

Couple of TVRs, Cayman S and Noble M12 in my class for Saturday, and the forecast looks good at the moment.

I would really love one good dry run at Shelsley as all of my previous attempts have been in either the pouring rain or "damp" conditions

From MAC website:

The 2008 Season
July is flying along at Shelsley Walsh with the second meeting of the month
The busy July continues at Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb with two one-day meetings on the weekend of 19th and 20th July.

The Saturday event is a meeting for 'B' license competitors from the MAC and other invited clubs which includes a round of the Luffield MG Car Club Hillclimb and Sprint Championship. There are classes for competitors ranging from road going production cars right up to unlimited capacity racing cars.

Entrants include Geoff Twemlow who travels all the way from St Ives in Cornwall to compete in his Subaru Impreza. Geoff travels all over the UK in pursuit of his passion for hillclimbing. Geoff is a strong supporter of grass roots motorsport and if you want to know about getting started his story is an inspiration, so seek him out in the paddock.

On Sunday is the annual Classic Meeting in association with Classic and Sports Car Magazine. Pre-War Austin Seven Club Bert Hadley Memorial Championship. Classic Cars of many types will run in eleven classes including classic racing and sports racing cars from 1946 right up to today. The 1946-1960 class of racing cars includes 500cc and 1100cc racers made by Cooper, Kieft and others in which such 1950's notables as Sir Stirling Moss, Peter Collins and even F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone started their careers.

There is even a class for pre-1939 racers that includes the Shelsley Walsh pre-war record holder Mac Hulbert driving the world famous ERA R4D that is associated with Raymond Mays and Ken Wharton. An exhibition on the life and racing career of Ken Wharton which was displayed in Smethwick earlier in the year, will be at Shelsley on the Sunday only with the marquee located in the Paddock. There is no additional charge for the Exhibition.

On Sunday if you come in a classic car you will be directed to a parking area to be judged in a Concours d'Elegance by the Classic and Sports Car Magazine team with an award and prize for the winner.

You are spoilt for choice with two full days of the best motor sport action, so make sure that you don't miss a minute!

Shelsley Walsh is AA signposted approximately 10 miles North West of Worcester. Practice starts at 9:30 am on both days and the each event starts after lunch at between 1:45 pm and 2:00 pm. Admission is £14 on both days and accompanied children under 16 get in free. This includes parking, transfer to the paddock, and seated trackside enclosures.
Excellent catering and light refreshment/bar facilities are available as are a range of souvenirs and regalia.

 

Saturday 19th July

Left home at 0600hrs, lovely cool dry morning, then as I approached Stourport-on-Severn the rain started.

I seriously wondered if I would ever get a dry run at Shelsley Walsh.

After 103 years of runs at the world famous hill, it looked as if mine would always be in the wet

However, the Sun God came out and by mid morning (apart from a few light showers) the hill was in perfect form.

First practice, what a **** I am - I caught the rear near side door on the pillar of the pit garage as I left for 1st practice run.


No damage, just a nice brown creosote mark on the door,which with some help from a fellow competitor, lifted off with a bit of elbow grease

Competition run 1
35.15 seconds, after I bogged down on the start (2.37* seconds for 64 feet) and made a complete horlicks of my launch, too many revs and not enough concentration.................................bugg er.

*Annoying as I managed a 2.04 seconds on practice in the morning.

Competition run 2
That is more like it, 2.07 for 64 feet then full throttle, not lifting all the way until bottom s bend and finish line speed of 90 mph.

God the car was just great, slight drift under full acceleration, but all under control, no dramas.

Came away with a personal best time of 34.20 seconds, and 2nd in class.

Pipped to 2nd (not by the usual Impreza boys (John/Andrew), but a Noble M12 (Tim Phelps).

Tim did a 33.99 so I was "close" and lost 1st place by a mere 0.21 seconds.

I think by the end of 2008 I can get the car into the high 33.99s.

Impreza went 100% on Saturday, the faster it went the better it felt, blindingly good driver's car.

End.

 

getting faster then?

Just back from holidays and 'loving work'...first day back....now thinking about impreza'a

NEED THERAPY!

John

 

2008 Hill Climb Finale

Saturday 20th September

My class was made up of:
Porsche 911 Targa (3200cc), Vauxhall Vectra (2498cc), Sunny GTiR (1998cc), Noble M12 (3000cc), Subaru WRX (2500cc) and Nissan Pulsar GTiR (1998cc).

1st Practice
64 feet in 2.08 seconds, finish time 35.04 seconds.
2nd Practice
64 feet in 2.08 seconds, finish time 34.53 seconds.
1st Competition
64 feet in 2.12 seconds, finish time 35.08 seconds.
2nd Competition
64 feet in 2.04 seconds, finish time 34.52seconds*.

* This gave me 2nd in class to Tim’s Noble M12, as Tim did a “banzai” final run of 33.17 seconds (superbly driven Tim!).

Sunday 21st September

My class was made up of:
Porsche 911 Targa (3200cc), Dodge Viper (8000cc), BMW Mini Works S (1600cc Supercharged), Toyota Celica GT4 (1998cc) and Audi Quattro (2226cc)

1st Practice
64 feet in 2.22 seconds, finish time 35.53 seconds.
2nd Practice
64 feet in 2.15 seconds, finish time 34.61
1st Competition
64 feet in 2.20 seconds, finish time 34.74 seconds**.
This put me 1 x 10th of second ahead of Paul’s Viper on 34.84 seconds, so all very close as usual, therefore I knew my final competition run had to be good enough to ensure the Viper stayed just behind me on the timesheets.

Paul had a poor start as the Viper “bogged down” off the start line and he crossed the finish in 35.12 seconds, so although I had the class win, Sunday’s 2nd competition run was my final run for 2008, so I thought “what the hell, go for it”! Very hot in the car, loads of spectators, so no pressure. Start line, 6500 rpm jumped off the clutch, and “go go go” - fanbloodytastic the Impreza gripped and we did the first 64 feet in 1.99 seconds, which was on par with single seaters running racing slicks.

Finish time was 34.25, so 2 x 10ths off my personal best, and 1st in class at Shelsley Walsh.

The car was superb, slightly drifting under full throttle, but all sorted with a bit of heroics behind the wheel. With my new suspension (winter project) and some commitment from me I am sure a 33 second run is in the car in 2009 (can't wait)