TORBAY MOTOR CLUB > What the club does > Hillclimb & Sprint

Hillclimb & Sprint

Shortly after the first cars became available at the turn of the century, a group of gentlemen got together and challenged each other to get their cars to the top of a very steep hill. So started the oldest form of Motorsport, Hillclimbing and Sprinting.

As time passed and the motor car became more refined the simple feat of reaching the top of the hill no longer posed a problem. An additional facet needed to be added to make the sport more challenging again, they decided to add the factor of speed with cars now being timed individually as they covered the measured distance of the chosen course, hazards began to be posed to the drivers and spectators alike, and more control was required.

Hillclimbs moved off the public highways and onto private land. The first private hillclimb course in the country was opened at Shelsley Walsh, near Birmingham in August 1905. Today there are many hillclimb courses throughout the country.

Hillclimbing and Sprinting are very popular forms of clubmans motorsport in Britain, and with very good reason. Events are held on private land or MOD airfields, in the main are of course sealed or tarmac sufaces. Cars used can range from the evergreen Mini to the full blooded Formula One like single seater racing cars with 700 to 800 bhp.

Competitors are split into classes and compete against similar cars to their own to make it more competitive. Each competitor has two practice and two timed runs up a twisty course. Cars are timed down to the last 0.01 of a second using very sophisticated timing equipment at the top and bottom of the course.

Awards are usually presented for Fastest Time of the Day (F.T.D), 1st, 2nd and 3rd in class.

Torbay Motor Club has joined a partnership with North Devon MC, Plymouth MC and Dunkeswell Kart Racing Club under the banner of Devon 4 Motorsport to promote Sprint racing at the Dunkeswell kart racing circuit near Honiton. 

In 2006 the club again ran a hillclimb, this time at the very popular Wiscombe Hill near Colyton in Devon.

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Last update:
September 03. 2010 23:06:17