What is a Hillclimb?

If you’re looking for a sport that combines some of the best aspects of autocross, rally and road racing, then hillclimbing may be for you. Defined as a category 1 Solo event (along with time trials and acceleration runs), hillclimbing takes you off the track and puts you on the side of a mountain. Actually, its very much like autocrossing, except that the pylons are made of stone and wood (boulders and trees), and if you go “off course”, the consequences are likely to be more serious. So instead of joking with your autocross friends in the parking lot about the mistake you made on your last run, a similar mistake in hillclimbing may result in discussing your blood type and trying to determine how many fingers the paramedic is holding up in front of your face on your way to the nearest hospital. But don’t let us scare you out of trying this great sport (. . . on second thought, the less people come to the events, the more runs we get). In England, hillclimbing has been extremely popular for decades, but for some reason here in the U.S., it has not yet caught on. Seriously, we can’t understand why more drivers don’t hillclimb. Besides the obvious rush, it’s a great test of driving ability and car preparation. The scenery is usually breathtaking, and the people at the events are extremely friendly and supportive, especially to beginners.

Not to mention, the sport is ripe for making your mark. Since it is not as popular as other forms of motorsports, a talented novice could be successful (depending on the class) in just his or her first season. Very often, you can find yourself competing in major events against cars that have not been prepared to the limit of the rules. And depending on your experience, certain hills favor particular styles of driving. Autocrossers can have a distinct advantage on hills that offer many second gear twists and turns, while road racers tend to dominate on the high-speed hills where precision braking and heel/toe downshifting is required. So no matter what your background, there is a hill for you.

Introduction courtesy of Mike Ancas

Copyright (c) 2000-2003 By Mike Ancas. All Rights Reserved