The British Hillclimb Championship makes a quick return to Prescott this weekend (Sept 7/8). Based on their previous visit to the home of the Bugatti Owners’ Club which produced, among other things, a change in the championship leadership and a new outright hill record it should be quite a weekend of high-speed action.
The weekend will also feature the latest round of the Fassi Classic Speed Championship with an attractive array of classic sports and saloon cars and the Bugatti Owners’ Club Handicap, which promises some interesting head-to-head battles.
Also, in association with The Bugatti Trust Museum Study Centre, over the weekend will welcome teams participating in Formula Student, the initiative backed in the UK by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers aimed at using motorsport to encourage students to follow careers in engineering.
As well as a static display of some of the prototype single seaters designed by students from various institutes, the cars will take to the hill for a run during the Saturday lunchbreak.
The British Hillclimb Championship is not, of course, exclusively about outright honours but also a variety of keenly contested classes. Jonathan Langmead will be looking for back-to-back class wins in the up to 2000cc production car class, but the Lotus Elise driver can expect strong opposition from the similar car shared by Robert and David Wilson.
The larger engined production car class should produce a battle of the Porsches, amongst them the Caymans of August class winner Duncan Andrews and runner-up Robert Lancaster Gaye. Meanwhile Peter Richings will be seeking to continue his domination of the four-wheel-drive production category in his Volkswagen Golf R.
The Specialist Production class was decided by just hundredths of a second at the last round and winner Steven Garner will have to push his Westfield to the limit once again to maintain his narrow advantage over Caterham driver Richard Price. The weekend promises some intra-family battles, including Phil and Ben Fisher, sharing a Westfield SE in the modified Specialist Production Car class. Roger and Scott Moran, both former British Champions, meanwhile, will share the hugely impressive Skoda R5 in the Sports Libre Saloon Car category.
Moving on to the single seaters, the DJ Firehawk of Dave Tatham should be the car to beat in the up to 1100cc category although the class has attracted a strong entry. Caroline Ryder will be looking to go one better in the pre-94 Formula Ford category as she takes on, among others, fellow Van Diemen driver and the August meeting class winner Jimmy Harris.
The Gould and Force marques will be battling it out in the 1100 to 1600cc single seater category while in the 1600 to 2000ccc category, Johnathan Varley will be hunting back-to-back wins in his GWR Predator
The big engined, over two litre single seaters look set to provide some of the closest action of the weekend as new Championship leader and outright hill record holder Mattew Ryder seeks to build on his recent success in the Gould GR59. With only two rounds of the 2024 Championship left after this weekend, however, DJ Firestorm driver Alex Summers will be keen to retake the series lead. Four times British Champion Wallace Menzies, meanwhile, would like nothing more than to retake the outright hill record that he had held from 2021 until the last event,
Others to watch out for will include a trio of Gould drivers, Will Hall, David Uren and, of course Sean Gould, along with OMS pilot Trevor Williams. The two Top 12 run offs during the course of Sunday certainly promise a fitting climax to a thrilling weekend of motorsport.
Those will not be the only run offs of the weekend as the meeting has been chosen as one of the five Championship rounds this year to host a round of the Tin Top – Top Ten Challenge, supported by AET Turbos.
Practice will take place on Saturday with a final practice run on Sunday morning. Timed runs and Top 12 run offs will all take place on Sunday.
Action will start with practice from 8:30am each day and is scheduled to run until 5:00pm. Admission is £18:00 in advance or £20 on the day. Accompanied Under 16’s will be admitted free of charge as will members of the Bugatti Owners’ Club.
For advanced bookings and further information on this and all other Prescott events visit www.prescotthillclimb.co.uk.
EVENT TIMETABLE
Friday 6th September
1300hrs - Orchard opens
1300hrs - Paddock opens
1600hrs - Clubhouse opens (food service from 1800hrs - 2000hrs)
2100hrs - Paddock closes
Clubhouse open till late
Saturday 7th September
0700hrs - Paddock Access Opens
0820hrs - Earliest engines can be started
0830hrs - 1230hrs – Practice
1330hrs - 1430hrs - Lunchbreak
1430hrs - Practice Continues
End of Day
Clubhouse open till late (food service from 1800hrs - 2000hrs)
Sunday 8th September
0700hrs - Paddock Access Opens
0820hrs - Earliest engines can be started
0830hrs - 1050hrs – Practice Continues
1050hrs - 1315hrs - Timed Runs
1315hrs - 1340hrs - BHC Top Ten Tin Top & BHC & MHCC Top Twelve Run Off
1340hrs - 1440hrs - Lunchbreak
1440hrs - 1715hrs - Timed Runs Continue
1715hrs - 1740hrs - BHC Top Ten Tin Top & BHC & MHCC Top Twelve Run Off
End of Day
Awards Presentation in the Clubhouse
CLUBHOUSE MENU
Friday - Open for Food and Drinks from 1600hrs - late
Friday Evening Meal Served from 1800hrs - 2100hrs
Lamb kofta with mixed leaf salad, pitta, fries, tzatziki and houmous £12
Chicken arrabiatta pasta with garlic bread and mixed leaf salad £11
Falafal wrap with rainbow slaw, houmous and fries £10
Saturday - Open for Food and Drinks from 0700hrs - 2300hrs
Breakfast Served 0700hrs to 1100hrs
Full English Breakfast - £12.45
Breakfast Baps - £4.75
Pastries £2.40
Hot Lunch Served from 1200hrs to 1500hrs
Bolognaise pasta bake with garlic bread and salad £11
Southern fried chicken burger with slaw, chipotle mayonnaise and skin on fries £11
Goats cheese & red onion tartlet with potato wedges and salad £10
Deli
Freshly filled sub rolls (Ham and mustard mayonnaise, Tuna and cucumber, Cheese and pickle, Egg mayonnaise) £4.75
Jacket potatoes with tuna mayonnaise / beans / cheese £8
Evening Meal Served from 1800hrs - 2100hrs
Sweet and sour pork with egg noodles and prawn crackers £11
Chilli con carne with braised rice, sour cream and tortilla chips £11
Butternut squash and spinach Chinese curry with sticky rice and prawn crackers £10
Sunday - Open for Food and Drinks from 0700hrs - End of Day
Breakfast Served 0700hrs to 1100hrs
Full English Breakfast - £12.45
Breakfast Baps - £4.75
Pastries £2.40
Hot Lunch Served from 1200hrs to 1500hrs
Moroccan spiced chicken with lemon and herb cous-cous £12
Thick sliced ham, chunky chips and fried egg £12
Macaroni cheese with garlic bread and salad £10
Deli
Freshly filled sub rolls (Ham and mustard mayonnaise, Tuna and cucumber, Cheese and pickle, Egg mayonnaise) £4.75
Jacket potatoes with tuna mayonnaise / beans / cheese £8
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