Greenwood Cup and Mike Wilson Hillclimb

Report by Chris Bannister

16 – 17 September 2023

The final two meetings of the 2023 season took place at Harewood Hill on 16th and 17th September on the famous Yorkshire hill. Adam Riley retains the Harewood Hillclimb Championship for 2023, making it a hat trick of championships. Driving the Honda S2000 of Karl Jackson, who finishes in fifth.

Greenwood Cup Hillclimb

Saturday under very grey and cloudy sky’s, this seems to have been the normal for most of the events this year on the Yorkshire hill. Joining the Harewood regulars was a number of competitors from the MG Car Club, Austin 7’s and Westfield Sports Car Club and XBC Cross Border Speed Championship to complete a packed entry list.

The weekends events kicked off at nine o’clock with two Practice Runs but with a lot of red flags throughout the morning and an off into the barrier, on the first corner during the second Practice run. The organisers went for an early lunch break.

The afternoon timed runs didn’t start until after two o’clock, so only three timed runs were completed due to several other small delays and red flags.

Two drivers set new Class records Paul Drake driving his MGB GT car #25 in class 15B and Pete Vincent driving his Vauxhall VX220 car #132 in class 2F.

Full timing and results can be found here: Saturday 16 September 2023 — Greenwood Cup Hillclimb

Sunday Mike Wilson Hillclimb

Under very overcast conditions the event got underway at 9:00am with two practice runs followed by a timed run before a very late lunch break. It was during the first practice run that it started to rain for a number of competitors but thankfully it did not last long.

 A further two timed runs were completed in the afternoon, it is the timed runs which are used for the Championship. Not forgetting that competitors also have to take into account that scores from only six of the nine rounds count for the Championship.

A number of competitors managed to set new Class records on the hill, both Paul Drake driving his MGB GT car #25 in class 15B and Pete Vincent driving his Vauxhall VX220 car #132 in class 2F beat the class records that they had set yesterday. While Adam Riley driving Karl Jackson’s Honda S2000 car #98 in Class 1C and Rob Armstrong driving his MG Midget car #28 in Class 15C set new Class records.

Adam Riley was confirmed as the 2023 Harewood Hillclimb Champion, even though in his first timed run he had an issue going into the Esses, when the car had to be towed back up to the top of the hill.

David Tatham finished in second place, just 3.25 points difference between the two drivers. David Leach driving his Lotus Elise, car # 128 finished in third place and Rob Spedding in fourth driving his Formula Ford Vector TF93K, car #188 just 1.75 points behind David.

Stephen Ripley driving his Smart Roadster car #54. Stephen in his first full year of hillclimbing won the Senior (Over 60’s) Challenge. His only regret was that he wished he had discovered hillclimbing at an earlier age. He hopes to be back competing next year on the hill.

Full timing and results can be found here: Sunday 17 September 2023 — Mike Wilson Hillclimb

Harewood Championship results: Harewood Championship

In the Fastest Time of the Day Championship (FTD) David Tatham driving his DJ Firehawk, car #182, is the FTD Award Series winner again with 57 points. David also set the FTD on both days.



With Jake Bellerby driving the OMS2000M, car #179 finishes in second place on 41 points and David’s brother Pete Tatham driving his OMS28 car #192 in third on 34 points.

FTD Championship results: BARC Harewood FTD Award Series

Many thanks to BARC Yorkshire centre for the opportunity to be track side during the 2023 season. Also not forgetting all the Marshals, Medical and Rescue teams, along with all the back office staff without which the seasons events at Harewood Hill could not have taken place.