Harewood Hillclimb

BARC Yorkshire Members meeting 

2^nd August 2020

Report and Images by Chris Bannister 

The BARC Yorkshire centre organized its first event of the 2020 season on Sunday 2^nd August at Harewood Hill. No action had taken part on the hill since the last event of the 2019 season which was the Mike Wilson Hillclimb way back in the middle of September.

The running of this event would be under the latest guidelines from both HM Government and Motorsport UK and would be very different to what we are used to in the past.

Because of the Covid 19 restrictions, the number of competitors would be limited to 80, with each driver only able to have one mechanic or helper.

The hill would only have the screaming engines and tyres, as no spectators were allowed to cheer the drivers on up the Yorkshire hill. The restrictions would also limit the number of others allowed to attend including marshals, officials and limited to only two media/photographers.

The event was only open to all fully elected members of the organising club, BARC Yorkshire. All drivers had to complete and return all required documentation electronically days before the event.

Sunday would see all communications with officials, scrutineers etc. to be by email, text message or telephone.

With so much work having gone on behind the scenes already to make this event possible, many other championships and events had all been cancelled for 2020. 

This would include zoom meetings and watching the odd YouTube video. Many of the marshals would be trying out new ways of working and doing things differently.

The on-line entry was fully subscribed for this event in under 40 minutes, even though the event was not part of any championship.

Under current Motorsport UK guidelines marshals are not allowed to touch any competition cars, so BARC Yorkshire centre would therefore be operating the European hillclimb method of starting within a one metre zone. 

Meaning that it would be the competitor’s responsibility to ensure that the car is positioned in this zone. Due to this relaxed start procedure, all class and hill records standing at the end of 2019 will remain in place and no new records will be recognised until further notice.

With just two non-starters. Competitors had two practice runs and up to four timed runs. A small number of retirements during the day and several red flags

Weather for the most part was cloudy though the sun did get out for a little while. However, during the lunch break we had a bit of a shower but the track dried out very quickly. Thankfully before the competitors took to the track for the afternoon timed runs.

Timings and results for the BARC Yorkshire Members meeting held on 2^nd August 2020 can be found here: Results

The BARC Yorkshire centre are due to announce further events for the shorted 2020 season, during the weeks after the event. Dates expected are 30th August and 19th & 20th September, these are the reminding dates which had been published at the end of last season.

Many thanks to BARC Yorkshire centre at Harewood Hill and not forgetting all the Marshals, Medical and Rescue teams without which the event could not take part.