Classic & Vintage and Jim Thomson Hillclimb events at Harewood Speed Hillclimb

Report by Chris Bannister

8 June 2023

Harewood Hill is located on the edge of Yorkshire’s beautiful Wharfedale valley. The BARC Yorkshire Centre organised over the weekend of 3rd and 4th June 2023, two every different days of action on the hill. With cars competing from the very start of motoring on the Saturday and on the Sunday much more modern day cars. Both days would have a full entry list, though a handful of cars did not make the start.

Classic & Vintage Hillclimb

On Saturday the Classic & Vintage Hillclimb, organised for the Vintage and Sports Car Club (VSCC). The VSCC was formed in 1934 and has provided a platform for people to enjoy pre-war cars both competitively via a number of different motorsports events and socially. With a large number of social and competitive events organised throughout the year, including race meetings, hillclimbs, sprints, road rallies, trials and driving tests all over the UK. 

Saturday's hillclimb started under cloudy conditions but thankfully the sun came out and was with us for the rest of the day. With only the two Practice runs completed before the lunch break and two timed runs in the afternoon. This was all down to these vintage classic cars taking longer to get up the hill, the top speed been well down againest a modern car and also a number of red flags. Any cars competing on the hill, which got a red flag would get a re-run, though the car that had caused the red flag would be given a failed run.

Full Results from the Classic and Vintage Hillclimb are here: Saturday 03 June 2023 — Classic and Vintage Hillclimb

Fast Time of the Day and Top 4 in Class: Saturday 03 June 2023 — FTD Classic and Vintage Hillclimb

Jim Thomson Hillclimb



On Sunday the Jim Thomson Hillclimb (part of the Harewood Championship) took to the hill. 

Under some nice blue sky the first practice run got underway but during the second practice run, white clouds started to roll in, then followed by more grey looking cloudys which stayed with us for the rest of the day but at least it did not rain.

Both practices runs and a timed run was completed before the lunch break. In the afternoon up to three more timed runs were available to those Championship rules would allow more than two timed runs during an event.

Joining the Harewood regulars where competitors from the Paul Matty Championships for Road and Race cars, Morgan Sports Car Club, Austin Healey Cars, Aston Martin Owners Club Speed Series and Classic Marques Speed Challenge.

Rob Spedding driving his Formula Ford Vector TF93k, car #215 currently leads the Harewood Championship from David Leach driving his Lotus Elise, car#180 and Daniel Hollis driving his Caterham 7 is now in third place, car #174. David Tatham, who was not at the event drops out of the top twenty.

In the Fastest Time of the Day Championship (FTD) none of the top ten were at the Jim Thomson Hillclimb event. Of these top ten, six are regular competitors from the British Hillclimb Championship and were competing at Shelsley Walsh.

Richard Spedding still holds on to the FTD Championship on 17 points. David Tatham who was not at the event but still manages to remain in joint second place. John Prickett driving his Radical PR6, car #202 moves up to joint second place, along with Lee Griffiths another of the British Hillclimb Championship contenders.

However the drivers that posted the fastest times of the day up the hill on Sunday were all Harewood regulars. Jake Bellerby driving his dads OMS2000M car #209, from John Prickett driving his Radical PR6 car #202, with Tracey Wise driving her Jedi car #208.

Full Results from the Jim Thomson Hillclimb can be found here: Jim Thomson Hillclimb

Harewood Championship: Sunday 04 June 2023 — Jim Thomson Hillclimb

FTD Championship: Sunday 04 June 2023 — FTD Jim Thomson Hillclimb

Many thanks to BARC Yorkshire Centre for the opportunity to be track-side and not forgetting all the Marshals, Medical, Rescue teams including Darlington and District Rescue unit without which the events could not have take place.

Next events at Harewood Hill will be the July Harewood Championship on 1^st July and the second visit of the 2023 season for the British Championship Hillclimb on Sunday 2nd July.