Yorkshire Speed and Montague Burton Hillclimb.

Report by Chris Bannister of JCB Photography

Competitors of the Harewood Speed Hillclimb Championship were finally back on the famous Yorkshire hill, located on the edge of Yorkshire’s beautiful Wharfedale valley. Most of the regular competitors had not been at Harewood since early June, due to the weather having a large impact on the events calendar and the visit in July by the British Hillclimb Championship.

This means that this month and next month will see six rounds of the Harewood Championship taking place in the next eight weekends. All are double headers (one round on each of the days) but if any of the regular competitors of the championship have any major mechanical issues, it will not give them much time to sort the problem out before the next event.

Yorkshire Speed Hillclimb

Joining the Harewood regulars were a large group of competitors from the Northampton Motorsport Caterham and Lotus 7 Club Speed Championship. This was Round’s three and four of the Harewood Speed Hillclimb Championship, organised by the BARC Yorkshire Centre.

To re-cap the Harewood Championship positions going into the Yorkshire Speed event Adam Riley driving the VW UP, car # 41 is leading the championship from Henry Moorhouse driving the Honda powered Westfield, with Simon Green driving his Westfield Duratec in third place. All three drivers were competing on both days.

In the Harewood FTD Award Series. Of the Harewood regulars, Stephen Owen driving the OMS 28 RPE was only competing on the hill on the Sunday. Stephen shares the car with his wife, Lynn. Simon Green was in joint third place with Anthony Middleton in joint firth place. Steven Darley driving a Subaru Impreza RB in joint seventh and David Tatham driving his DJ Firehawk in joint ninth place. All the other drivers that feature in the top ten are regulars of the British Hillclimb Championship and would not be competing at Harewood Hill this weekend.

With just the two practice runs completed before the lunch break followed by three timed runs in the afternoon, with a total of 148 entries.

Saturday’s weather turned out to be the better of the two days with sunny intervals and also the better of the track conditions. With three new class records being set.

In Class 2A for Road Cars, Specialist Production Kit up to and including 1700cc. This record was set back in 2011 by Henry Moorhouse driving the Honda powered Westfield car #84.

Pete Vincent broke his own class record in Class 2F for Road Cars over 1800cc. driving a Vauxhall VX220, car #100.

In Class 3G for Modified Cars, Specialist Production Kit over 1700cc. Simon Green driving his Westfield Duratec, car # 129.

Fastest Time of the Day was set by David Tatham driving his DJ Firehawk car #144, with Wil Ker in second place, driving an OMS 28, car #143 and Jake Bellerby in third, driving his OMS 2000M, car# 14.

Full Results from the Yorkshire Speed Hillclimb can be found here: Saturday 03 August 2024 — Yorkshire Speed Hillclimb

On Sunday the Montague Burton Hillclimb had a total of 140 entries.

With some drizzle to start the first practice run, making the track very greasy for the first of the Sunday morning competitors. The grey clouds would stay with us for the rest of the day, however it did stay dry and was a little chilly for August with a slight breeze. This breeze would keep temperatures down both on and off the track. One class record was broken, 1C for Road Cars Production over 2000cc and 2 wheel drive, by Richard Andrews driving the Porsche 718 GT4, car #76.

A timed run as well as the two Practice runs were completed before a late lunch break with two further timed runs before the end of the meeting.

In the Harewood Championship Adam Riley still leads the Championship from Simon Green driving his Westfield Duratec with Henry Moorhouse driving the Honda powered Westfield in third place.

The Fast Time of the Day was again set by David Tatham driving the DJ Firehawk car #144, with Stephen Owen driving his OMS 28, car #152 and Jake Bellerby in third, driving his OMS 2000M, car# 141.

After the Montague Burton Hillclimb David Tatham driving the DJ Firehawk car #144, now leads the Harewood FTD Award Series from Simon Green driving his Westfield Duratec, car #129 in joint second place with Stephen Owen driving his OMS 28, car #152 (Stephen was only competing on the Sunday) and Dave Banner driving the Westfield Megabusa, car #121 in fourth place, just two points behind Simon and Stephen.

Full Results from the Montague Burton Hillclimb can be found here: Sunday 04 August 2024 — Montague Burton Hillclimb

Harewood Championship Standings: Harewood Championship

Harewood FTD Award Series: BARC Harewood FTD Award Series

Many thanks to BARC Yorkshire centre for the opportunity to be track side. Also not forgetting all the Marshals, Medical and the Darlington and District Rescue team, along with all the back office staff without which the events at Harewood Hill could not take place.

The next meeting for the Harewood Hillclimb Championship is over the weekend of the 24^th and 25^th August for the Spring National (rescheduled from 14^th April due to the wet weather) and Summer Championship, which will include, the only visit of the year of two and three wheels, with Motor Cycles and sidecars.