Hillclimb anyone

Hillclimb anyone

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s2satom

Original Poster:

42 posts

239 months

Friday 22nd April 2005
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I am going to do one of the Hillclimb Schooling days at either Prescott (Gloucester) or Gurston (Salisbury). Anybody else interested?

For about £175 you go through the motions of a hillclimb competition but with advice on line, style and technique after every two runs of the hill. Good advice which you can use elsewhere.

Its relaxed, social and good fun. It will also help raise the profile of the Atom and encourage the clubs to assign a class for the car.

You don't need anything special other than a road legal car and a helmet, just like track days.

Cheers Stew

Bruce Fielding

2,244 posts

289 months

Saturday 23rd April 2005
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s2satom said:
I am going to do one of the Hillclimb Schooling days at either Prescott (Gloucester) or Gurston (Salisbury). Anybody else interested?

I've done the Prescott day and it truly is a great day out. You walk the course first, which is quite something to realise just how long it is and how quickly you can do it in a quick car like an Atom. I've done it in a big car as well (the Lotus Carlton) which was 'interesting' to say the least!

I'd be interested... Got any dates in mind, Stew?

s2satom

Original Poster:

42 posts

239 months

Monday 25th April 2005
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The dates available are:

Prescott £175: 29 June, 27 July, 3 Aug, 31 Aug

Gurston £150: 14 June (bit close to Cadwell), 26 July

I did Gurston last year and would love to do it again in the Atom. 100mph downhill through the first corner should be good.

Stew

s2satom

Original Poster:

42 posts

239 months

Monday 9th May 2005
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I'm going for Tuesday 26th July if anybody else wants to try it. I'll add it to the events list.

Stew

John Lloyd

926 posts

238 months

Monday 9th May 2005
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s2atom said:
I'm going for Tuesday 26th July if anybody else wants to try it. I'll add it to the events list.


I'll join you can you email me or put on the forum the contact details (website / phone number etc)


>> Edited by John Lloyd on Monday 9th May 21:34

s2satom

Original Poster:

42 posts

239 months

Tuesday 10th May 2005
quotequote all
Excellent, try this link for information and then download the application form, fill it in and send it off.

www.gurstondown.org/school.htm

Alternatively call Andrew Hext to chat about any questions you have, or ask me (via pm) as I have done this day before.

Stew

John Lloyd

926 posts

238 months

Tuesday 10th May 2005
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From Gurston Down Website "We also offer a licence upgrade option - you attend the School for a day's course, and sit a short multiple choice examination. Successful completion will gain you a signature towards upgrading a National B licence to National A status. This option is available to anyone how already has, or who intends to obtain an MSA National B licence."

Stewart what's the advantage of going for the licence for an extra £50.00?

coxm

174 posts

242 months

Tuesday 10th May 2005
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You have to have a competition (or race) licence first. To do that, you have to have sit an exam, have a medical, eye test and driving test on track. This is an upgrade from the basic licence to the next one. You need six "signatures" to upgrade. I am a bit surprised that this allows that, but it may be the hill climb licence only, or it may be the exam that does it.

All available from the MSA in their go racing pack. 01753 681736.

I wouldn't bother unless you plan on racing. Some track days don't like people with race licences playing. It doesn't get you cheaper insurance or anything else.

MC

s2satom

Original Poster:

42 posts

239 months

Tuesday 10th May 2005
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Exactly as MC says, when you start Hillclimbing you have a Nat B licence and after every event you get a signature. After 6 you can upgrade your licence entitling you to enter different category of events. It is a method of ensuring a novice stays a novice until they have some experience before moving up.

The reasoning behind the schooling signature option is that as a novice you are learning by attending the schooling day and hence worth 1/6 of your progression to the next licence grade.

I don't bother but then I haven't raced the Atom yet as its hillclimb class has not been properly decided yet. Hence doing another schooling day.

Stew

John Lloyd

926 posts

238 months

Tuesday 10th May 2005
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Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll leave it this time see how I get on.

Bruce Fielding

2,244 posts

289 months

Friday 13th May 2005
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Don't be put off by all the racing talk, John. You should have a go - it's fun! Yes, if you want to do it seriously, that's fine, but the point is to run all sorts of things up the hill... I've belted up hills in everything from rented escorts (err, that's Ford Escorts) to Lotus Carltons. And seen a huge variety of metal having fun in the paddock.

You will have a crack at a hill one day - and you'll have a ball.

John Lloyd

926 posts

238 months

Friday 13th May 2005
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Bruce Fielding said:
You will have a crack at a hill one day - and you'll have a ball.


You have miss understood I am doing the hill climb, but not bothering with the special licence.

John Lloyd

926 posts

238 months

Tuesday 26th July 2005
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Stewart and I had a great day out and a first for me no spins!!

It was a great day out and even though we got only eight runs up the hill which equates to less than 8 minutes of track time in a day I will be doing this again.

No timing, but they do score you. I got 79%. The winner on the day got 94%

datasafe

911 posts

238 months

Tuesday 26th July 2005
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Any pics John?

JC

s2satom

Original Poster:

42 posts

239 months

Wednesday 27th July 2005
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An excellent day: green light, start, to 90mph downhill, slight left, clip the apex, flat out round a sweeping left, hard on the brakes into a sharp on camber right into a 1 in 6 hill, drift left for an even sharper right, full throttle again and quick jab of the brakes into a late apexing left and careful with the power on the exit for the run to the finish ... all on a road that is not much wider than about 12 foot. Great fun and very hard to get every secton spot on. Its a different challenge to a track day and focussed the mind.

I have no pictures but will get sent some video during next week. John: plenty of you as well because my dad didn't know whether it was you or me.

Stew

Bruce Fielding

2,244 posts

289 months

Wednesday 27th July 2005
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A new 'Hillclimbs' category has been added to the gallery

Gurston Down is the first album and is realy to receive pics!

s2satom

Original Poster:

42 posts

239 months

Wednesday 27th July 2005
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Another reason for going was to improve my chances of competing with an Atom and raising the cars profile in this motorsport discipline. Currently for hillclimbs or sprints, no class/category has been agreed and therefore difficult to get started. By turning up at Gurston yesterday allowed them to see the car for the first time (rather just racing talk on the Ariel website) and see that it was a 'normal' road legal vehicle.

My aim is to race the car in standard production form ie. no special roll bars etc, and by the end of the day talking to a few people in the Gurston Club, it looks as if I may be successfully at a region level but not at a National level ... yet. This is fine for me at the mo.

The next step is for me to talk to the southern central and south west regional scrutineers. Fingers crossed that the limited production car class will be okay.

Stew

John Lloyd

926 posts

238 months

Thursday 28th July 2005
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Stew,

If you need some more support in the way of Atoms turning up let me know. Not sure I am at the stage of getting a licence etc. if its's needed?