Huddersfield Motor Club
Hillclimb / Sprint
What’s it all about?
Cars tackle a point-to-point course one-by-one, with the quickest time dictating the winner. Competitors are given practice runs before the competition starts, your best competitive run counting in the final results. The good thing is that if you make a mistake first time out, you still have a chance of making amends on the next run.
Good quality tarmac is used, Sprints are on the flat whilst Hillclimbs use rising tracks of varying gradient. Vehicles compete in classes of like kind, and cars run individually against the clock. A meeting will usually consist of two timed practice runs followed by the competition runs proper. Electronic timing via light beam is used and to win the class or event, it is simply a matter of being the quickest – easier said than done.
Although a great deal of money needs to be spent to win outright, there is great satisfaction to be had in mastering your vehicle and improving your time, run by run.
There are several regular competitors within the Club, do not be afraid to ask questions to learn more.
What type of car is needed?
These are open to a range of vehicles from the smallest production saloon to a Formula 1 machine. Being ‘Speed’ events, they require a minimum of an MSA Non-Race National B licence, but these are available by application to the MSA. Approved fireproof suits, gloves and helmets are mandatory, and minimal safety preparation of vehicles is also required. Safety requirements are always being tightened, FHR’s are now mandatory in all but road-going classes. Seek advice from regular competitors and/or check for specifics in the MSA Blue Book.
