Curborough is just north of Lichfield signposted from Wood End Lane, it doesn’t have a postcode but WS13 8EJ will get you close enough to follow the signs.

I’d been to Curborough many years ago for a Triple CCC (Cars and Car Conversions) event featuring one Jamie Whitham, bike racer and, more recently, for an MX5 Owners Club track day. 

The programme ran with practice runs (two per competitor) in the morning and two Qualifying runs in the afternoon. The class winners then competed in a run off for the Alan Payne Memorial Trophy awarded to the best improvement on qualifying runs.

The day was dry and clear and as I arrived the first practice runs were coming to an end. Viewing is excellent with a raised bank along one side of the course allowing a view to the start to the left and good viewing of the fast chicane and hairpin to the right.

The paddock is open to wander round in common with hillclimbing – indeed, there were some familiar names from that discipline including the 2018 British Hillclimb Champion Trevor Willis.

There is one aspect common to hillclimbs and sprint – nature ! As you will see there are angles where the undergrowth on the side of the track has grown up and is in vision (I’d also left my faithful step at home …). 

Over the lunch break there’s a catering stand with the delicious aroma of cooking bacon or you can wander down to the paddock. Entry to the event was free and there was a regular stream of, I guess, locals popping in – this was a car show in itself with a Noble and a very nice looking integrale 16V (which I failed to photograph) among others. 

The classes running including road going and modified cars, sports cars and single seaters. Additionally, for Saturday of the weekend, the Ferrari Owners Club were present for the Pirelli Ferrari Hillclimb Championship.

For the afternoon qualifying runs, I essentially worked my way up and down the spectator bank taking photos along the way. Road going cars were up first.

Then, it was the modified production cars including Eric Morrey’s very non-standard Imp and Ivan Russell’s dramatic looking Anglia !

The quickest cars of the day followed with some familiar names from the hills – OMS, DJ, Force and Empire – a large class of Formula Fords and an ex-F3 Dallara. 

Finally, the Ferraris. There’s an important rule to note – “four wheels off”- if you get all four wheels off the course, then it’s a Fail and no time recorded.

It’s a fairly easy choice lens-wise. I used both 70-200 and 200-500 zooms and tended towards slower shutter speeds. The longer zoom is especially good for long shots back to the hairpin, but you could use the shorter zoom and crop. Care is required with the emergency vehicles in the background at the hairpin, unless you like taking photos of recovery trucks and ambulances.

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A few images that didn't make the cut but still worth a look.