Yorkshire Speed and Montague Burton Hillclimb

Harewood Speed Hillclimb – Report by Chris Bannister of JCB Photography

6^th and 7^th August 2022

Yorkshire Speed and Montague Burton Hillclimb held over the weekend of 6^th and 7^th August 2022.

The Yorkshire Speed Hillclimb got underway at 9.00 on Saturday morning, under some nice blue sky but had clouded over by lunchtime break.

The afternoon was a lot less sunny and with a fresh breeze to keep the track temperatures down. With two practice runs and a total of four timed runs, during the day. It is the timed runs which are used for the Championship scores.

A very large group of Caterham's competing in the Lotus 7 Club Speed Championship joined the Harewood regulars for the two days of track action.

Sunday’s Montague Burton Hillclimb got underway with a lot more sunshine than yesterday, though it still clouded over in the afternoon which reduced the track temperature and seemed to suit the competitors as a number set personal best times up the hill. Two practice runs and a timed run was completed before the lunch break followed by three more timed runs in the afternoon

Adam Riley driving his Honda S2000, car #87 still has a big lead in the main Harewood Championship (before any dropped scores are taken into account). On his first timed run he was just 0.29secs off his class 1C record. Then on each of his three timed runs in the afternoon he lower the record to end with the class record set at 61.80 secs

Rob Spedding driving his Formula Ford Vector TF93K, car #171 is still second from John Prickett driving his Radical PR6, car #154 in third place and Terry Deere driving his Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, car #81 in fourth. There is only 5.11 points separating Rob from Terry Deere in fourth place, so it is very tight below Adam.

Full timings and results for the Montague Burton Hillclimb can be found here: Montague Burton Hillclimb Results

Harewood Championship results: Harewood Championship

In the FTD Championship David Tatham driving his OMS Hornet, car #167 has an eight point lead (before dropped scores are taken into account) over John Prickett driving his Radical PR6, car #154. John has a four point lead over Robin Wood, car #866, which he shares with his brother Antony who is in fourth place, both driving the family Force PT.

FTD Championship results: BARC Harewood FTD Award Series

While I was writing this article Adam Riley the 2021 Harewood Championship announced that he is putting his car up for sale. He said that it was time to put other priorities first and enjoy life away from hillclimbing. Though he did say that if he still had the car at the end of August he would be there on both days to compete.

We wish Adam all the best for the future and hopefully will see him on the track again sometime in the future, if the car goes before the next Championship event.

Next events at Harewood Hill are over the Bank holiday weekend of 27^th and 28^th August. On the Saturday the Celebration Hillclimb for the 60^th anniversary of the very first Harewood Hillclimb and the 100^th for the BARC Yorkshire Centre. This is a non championship event and is only open to Yorkshire members of the BARC Yorkshire Centre members and is limited to 100 competitors. 

Followed on the Sunday by the Summer Championship Hillclimb which is a full Championship event. If we do see Adam Riley and his Honda S2000 competing this August bank holiday weekend. He can entertain the spectators, in his very fast but side ways fashion like he has done over the last couple of seasons.

Many thanks to BARC Yorkshire centre for the opportunity to be trackside and not forgetting all the Marshals, Medical and Rescue teams without which the event could not take part.