UK HILLCLIMB AND SPRINT TRACK GUIDES

1. Gurston Down

Published in Speedscene 128 (April/June 2004). "In an article considerably revised and updated since it appeared as the first "Drive It" in the summer of 1996 (Speedscene 86), Simon McBeath describes his technique for tackling this popular Wiltshire hill.

A former 2 litre single seater class record holder here, McBeath is now one of the team of instructors at the Gurston Down Hillclimb Drivers' School. A regular hillclimber (though not so regular these days......) for 25 years with considerable success at hillclimb courses across the British mainland, he is a freelance writer for magazines such as Racecar Engineering, Circuit Driver and the late lamented Cars & Car Conversions, and has also produced a series of technical Motorsport books for Haynes."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

2. Shelsley Walsh

Published in Speedscene 130 (September/October 2004). "A graduate engineer in automobile engineering at Loughborough University, 22 year old Guernseyman Chris Guille regularly drives along side father Geoff in Powermec Leaders series events. Their 2 litre Mallock Vauxhall Mk32, the only rear engined Mallock to regularly compete on the hills and is one of the top contenders in the burgeoning 2 litre SPorts Libre class. A former Shelsley record holder in the car, Chris describes his technique for tackling the MAC's classic 1,000 yard hill, the oldest surviving motorsport venue in the world in regular use since its inception."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

3. Loton Park

"Published in Speedscene 131 (November/December 2004). Adam Fleetwood has earned two consecutive British Championship titles in his meteoric hillclimb career in the Nicholson McLaren XP powered Gould. Alongside these, he's scored an unprecedented number of hill records. Hardly surprisingly, one of these is on his home hill at Loton Park, where he reset the outright mark on three occasions during the 2004 season. Who better, then, to give us the inside line on just how to climb Hagley & DLCC's challenging Shropshire hill?"

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

4. Doune

"Published in Speedscene 132 (January/March 2005). OMS Yamaha driver Jonathan Rarity's bid for the outright Scottish Hillclimb title ended amid a three way fight at the very last, very wet, round. A mistake on the very last corner of the Championship cost him any chance of the crown, but even so the Helensburgh driver had taken the Scottish Speed, the Scottish Top Ten Sprint and the Scottish Highland Championship titles, and at the end of a superb season in his 1 litre single seater was deservedly awarded the Paul Squires Memorial Trophy by the HSA. The stage for that last, crucial Scottish Championship round was Doune, regarded by many - if not most - people in the aport as the ultimate hillclimb challenge. Jonanthan describes his technique for tackling this most demanding of venues; the acknowledged 'King of Hills'."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

5. Barbon Manor

Published in Speedscene 129 (July/August 2004). "The current 1400 ModProd record holder in his Westfield SE, Peter Herbert, describes his technique for ascending the short but tricky Cumbrian hill."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

6. Oliver's Mount

Published in Speedscene 135 (September/October 2005). "Speedscene's continental correspondent Peter Herbert stays nearer home to describe his technique for tackling one of hillclimbing's best kept secrets."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

7. Werrington

Published in Speedscene 127 (January/March 2004). "Keith Harris visited the Cornish venue on his way to the runner's up spot in last year's Aldon/HSA Speed Championship in his Formula Ford Jamun M90. To mark the return of our Drive It series, Keith gives a driver's eye view of Werrington on the run up to this year's visit on May 2."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

8. Castle

Published in Speedscene 136 (November/December 2005). "Speedscene's 'Swift Progress' columnist Steve Chaloner outlines his techniques for tackling one of our most challenging Southwest hillclimbs."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

9. Aintree

Published in Speedscene 113 (March/May 2001). "Top sprinter Steve Liptrott takes us round the deceptively tricky Aintree course. Situated only a mile from the northern end of the M27, Liverpool's Aintree circuit must be one of the most easily accessible venues available to the sprinting community."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

10. Curborough

Published in Speedscene 88 (October/December 1996). "Unlimited ModProd class record holder on thoriginal, single lap Curborough course, Mark Waldron dispenses a few tips on how to tackle Shenstone and District Car Club's popular Midlands sprint venue."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

11. Cairncastle

Published in Speedscene 97 (July/August 1998). "With all hillclimbs in Northern Ireland run on closed public roads, Speedscene's Ulster correspondent Michael Beattie takes us up the longest and fastest of them all."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

12. Craigantlet

Published in Speedscene 112 (January/February 2001). "Speedscene's Ulster correspondent Michale Beattie takes us up Northern Ireland's British Championship hillclimb. A public road, of course......"

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

13. Colerne

Published in Speedscene 100 (January/February 1999). "Airfield courses, despite the increasing use of race circuits, have long been the mainstay of sprinting. Here Chevron-Rover V8 driver Russ Ward guides us round one of the best.

Bristol MC's long established Colerne sprint was where Ward secured one of the most significant wins of a long career - outright victory at the venue's 1994 British Sptint round."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

14. Eagle's Rock

Published in Speedscene 99 (November/December 1998). "As readers will know from our recent 'Drive-it Cairncastle' feature, Ulster public road hillclimbs are among the longest and most demanding in the sport. Michael Beattie - second overall in last year's NI Hillclimb series driving his Vision-Vauxhall - returns to guide us up another of these challenging venues."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

15. Harewood

Published in Speedscene 87 (August/September 1996). "Yorkshireman Peter Herbert describes his technique tackling his home hill.

Westfield hillclimber and BMW circuit racer, former rallyman Peter Herbert's competition career has encompassed many facets of the sport. Here he lay bare the secrets of BARC (Yorks) popular course at Stockton Farm that first saw the light of day, in shortened form, back in 1962."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

16. Kirkistown

Published in Speedscene 106 (January/February 2000). "The first customer for Mike Pilbeam's MP82 chassis, Ulsterman Robert Morgan, took the Millington powered car to the Northern Ireland Sprint and Hillclimb Championship double in 1998 in a double defeat of legendary sparring partner Robert Woodside. On Kirkistown's 2-lap sprint course, unique to the British series, Morgan showed the mainland contenders the way round to win the 1999 Farndon run-off. Here he describes his technique in the Pilbeam on the circuit where Gran Prix drivers such as John Watson and Eddie Irvine cut their racing teeth."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

17. Prescott

Published in Speedscene 93 (September/October 1997). "Established on 'Long Course' form in 1960, there's a lot of driving packed in to the Bugatti Owners' Club's 1127 yard hill. Supersports record holder Alan Thompson describes the way he tackles the twisting Gloucestershire climb in a Mallock."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

18. Three Sisters

Published in Speedscene 89 (January/February 1997). "Already an FTD man at Three Sisters, Jamie Hylton takes us round the popular WIgan circuit.

With several alternative tracks available at the Wigan motorsport complex, here he describes the one used most frequently. It's the one on which the Longton & DMC hosts two rounds of the Farndon Engineering Bristish Sprint Championship."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

19. Wiscombe Park

Published in Speedscene 98 (September/October 1998). "A former Supersports record holder at the South Devon hill, Colin Pook still holds the ASWMC 1700cc sports libre record at this most picturesque of venues."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

20. Barkston Heath

Not a track guide yet but a series of in car photos which gives some idea about the nature of this exciting new venue.

See photo gallery here.

21. Thoresby Park

Published in Speedscene 114 (June/August 2001). "Nottingham Sports Car Club Speed Champion, David Marshall takes us up his home sprint course."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

22. Tregrehan

Published in Speedscene 140 (September/October 2006). "Our South West correspondent Steve Chaloner describes his technique for tackling one of the country's lesser known hillclimb venues"

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

23. Longcross

Published in Speedscene 148 (June 2008). Not a 'Drive It' in the usual manner this article by HSA Chairman and Caterham driver Chris Bennett recounts "A ‘baptism by snow’ on a first visit to this unusual and demanding Surrey sprint course."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

24. Aintree revised

Published in Speedscene 151 (December 2008). 2008 Midland Speed Champion, Gary Thomas re-visits the popular Aintree Sprint track. "In the first of a new series of 'Drive-it' Gary Thomas draws on his experience and success to pilot us successfully round Aintree."

Download "DRIVE IT" file:

25. Lydden Hill

Lydden Hill has recently been added to the British Sprint and HSA Championships and has proved to be very popular amongst competitors despite being located in the far South East of the UK.

26. Llandow

Llandow, an ex wartime airfield, close to Cardiff Airport was a popular race venue after the war for a number of year. Re-surfaced and re-opended as a Sprint circuit in the 90s LLandow is a popular venue with its smooth surface and friendly atmosphere. The HSA are now a regular visitor both for Sprint events and for test days.

27. Llys y Fran

Llys y Fran can be found at the far western end of the M4 and has recently been added to the HSA calendar as part of the 'Welsh Sprint' week-end with Llandow.

28. Anglesey (Ty Croes)

The magnificent Ty Croes track at Anglesey has a number of configurations but the noe shown in the video here is the most common Sprint variant.

29. Dyrham Park

Not a track guide yet but a series of venue photos which gives some idea about the nature of this exciting new venue.

See photo gallery here.