British Hill Climb Championship and Lotus Celebrations at Shelsley Walsh

Filed under: Classic News,Racing |
Trevor WillisOver 60 special Lotus cars will attend the ‘The Big One’ at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb this month when the British Championship returns to the Worcester venue for the second time this season. Being a round of both the Avon Tyres MSA British Championship and the Midland Hill Climb Championship, the top drivers and their cars from across the UK will be competing for points as the season reaches a critical position, with the August meeting at Shelsley Walsh being generally acknowledged as the biggest hill climb event of the year. Aylesbury driver Trevor Willis in his OMS 25 V8, who dramatically won the previous rounds in torrential rain at Shelsley Walsh in June, is currently leading the standings by a slim margin and with two run-off rounds being held on Sunday, positions could change. The two-day competition on 18th and 19th August, organised by the Midland Automobile Club, will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic Lotus Elan and two special classes for the marque have been included. Twenty seven regular competitors in the Paul Matty Sports Cars Championship, consisting of racing cars, sports saloons, Seven, Elise and Elan variants will be competing both days, and several further Lotus cars will take part in a parade and demonstrations. Midland Lotus specialist and championship sponsor Paul Matty, himself a regular competitor, takes up the story: “Besides our regular championship contenders, we have also created a very special class of over 30 rare and unusual Lotus cars to take part in a parade to help celebrate the Elan’s golden anniversary. “These cars are - most unusually - being allowed to run ‘un-silenced’ and providing a fitting soundtrack to the proceedings will be the unique Lotus 23B, which is powered by six Ariel Arrow motorcycle engines, providing a 12 cylinder 2-Stroke engine that produces a sound that has to be heard to be believed! “Other rare Lotus cars will include the Alfa Romeo-engined Lotus 18, Emmerson Fittipaldi’s personal Lotus 69 F2, Graham Hill’s Lotus 12, the Elan BRM race car and a Type 58 Gold Leaf car. “Making its debut will be a Lotus 19 sports racer, originally driven by Jim Clark, Innes Ireland and Graham Hill, and which has just completed a three-year restoration project and will be seen in action for the first time at Shelsley Walsh. “All in all we are expecting a fabulous weekend with hundreds of Lotus fans and their cars scheduled to fill the car parks and add to a magical event.” The meetings open at 9.15am each day with practice and qualifying on Saturday for hill climb competitors, with competition runs and top 12 run-offs being held after the Sunday morning and afternoon sessions.Tags:,