Harewood Open and May MSA Championship Hillclimb weekend 2018

The British Automobile Racing Club (BARC), Yorkshire Centre held its first real competitive events over the weekend of 12th/13th May 2018, the May Open Hillclimb and May MSA Hillclimb Championship…

It was the first meeting of the year for competitors, with practice runs taking place on the Saturday up the famous hill. The 2018 Harewood Hillclimb Championship finally getting under way under blue sky and in the warm sunshine – the first real competitive event of the season since the practice day event held way back in March, as the Spring National event was cancelled back in April, due to waterlogged parking areas…

Joining the regulars from the Harewood Speed Hillclimb Championship, this time were competitors from the Pirelli, Ferrari Hillclimb Championship.

In the Harewood Speed Hillclimb Championship, Gordon Riley (Toyota Starlet) took an early lead from Deryck Jones (Peugeot 205 GTi) with 2017 Champion Sarah Bosworth (Lotus Elise) in third from James Kerr (Peugeot 205 GTi), Ian Butcher (Honda Integra) and Will Roberts (Renault Clio).

2017 Harewood FTD Championship winner John Chackesfield did not take part in the practice day and was not on the entry list for this event, enabling Dave Banner driving an (OMS 28) to take the lead of the Harewood FTD Championship from Ed Cater (Force PT) with Tony Levitt (Empire Evo) securing third.

Harewood Championship results can be found here.

Sundays event included several drivers competing in the Harewood Hillclimb Championship (but was not a round of the Championship) and again the Pirelli, Ferrari Hillclimb Championship.

Sunday’s event looked like it would start under cloudy conditions with rain forcast either side of the lunch break but thankfully the prediction was proved wrong staying cloudy with a cool breeze. After another practice, the timed runs got under way for round five of the MSA Hillclimb Championship. The fastest twelve drivers then taking part for Championship points, only the top ten get the chance to secure championship points. Round six took place after the lunch break and would prove to be a repeat of the format for round five.