NSW Hillclimbs

The American · Postby **The American** » Mon Nov 14, 2016 9:08 pm

I'm contemplating venturing further afield next year (I'm Brisbane based), and am sitting here looking at the calendar, google maps and the NSW Hillclimb championship calendar.

R1 - Bathurst Esses
R2 - Bathurst Mountain Strait
R3 - Huntley Hill, Dapto
R4 - Mt Cooperabung, Kempsey
R5 - Mountainview, Grafton
R6 - Oakburn, Tamworth
R7 - Ringwood Park, Newcastle
R8 - Fairburn Park, Canberra

This is a question for the locals - if you were going to pick a rewarding Hillclimb, which of these would make your short list?

Cheers,
Hanson

Tony · Postby **Tony** » Mon Nov 14, 2016 9:24 pm

Round 1 and Round 2 are held on consecutive days. R1 on Esses course (Saturday) and R2 on Mountain Straight course (Sunday).

Always very popular (obviously) and NSW Championship registrants get priority. Some people sign up to the whole series just to get a run at Mount Panorama.

If you're interested, the following link goes to my best run last weekend on the Mountain Straight course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7s9tKm5A38

The American · Postby **The American** » Mon Nov 14, 2016 10:44 pm

That looks like a lot of fun - much higher speed than the local events I've been doing. I thought I saw that the BLCC had cancelled an event there earlier in the year for lack of entries?

The American · Postby **The American** » Sun Nov 20, 2016 11:42 am

Are there any favourites here?

atlast · Postby **atlast** » Sun Nov 20, 2016 2:45 pm

I used to be the track curator at Fairbairn Park, so I'm biased :LOL:

The American · Postby **The American** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 6:39 am

atlast wrote:I used to be the track curator at Fairbairn Park, so I'm biased :LOL:

Fairbairn Park is 13 hours and 1215km from me - it's probably off the list simply due to distance!

atlast · Postby **atlast** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 7:23 am

That does pose a problem or two....

StillIC · Postby **StillIC** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 6:44 pm

Mt Cooperabung is crap.
Ringwood Park is good.
Buladelah can be scary and fast, but fun.

I can't comment on the remainder as I haven't run them.

Tony · Postby **Tony** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 7:57 pm

I think Bulahdelah is only run once or twice a year by Myall Lakes Motor Sports Club. Not currently on the State Round calendar. I've done it a couple of times as part of the Nulon Nationals; it's OK (fast and slippery), but not a patch on Mountain Straight.

Oakburn Park is essentially a single lap dash around a go-kart track. I wouldn't bother - even if I did live in Tamworth. It's beats me how it got on the State Calendar?

I haven't been to Dapto, but I believe it's short and bumpy.

King Edward Park at Newcastle would have been worth travelling for, but final event was 2015. Scott may be able to confirm.

Bang for your buck, nothing beats Mountain Straight. Team it up with the Esses and get two for one - makes the travel worthwhile. You'd probably need to register for the State Series to ensure you get an entry.

1600Dave · Postby **1600Dave** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 8:38 pm

Yep, King Edward Park is no more. Alterations to the Park have made it unsuitable for the hillclimb.

The state event that was run at King Edward Park is now run at Ringwood.

The American · Postby **The American** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 9:32 pm

Thanks Tony, much appreciated feedback

The American · Postby **The American** » Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:40 am

1600Dave wrote:Yep, King Edward Park is no more. Alterations to the Park have made it unsuitable for the hillclimb.

The state event that was run at King Edward Park is now run at Ringwood.

I was following this event last year and even got as far as entering, but I couldn't make it down there in the end. It looked like a cracker

1600Dave · Postby **1600Dave** » Tue Nov 22, 2016 9:50 am

It is (was) an amazing event.

Public road the rest of the year, running up through a beautiful park alongside the coast.Some of the "track" wasn't even a road, just a pathway.

The writing had been on the wall for a while though - increasing difficulty with noise / etc due to it being smack in the middle of Newcastle, the final nail in the coffin was the construction / extension of the pedestrian walk which runs right along the coastline in Newcastle. Not to mention the huge amount of work by the Newcastle MG Car Club to get the track ready each year. This involved, among other work, erecting armco along a large section of the track then removing it after the event. Plus huge amounts of sandbags to be filled and placed, etc, etc