An original 1939 Auto Union V12 'D' Type Grand Prix racing car will appear at Shelsley Walsh on Sunday August 21st as the famous hill climb celebrates its 100th anniversary. Shelsley Walsh and Auto Union are inextricably linked after Hans Stück raced up the hill in June 1936 as part of the prestigious European Hill Climb Championship. Tens of thousands of spectators filled the hillsides around Shelsley that weekend nearly 70 years ago, but a similar crowd is expected to flock in on Sunday 21st August 2005 to see the paddock full of cars from the very first meeting of Shelsley Walsh in August 1905, all the way through to today’s modern 680php F1 powered single seaters that embody the current British Hill Climb scene.
The Auto Union coming to Shelsley is the very car that Tazio Nuvolari drove to victory in the 1938 Italian GP and the famous British Grand Prix at Donington Park that same year. It was raced the year after at Nürburgring, Spa, Reims, Bern and Belgrade. Preparation specialists Hall and Hall will run the car at Shelsley. A driver for the car will be announced soon.
The Shelsley Walsh Centenary Weekend is over August 19, 20, 21 with practice on Friday, a British Hill Climb Championship event on the Saturday and then an invitational meeting on the Sunday.
SHELSLEY WALSH - JUNE 4th 5th
This weekend – June 4th and 5th - will see the first 2005 visit of the British Hill Climb Championship to Shelsley Walsh in Worcestershire. With reigning Champion Adam Fleetwood away from the scene, it has been Martin Groves in his brand new Gould GR55 3.5L who has sped to the top of the title chase with seven victories from the first ten rounds.
It will be very interesting indeed to see how Groves goes at Shelsley in a similar car to that which holds the outright record on the hill in the hands of Fleetwood. 23.87 seconds stands the mark of Fleetwood from last August, but Groves is sure to have an attack on that, if not this coming weekend, but in August over our big 100th anniversary of Shelsley weekend when he is more familiar with the car. Willem Toet won the opening meetings of the year at Loton, but suffered a zero score from Gurston Down last weekend. The mechanical traction of the leading Pilbeam in the Top 12 is stunning off the line Remember – a time of less than 2 seconds to cover the first 64 feet is a lateral acceleration of more than 1 G.
The fastest cars will again be looking to fill the Top 12 Run Off where they vie for points towards the National Championship. With only 12 places and 10 sets of points, many are going to go begging, but expect some terrier performances from some lesser powered cars in the 2 litre or even 1.6 litre classes. They have killed giants before and this year should be no different! Look out for Phil Cooke in his unbelievable little Force and Trevor Willis with his 2 litre OMS, both of whom can get in the run off when called upon – even up the ‘Power Hill’ that is Shelsley.
The Midland Hill Climb Championship will also resume battle after the opening round back in April. Pitting class winners against class winners, the title always comes down to the final shoot out in September.Entry is £6 on Saturday and £12 on Sunday.
Shelsley Walsh is 10 miles West of Worcester, just follow the yellow AA signs.
WIN A LOTUS ELISE
Don’t forget to buy a raffle ticket to have the chance to win a brand new Lotus Elise + Insurance for one year!
At just £2 a ticket, the price of a pint of beer should not be passed over. You could be driving away from Shelsley on September 11th in the very car!
DATES
Don’t forget our remaining meetings this season.
July 2nd - National B meeting
July 3rd - Pre-War cars in association with the VSCC.
August 19th 20th and 21st - The big 100th year celebrations of Shelsley Walsh
September 10th 11th - Midland Hill Climb Championship meeting
