The opening meeting of the Shelsley Walsh 2004 Hill Climb season takes place this weekend, May 15th and 16th. Heralding the start of the 99th year of motor sport at the Worcestershire hill, two separate one day meetings will be full of historic and modern racing cars. Practice will take place during each morning from 9.30 with the main competitive action kicking off at 2pm both days.
Saturday sees an enormous amount of road going cars entered, many of which are highly modified
A look back into the past of Shelsley’s history will see some Frazer Nash cars running too on Saturday, including the GN Spider which held the record at Shelsley in the 1920s.
Smaller capacity single seaters up the pace during the middle part of the programme, with classes full of Morgans and then Porsches in their Michelin Porsche Speed Championship feature too, but it is 6 time former Hill Climb Champion Tony Marsh who is looking for Best Time of the Day with his Gould 2.5 litre single seater. Ken Sims from Malvern is looking to push Marsh right to the limit for the best time up the 1000yard hill in his unbelievably powerful Metro 6R4 Group B car that has been a winner on the hill before.
Over the winter months, the MAC has worked hard on the hill itself with additional safety features being added just before the speed trap area on the approach to the Bottom S, proving that as cars get faster, the club reacts to their speeds.
SHELSLEY FUNDS GROW TO PRESERVE MOTORSPORT HISTORY
Funds continue to grow to preserve Shelsley Walsh as the landmark speed hill climb in the world. The Midland Automobile Club is constantly working hard to increase funds with still the £1m target in sight. The current tally at the time of writing is at £0.53m but with a limited number of shares up for sale in Shelsley Walsh Ltd, that number should grow now the 2004 season has started.
Other fund raising projects underway is another raffle where there is a Ford Ka up for grabs come the final meeting of the year on September 12th with one years insurance again provided by Footman James to a maximum of £500. Recently, two new Jaguar X Type V6s were won by lucky winners in another raffle that was drawn in February by Sir Stirling Moss, the Patron on the Shelsley Trust.
The Shelsley Trust has a been donated a 1922 Vauxhall 30/98 Tourer in splendid condition by a generous owner. The car will be sold in coming months and the proceeds going towards the preservation of the hill climb.
A brand new video / DVD has just been launched tracing the first 99 years of hill climbing at Shelsley Walsh footage from the early 1900s through to the actual record breaking run of Graeme Wight Jnr in June 2003, this video encompasses everything that is evocative about Shelsley Walsh. Less than a month after its launch, over 600 copies have already been sold.
Sir Stirling Moss O.B.E. the Patron of the Shelsley Trust, is shown emphasising his support to ensure continuing motor sport at the hill and all proceeds from the sale of the film will go to the Shelsley Trust fund. A ‘must have’ for any hill climb fan.
Video £15.50, DVD £17.00 both including p&p available from Midland Automobile Club, Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb, Worcester WR6 6RP
SHELSLEY WALSH 2004
May 15th 16thTwo, one day meetings with club motor sport.Practice 09.30, racing 14.00 both days
June 5th 6thRounds 11 & 12 of the British Hill Climb Championship. The fastest cars in the UK in Worcestershire.The outright hill record went at this meeting in 2003. Special Aston Martin road and racing car class starring the brand new Aston Martin DB9.Practice Saturday, Racing Sunday 10.00
July 3rd 4thSaturday: classes for road going and racing cars.Sunday: Pre-war and Vintage cars that made history at Shelsley Walsh return to the famous 1000 yards of tarmac.The pre-war record went to Mac Hulbert in ERA R4D at this meeting in 2003.Practice 09.30, racing 14.00 both days
August 14th 15thF1 powered Hill Climbing at its best. The biggest meeting of the year including a very special appearance by Classic Team Lotus F1 cars. Big Screen TV in the paddock once morePractice Saturday, Racing Sunday 10.00
September 11th 12thThe penultimate round of the Midland Hill Climb Championship.Practice Saturday, Racing Sunday 10.00
Shelsley Walsh is 10 miles West of Worcester, Just follow the yellow AA signs.
