All of the top ten seeded drivers from across the UK will be competing at Shelsley Walsh this coming weekend (31st May/1st June) when the historic venue hosts two rounds of the MSA British Hill Climb Championship.
The 'Best of British' event finds young local driver and previous points leader Alex Summers, from Tenbury Wells, dropping down to third place following engine failure with his DJ Firehawk and no points, at Gurston Down Hill Climb in Wiltshire on Sunday.
Reigning British champion Scott Moran, from Ludlow, driving a Gould, now leads the table - by just one point - from OMS driver Trevor Willis, from Worcester, who was champion in 2012. This year's title chase is throwing up many possibilities as Scottish driver Wallace Menzies in his Cosworth-powered DJ Firestorm is showing steady progress by claiming 4th place and Will Hall is getting to grips with his Force, while experienced driver Roger Moran, Scott's father, is also going well in the shared family Gould.
To add to the excitement this season, all of the top places are held by drivers with different makes of car and engines, from constructors Gould, Force, OMS and DJ, so 'team' competition is expected to be fierce.
The weekend also hosts the Midland Hill Climb Championship, with reigning champion Rob Stevens recently missing out on points when his supercharged Force sports racer suffered mechanical failure at Loton Park. However, 2013 championship runner-up Mike Turpin, of Hereford, is in fine form, taking class awards in his supercharged Vauxhall VX220.
Scuderia, Modena and Berlinetta are just a few of the evocative names on the start sheet as eight iconic cars will be competing in a special class as part of the Ferrari Hill Climb Championship, alongside historic Cooper and Staride cars driven by members of the 500 Owners Association.Over twenty cars of all shapes and sizes will be competing in two classes for fully legal road going cars, together with over 30 varied machines in the modified and specialist production classes.
A huge entry has been received for the racing car classes ranging from small examples powered by 600cc motorcycle engines, through turbocharged and supercharged versions, right up to F1 style single-seaters powered by high-tech McLaren V8 engines.
Practice and qualifying takes place on Saturday, with timed competition runs with full commentary in programme order from 9.15am on Sunday, highlighted by 'run-offs' for the fastest 12 cars at the end of both morning and afternoon sessions.
