Why is the competition field limited to 70 cars?
Entries are limited to 70 because there just isn’t enough time in the schedule to run more than 70 cars. When the Mt. Washington Hillclimb was run throughout the 1990’s it was determined that a field of 70 cars was the magic number that allowed enough time to guarantee everything would run as smooth as possible within the given time constraints. On practice day (Friday & Saturday), each competitor will have two practice runs on half the course – the lower half one day and upper half the other day, depending on the weather. On race day, each competitor will have two full course runs, depending on the weather – one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Can anybody race in the 2011 Mt. Washington Hillclimb?
Unfortunately, not just anyone can compete in the Mt. Washington Hillclimb. For safety reasons, those chosen to compete in the 2011 Mt. Washington Hillclimb have a very extensive racing background and use specially prepared race cars that must pass a rigorous pre-race technical inspection.
In 2011 the Pikes Peak Hillclimb in Colorado is scheduled to take place the very same weekend as the Mt. Washington Hillclimb in New Hampshire – why is this?
Since 1990, when the Mt. Washington Hillclimb was first brought back from a 29 year hiatus, it’s been run on this very same weekend. This weekend was selected primarily because it’s after the gravel sections on the upper portion of the Mt. Washington Auto Road have been resurfaced and before schools in the region close for the summer – which is the busiest time of the year for the Mt. Washington Auto Road as a business. In years past, the Pikes Peak Hillclimb was historically run on or near the July 4th holiday. Over the years however, their event date has shifted for various reasons and unfortunately, in 2011 both events are scheduled on the same weekend.
Who is organizing the 2011 Mt. Washington Hillclimb?
Vermont SportsCar, located in Colchester, Vermont which has a 22-year history with professional motorsports is organizing the 2011 Mt. Washington Hillclimb through an agreement with the owners of the Mt. Washington Auto Road and support from many talented volunteers.
Who is sanctioning the 2011 Mt. Washington Hillclimb?
Sanctioning and insurance for the 2011 Mt. Washington Hillclimb is being provided through an agreement with the Sports Car Club of New Hampshire (www.sccnh.org).
Why are restrictors required for certain classes?
It’s strictly a safety & insurance decision. The Mt. Washington Auto Road is extremely narrow and challenging and a high-powered and lightweight all-wheel-drive (AWD) race car would present safety concerns and risks that the organizers of the 2011 Mt. Washington Hillclimb feel are unnecessary for good competition.
Some perspective: In an organized test held on the Mt. Washington Auto Road in September 2010 using a 40mm restrictor on a turbocharged rally car prepared to the current R-1 Rally Class specifications, 4-time Rally America Overall Champion Travis Pastrana bested the current Mt. Washington Hillclimb record of 6:41.99 by over 20 seconds, on his very first try!
What happens if the weather is bad?
Mt. Washington is home to some of the worst weather in the world. If the weather or visibility creates an unsafe condition that prevents us from permitting the cars to race to the summit of Mt. Washington on race day, we will shorten the race course and allow the cars to race to the half-way point of the Mt. Washington Auto Road instead.