Autocar Vauxhall Corsa Hill Climb Series Hold First Session Car News

The first practice session for Autocar and Shelsley Walsh’s new hill climb initiative took place at the Curborough sprint track.

Places are still open for other participants, with another test scheduled at Shelsley Walsh even on June 15th, before the actual season begins with a sprint at Curborough on July 11th.

The practice session saw the participation of six young drivers, put to the test by a group of instructors as they all look to level up before July 11.

The test day was meant to be a taste of the new initiative between Autocar and Shelsley Walsh, the two organizations teaming up to launch a new affordable motorsport competition for licensed drivers aged 17 to 21. It’s based on the 1.2-liter Vauxhall Corsa and aims to bring new talent to a sport that prides itself on welcoming cars and drivers of all.

In its first season, the Autocar-Shelsley Walsh Young Driver Championship aims to attract a maximum of 10 competitors over a six-round series that will kick off in earnest in July at the Curborough Sprint Track near Lichfield on July 11. There are then five more rounds at Shelsley Walsh, Worcestershire, the oldest motorsport venue in the world still in use, in September.

“Our sport needs more, younger competitors,” says Paul Matty, the series’ instigator and flagship. “We think this is the perfect way to attract them. We want to attract young competitors with a lot of ambition but no racing experience, keeping the cars simple and level, and the cost of entry as low as possible. We’ve had a lot of interest already, including other clubs and tracks that would like to do the same sort of thing.

Yesterday at the official start of the competition at Shelsley Walsh, its first official participant, Ben Evans, 21, took to the track for our cameras in a healthy looking 2008 Vauxhall Corsa bought £ 2,300 from the local classifieds. The car was standard with the exception of a fire extinguisher (provided free of charge to all participants). Ben, a Bromsgove-based auto parts specialist, also modeled a set of special racing suits which, like the helmet, will be provided to all participants at a heavily discounted price.

Constable Simon Yuile, a lifelong car enthusiast representing West Mercia police forensic investigator, was also on hand to lend his support to what he called a “big initiative”. “This is the kind of practical step that can help young drivers have fun in cars, but be a lot safer when they do,” he said.