Prescott Hillclimb review – Feedback request

[alexcrosse]

I'm not talking about a specific car, starting to wish I hadn't but I am just giving feedback of what I think should be different lol (after complimenting how good it was). As an example, yes that beetle. And yes I know it wouldn't have had an MOT at all, that is beside the point, all the more reason to look over it. But there were others too.

MOT's only prove the car has an MOT certificate...

[bstardchild]

Aug 21, 2013 13:25:32 GMT alexcrosse said:

I'm not talking about a specific car, starting to wish I hadn't but I am just giving feedback of what I think should be different lol (after complimenting how good it was). As an example, yes that beetle. And yes I know it wouldn't have had an MOT at all, that is beside the point, all the more reason to look over it. But there were others too.

MOT's only prove the car has an MOT certificate...

And passed the mot on the day presented for testing, we are on the same page chap just different positions neither are wrong

[jamest5r]

I was one of the 850 drivers that tagged along with claymore, got to say it was probably the best car show I've been to, I was made to feel very welcome by all and had many people coming up and chatting after each run up the hill and on the show stand in the afternoon, I realise my car might be 4yrs too young however I think it was in the spirt of what the RR show was about and would love to attend next year please
Thanks to the powers that be for the organization, top job.

[justanotherhigh]

As one of the last five that paid to go up the hill, I was myself quite dismayed that the ladies in the cabin were saying people had been swapping tax disks.
I'd like to think that's because they forgot to bring their MOT certificate or something, but it's not all that grand.
I like the idea of tallying runs on the car, maybe it would be worth the chap who applies stickers to windscreens (who did a sterling job organising the whole paddock!) having a quick glance at said MOT certificate or tax disk to make sure it matches the cars reg.

And as I mentioned in another thread, we need a lap of honour at the end of the afternoon session.

[dreadnought]

I have no quibbles about the hill action. I got up early, queued up for an hour with my little boy(who was good as gold) and got number 3 in the morning session, the stickers going to stay on the screen till it falls of lol. I got five runs up the hill.

at no other event that I know off would a 4 year old be allowed to go "on track". he`s the next gen of retro riders and if he couldn't have gone then neither would I. and he loved every minute off it. been telling everyone about it since we got back. "we went on the hill and did turbo power"

so I`d like to say a huge thanks to everyone who helped organise it. if people want change then step up to the mark and help to organise it.

as for the moderns, if they have paid there money to get in and have made the effort to queue, then it would be a bit harsh to stop them. after all it wasn't many.

[vonthrash]

I was one of the last five too, and I wasn't that hopeful at the back of the queue at twenty to four. After a few minutes, an orange coloured gentleman clocked me as not having been up the hill yet, and cleared my path through to the front. I felt a little guilty, but wasn't complaining. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I organise stuff, and assess others ability to organise stuff for a living, you lot did pretty daym well.

[bstardchild]

Aug 21, 2013 21:54:52 GMT vonthrash said:

I was one of the last five too, and I wasn't that hopeful at the back of the queue at twenty to four. After a few minutes, an orange coloured gentleman clocked me as not having been up the hill yet, and cleared my path through to the front. I felt a little guilty, but wasn't complaining. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It could have been any of the three of us as we commnicate well and hand over where we are when we swap round so we know where the rota is up too.

What I really appreciated and I'll say it again was when people were very honest in saying how many runs they had done at the point of asking - of course we had a very good idea but it's nice when you are right and can balance the situation.

I know one guy in a blue caterhamwesterfield thing in the morning that had arrived after a late briefing was 2 runs behind everyone else but we managed to catch him back up without upsetting anyone just by telling him to swap lanes on his return to balance up the rows.

Aug 21, 2013 21:54:52 GMT vonthrash said:

I organise stuff, and assess others ability to organise stuff for a living, you lot did pretty daym well.

Thanks we really do try and despite the problems we had in the afternoon overall I'd say the Hill was better than last year I'd just like it to be ruddy perfect but that's a little OCD in me........

[bstardchild]

Aug 21, 2013 15:53:24 GMT dreadnought said:

I have no quibbles about the hill action. I got up early, queued up for an hour with my little boy(who was good as gold) and got number 3 in the morning session, the stickers going to stay on the screen till it falls of lol. I got five runs up the hill.

at no other event that I know off would a 4 year old be allowed to go "on track". he`s the next gen of retro riders and if he couldn't have gone then neither would I. and he loved every minute off it. been telling everyone about it since we got back. "we went on the hill and did turbo power"

I normally only look or talk to drivers but I did see a little passenger with a massive grin as you went thro to the start line and I thought there's a littlun that is going to not shut up about his day for a month.......

Aug 21, 2013 15:53:24 GMT dreadnought said:

so I`d like to say a huge thanks to everyone who helped organise it. if people want change then step up to the mark and help to organise it.

LOL - we are all barking mad that's why we miss the whole show and try to make you guys have a great time on the hill - only thanks we ever need is big grins coming back down the return road, when participants walk up after the morning or afternoon sessions and say that was a complete hoot and I've never been to a show that was this much fun we know we have something right

Aug 21, 2013 15:53:24 GMT dreadnought said:

as for the moderns, if they have paid there money to get in and have made the effort to queue, then it would be a bit harsh to stop them. after all it wasn't many.

Agreed... If it was 50% of the cars going up the hill I'd say we were appealing to the wrong audience.

[judgie]

I overheard a marshal say to the 'sprint beetle' owner that his car was leaking oil. To which the owner replied "I know" and the marshal said "OK" and allowed the car to continue racing. The amount of oil left on the floor under that fiat and beetle was unbelievable.

The beetle is my car. you have missed out i also went up to the marshal and told him the problem had been sorted, a over fill of the dry sump system which untill you use full revs you have no idea of how full it is.
I oil under the car was a direct result of the over fill and as you can see from some of the pic's a spill kit was used to clear as much of the oil up.
I race the beetle and it has passed msa inspection at ever race meeting i have raced at.
as all the cars come along the line we gave a quick look over each one, if the car is driven to the event and is legal then i think its safe to drive it up the hill.
This year we said no to any none road legal cars except the guest cars, this is a purely to comply with the rules Prescott lay down. we have to give Prescott a list of all the guest cars at the start of the day.

[HoTWire]

Also there wasn't oil under the fiat.. it was a water pipe that broke.

[mechagran]

[Frankenhealey]

Sadly I had to miss RRG13 but looking over the posts and considering the number of cars they got through both Mr. Bstardchild and Mr. Judgie did the same storming job they did at RRG12. My only comment is that you might like to consider booking the hill cars before the event like you do the camping. It's a bit more bureaucratic but it should make things go smoother on the day. People could turn up to the office with their licence and MOT to be checked against the info on their their hill permission slip and the idea of clipping the slip to control the number of runs also has a lot of merit. I know that this might not be the Retro Rides 'way' but as this event continues to grow then more systems will need to be put in place to control it.

Even though I wasn't there it's giving me a lot of pleasure to read about it so thanks and respect to all involved

[jamesmurray]

My feedback.

I joined the signing on queue at about 08:15. It all went as advertised and I signed on shortly after 09:30. I paid up for the morning session.

The marshalling seemed to work well and I got four enjoyable runs up the hill. 

If there are more cars wanting runs than places in the sessions, perhaps limit to three runs? The earlier suggestion of stamping a ticket or similar seems reasonable.

I do find that helmets being prohibited is very strange, but if that's Prescott's rules, then there we go.

Watching the afternoon session, it did seem like the recovery of the MX5 that entered the gravel on Pardon hairpin took too long, although I'm not quite sure why. There also appeared to be some time lost sweeping gravel back onto the track by Ettore's bend.
So perhaps, with the shortness afternoon session, it would be worth understanding what the hold-ups were and how to streamline them for next year?

Compared to drag racing though, there's a LOT less downtime at Prescott....

Overall a great day out - thanks to the organisers and marshalls and I hope to be along next year.

James Murray
(mk2 Cortina estate)

[anden]

in some ways I agree that less modern stuff running the hill allocations would have its benefits. However the whole 'one scene' approach of retro rides gathering is what attracted me to it in the first place so feel its best left as is.

I ran the afternoon session and only got two runs in, which at £15 a run felt steep, I did thoroughly enjoy it though. Some more info as to how the lane and filtering system shouldve been given in the briefing as there were cars in the afternoon session jumping back into different queues, no idea if they got more runs in or not. I had no idea how the logic of who's go it was next worked.

pen marking the screen each time you ran would be a nice idea.

Convoy run was a stroke of genius too

[mechagran]

I took my 924 up in I think, 2008 or 2009. It seemed like the ones in the morning got more (I think I only had 2 morning session that time) so I think from an non driver's perspective this year it looked very well organised. Well done Chaps!

[Mark]

Maybe folk that want to take their cars on the hill could pre register and an equal number of runs be issued? A token is then issued and handed to a marshal prior to each run? On the morning of the event, those people that have registered could present their MOT, insurance etc and then their run tokens could be issued? It's an idea anyway.

Maybe runs per car should be limited anyway, in the quest for fairness? Maybe people could also just bear in mind, that by having 6 or 7 runs they are stopping other people getting a go? Mind you, the token system would stop that anyway.

It seems there were more 'offs' this year, than last? Maybe people were getting a bit carried away and trying a bit too hard? It's all too easy to get caught up in the moment I guess? Especially if you've not been on a track before.

General consensus is that it was a brilliant weekend and the organisers, marshals and Prescott Hill staff all deserve our thanks.

[claymore]

I was one of the first, and had two quick runs, (I don't understand if people know when the session starts why are they not in line ready to go before 10 o'clock) , then at the end of the sessions as a lot of the cars went back to the stands I got another run in, I didn't take anybodies spaces, it's just the way it worked out.

[Huzey]

I was in the afternoon session!! I was a but disappointed to start with sitting there waiting and waiting for cars, my 1st run had a red flag half way up because a green mini decided he wanted to go off, (if he didnt push infront of me in the que - id have had 2 good runs) i had one 'fruity' session, and one lap with all the cars.

Was well organised! I know you cant account for cars going off, shame it was all in the afternoon. On that basis, i cant see limiting it to 50 in the afternoon.... as if it was 70 again next year... It may run all smooth like the morning session did??

Now for the 'modern' car effort. I agree, and disagree.. I'm on the limit, being a 93 on a K (altho quite modded with 200ish bhp too) (and argument is the mx came out in 89 lol) but there were a few 'normal' cars. Few stood out, merc with funny roof, and a boy in a R plate saxo - stripped interior is as far as it went. Kept revving car in pits - on mine
But... As stated, there were ALOT more retro than 'modern' . . . so i think ya'll done well regulating it a bit!!

That was my 2p lol
Keep up the good work, see you next year!!!!

[slot]

I never really considered half of what has been written here !
But as a RRG newbie I thoroughly enjoyed the day on and off the track, I suppose the old chestnut known as 'all of the people all of the time' springs to mind this year and probably the next !
But for what its worth?, 18/08/13 was some pretty fine Cat Nip
Dave

[garaculas]

I thoroughly enjoyed taking my Integra up the hill on Sunday, apologies if anyone thought it was too modern. She's a 1998 but i always thought RRG was pre-2000, or that is the impression i had.. I've been attending Retro Rides for a number of years now and its by far my favorite car day of the year. Finally had a chance to take my car up the hill and honestly had one of the best days ive had in a very long time.

As soon as i got in the door i hoped in the queue straight away to ensure that i booked some time on the hill. Decided to take the afternoon slot after the rain before i wanted a good dry track and didnt want to risk it on a damp track in the morning. Had i of known the amount of cars going on the later session, and the session being shorter, i would of opted for a morning slot.

That being said the marshalls were REALLY friendly and nice to talk to, everyone i spoke to from the RRG team seemed really nice and really made me feel at home. Would of loved to get some more runs in so maybe less cars allowed to sign up would be a better idea...?

I too felt some of the modern stuff spoilt it a bit but then i guess you could say my Integra is too modern...? She's far from a standard car under the skin though so felt i would atleast put on a reasonable display for the spectators

Really, really enjoyed myself overall and hoping to attend again next year. Would LOVE to go up the hill again if you're allowing pre-2000s, if not then taking my Integra up Prescott at RRG will be a very fond memory of mine for many years to come.