The annual Festival of Speed by Auto 66 was to be something special this year to celebrate the Clubs 50th Anniversary, originally we intended to have a classic car rally and trade show plus the annual bike and car hillclimb. Unfortunately the Tour de Yorkshire has taken over at Oliver’s Mount on the Sunday afternoon which means the club has had to reschedule its programme. The plan was to run the car hillclimb on the Saturday and the bikes on the Monday then to postpone the car classic event to a date later in the year yet to be agreed, unfortunately with the rescheduling the car event clashes with a number of similar events in the country which has reduced the entry and leaves the club with no option but to cancel Saturdays car hillclimb. The club faces a loss of nearly £6000 through cancelling and rescheduling parts of these events.

The motorcycle hillclimb on the Monday 2nd May for the first time in its history has over 100 entries ranging from vintage Velocette, new imperial machines through to classic, which again has attracted a good selection of machinery from MV, Ducati’s, Norton’s and Moto Guzzi.

Two of last year’s champions, Len Auckland from Staxton and Neil Waterhouse from Grimsby have entered again this year. After a year out of the sport making a welcomed return to Oliver’s Mount is Sam Matthewman from York who will ride a Suzuki 1000 in the open class he will also ride in the Trike class on a Suzuki Hyabusa, there has also been a good entry been received for the Moto X and Super moto class. The event also includes a class for scooters which has attracted nearly a dozen competitors which include 3 Vespa and the rest are Lambretta.

Spectators will be able to park in the main car park up from the golf club and all motorcycles will be directed to the main paddock area where they will be asked to park in paddock C where there is hard standing for their machines.

Admission for the day will be Adults £10.00 accompanying children 15 and under will be free as will parking. The event commences with practice at 10am followed immediately with the timed runs up the notorious Quarry Hill part of the race circuit, everyone with tickets will be allowed free access to the competitors paddock and start area where there are refreshments and toilets available.