The roar of engines; the pulse of the beat…..gearing up for
the MAX BMW Ascutney Hill Climb event being held this weekend at Mt Ascutney. MAX BMX has rented the entire mountain so it is closed to all traffic except for the races.
Saturday are time trials practice runs and Sunday will be THE RACE!
Saturday are time trials practice runs and Sunday will be THE RACE!
Campers are streaming in with their toy haulers, or car
trailers or motorcycle laden with their camping gear on the back.
ROOKIES MEETING. Hope they have driven up Ascutney at least once before!
The MAX BMW team have set up tents at the
base for registration and orientation for the rookies who have not participated
in this hill climb before. Should be a noisy, exhilarating weekend!
AN AUSTRIAN BIKE WITH AN UNPRONOUNCEABLE NAME! THESE RACE AT DAYTONA ON THE FLAT 100.
BUILT ON A SUBARU CHASSIS. SHOULD SCREAM UP THE MOUNTAIN!
The New England Hill Climb Association, part of the Sports
Car Club of Vermont which includes sports car clubs in the surrounding areas, has a series of car hill
climb races.
That season kicks off at Mt Ascutney in May and journies around the area each month with Okemo in July and August and then back at Mt Ascutney September 14-16. Some of the cars participating in this race are going to compete in the September race and using this race as a strategic jump on the September race.
MAX BMW put it together for the motorcycles so we get two for one!
That season kicks off at Mt Ascutney in May and journies around the area each month with Okemo in July and August and then back at Mt Ascutney September 14-16. Some of the cars participating in this race are going to compete in the September race and using this race as a strategic jump on the September race.
MAX BMW put it together for the motorcycles so we get two for one!
August 25 ….woke up to
the sound of engines as the motorcycles and cars left their campsites
and headed down to the base of the mountain.
They are going up the mountain at one minute intervals for their
practice trials.
This will be the first time for this home built motorcycle/side car. The driver lies flat across the top, handlebars are on each side of the front wheel and the passenger leans from side to side to keep the bike fro tipping. Talked with the "passenger" after their run and he said they didn't know it was so bumpy; the carburetor bounced off! Little tweaking and they'll be ready to go again! The woman in the picture races a "rice rocket" up the mountain. They all look happy!
If there is a wreck
they flag everyone down. This is a hill
climb, 2,172’ up with sharp curves so the drivers have to stay alert to what’s
going on ahead of them. No barriers on
the sides of the road, just drop offs on one side and rocky walls on the
other. The engines are revved up and it
will be an all day event!
Loud is the word for the day. The motor cycle and cars were running up the mountain
in their practice time trials and visitors were streaming in to watch the
race. We had motorcycles and cars parked
across the street in the overflow parking.
Surprisingly little for us folks to do …. Just keep track and try to
direct parking out of the park. The MAX
BMW group who had rented the park were doing a fine job with the rest of it.
Came back from lunch to find the ambulance pulling into the
park. Apparently a motorcycle went over
on a driver and he was at the top of the hill being brought down by another ambulance
stationed up there. Come to find out it
was our CG neighbor. He went over and
the bike on top causing broken shoulder, ribs, collar bone. He was transported to hospital in Windsor and
then transferred to Dartmouth hospital in Hanover. The rest of his friends are still at the
campsite hoping for better days!
Took a picture of his bike the night they came in. Don't know what it looks like now, though!
ANTICIPATION IS EVERYTHING!!!!
0826 - DAY TWO AT THE RACES!
Today is race day after a day of time-trial practice runs. Each class is going up the mountain one-minute apart. They start out singular but probably at some point on some curve they start to bunch up!
Peace and quiet of our campground is shattered with the rumble of engines and straight pipes off the mufflers!
START LINE AT THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN!
LINING UP WAITING TO GO
GREAT EXPECTATIONS!
These guys are out of Providence RI. The driver is a championship racer in this home-made side-car kinda racer, his rider is from Arizona. His rider has to flop from one side of the vehicle to the other as the vehicle races up the mountain. The driver is flat across the front tires! It's quite a ride!!!
By five o'clock it will be quiet with only the rubber marks on the road as a reminder of the weekend!
LIFE IS GOOD IN VERMONT!
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