By James Swift
If you have reached this page with the idea that you want to get into motorsports but not sure where you will end up, search no further. I have a car that I had built and just wanted to drive it. Public roads were not an option.
Having seen my first F1 race through the streets of Longbeach and those cars becoming the support races for Gran Prix events I would see years later, I decided to try to build something from the 70’s era, something of a replica car.
Once completing it, so to speak, people would ask, “what are you going to do with it?” “Don’t know “ I replied, “maybe I’ll try autocross or hillclimbing” “hillclimbing!! you know there are trees , guardrails and rocks right?” “Yeah, Yeah “ I said, and didn’t give it much thought, only thinking of driving my new creation.
Somehow I kept coming back to the notion of hillclimbing and looked at PHA’s page many times. Finally I emailed the president and spoke to him. After speaking to the president of the club, my buddy and I ended up at PHA’s first meeting of the year at Summit Point Motorsports Park in W. Virginia.
Pulling into the pits with my car on an open trailer, the relationship began. Immediately interested members were greeting me and wondering just what it was I had with me. All wished me sincere luck for the weekend. Turned out the car would pass the technical inspection for a track, but would require changes for a hillclimb. After a study of the SCCA hillclimb rule book and a few discussions , different elements were added to the roll bar system to get the car into compliance.
Turns out not many people attempt to build their own car from scratch, much less do the build and try to send it up a demanding hill. Who knew?? But I thrust myself into this place and I was going to succeed, at some level anyway.
It became obvious that this group was very close and all well known to each other, even singing happy b-day to a members teen at dinner Saturday night. This kid had been know to all from infancy.
Having had no prior racing experience of any kind it became obvious quite quickly that I had a lot to learn, co–driving the car made things even more difficult because each of us had to make adjustments on the fly that we where not ready for, really felt like a dumb ass , but was never made to feel like one, only help and support. Needless to say, my buddy and I had a blast trying the car out for the first time, I was hooked and I hadn’t even done a hill yet.!!
Once making my way to the first hill (weatherly), I found myself in the back of a pickup going up the hill with other novices, who in all likelihood had raced before but just never done weatherly which makes them a novice to that hill. WHOA!!This “hill” and it’s turns where mindblowing! WTF could’t believe what I was about to do.
Made my first pass in one piece completing it with a 1:07, with a thumbs up from the hill record holder. High praise that I did not expect. , I actually burst into tears. I had found something I didn’t even know I was looking for. Down at the bottom other drivers were telling me good job who where running mid 50”s and less, they where very kind but I knew I had work to do as a builder and a driver.
The cycle began, go to an event, come home, tear it apart and rebuild . In many cases the same things 2 or 3 times, suspension, wings, pedals, structural,etc. to the point that I have rebuilt the car to hang around with this thing.
Affectionately know as the effing new guy ,I made all the events on the 2023 calendar with this club. For the most part I would get the car there, but have some kind of issue not allowing me to complete the whole weekend and yes hitting a guardrail on the last day of the last event of 2023. Rebuild again!!
Today it seems I am a completely different person than that of the one who showed up at the Jefferson track in 2022 and still considered very green to hillcliming and saying they never thought they would see me again figuring I would quit..
So with the memory of the guardrail incident , I dragged my green ass down to Kentucky to run in the Pine Mountain Hillclimb 2 weeks ago. The event was promising 4 runs each day. I would have made all 8 if there had not been a timing issue and we had to quit early Saturday. For the most part the guardrail thing is now a distant memory and the car ran flawlessly. But what a hill! The best I could do was a 2:06 and I’m fine with that, because I know I left so much time on the table for next year when I go back even more improved as a driver.
The car and I have evolved, one member actually called it a race car, that meant so much. I have made the kind of friendships I never thought I would have at my age now.
Are there risks, of course, but it’s a matter of the risks you wish to take. Do people take it seriously, yes, but that does not stop them from being as down to earth as anyone else. Think of it as just getting in the car and doing some cornering
up a hill . A lot of fun!!
So, find a car, any car, return to this site and get all your questions answered, safety is paramount and you will be guided through. I will use the plural now with all pride, we will help you.
PS from the editor: James Swift was awarded 2023 PHA Rookie of the Year.
Excellent read! Your detailed account of modifying a 70’s era car for hillclimbing is both technically insightful and genuinely inspiring. I appreciate how you tackled the engineering challenges while embracing the learning curve of motorsports. Looking forward to more updates on your innovative journey!
Great read! Your journey of designing and fine-tuning a custom race car to meet SCCA hill climb standards is truly inspiring. The technical modifications and hands-on learning you describe perfectly capture the innovative spirit of hill climb racing. Kudos for sharing such a genuine and detailed experience!