Those attending Mog MMV at Gaydon (and have paid) will get
the opportunity to drive up Prescott hillclimb.
(Believed to have a few spaces on the day)
Please note that Prescott is situated in a very rural area, with narrow roads and a 30 mile an hour limit in the nearest village, Gotherington. The possibility of encountering horse riders is also quite high. Please preserve the good name of the MSCC and the owners of the hillclimb, the Bugatti Owners Club.
I write this guide in the aim of helping those unfamiliar with Prescott to drive and enjoy the course, in the knowledge that few will get the chance to walk the course. If you do get the chance - take it. I accept no responsibility for taking or not taking the advise given here. If at any point I advocate caution or imply it, I really mean it.
I would think that all who have a “drive the hill” ticket will be required to enter by the competitors entrance, via the lane on the right, after the main entrance (also on the right) as approaching from the Cheltenham direction. Do check with the directions given by the MSCC at the time.
The object in hillclimbing is to get to the top in the quickest time. To do this, you need to avoid errors, especially those that cause crashes. As one veteran hillclimber put it, to get a time, you need to stay on the black stuff. However the aim at Mog MMV is to enjoy yourself and not damage anything. No timing.
I do not know how well this event will be marshaled, but it is reasonable to assume not to the same standard as a normal competition meeting. Therefore do not assume you can go blindly round a corner at full chat, unless convinced otherwise. I’m assuming that the flag signals will be used, probably only the one, the red. If you see this STOP! But be prepared to move out of the way, in case (heaven forbid) first aid help etc needs to get past.
Note the hill was resurfaced early in the year, and is like a lot of new tarmac slippery in places. Therefore if you have driven it before, but not this year, do not assume the level of grip is as before.
Prescott Hill.
Length 1127 yards
Click for a map of Prescott in a new window (adjust to suit yourself)
The start.
Depends on what car and what state of tune. Sensibly by all means make the quickest
get away you can, without doing anything unfamiliar. It is quite probable that
experienced competitors will indulge in a bit of wheel spin. Plus 8s need less
wheelspin than 4/4’s since the power comes in much lower down the rev range.
However a crossflow 4/4 might well need the clutch dumped at 4000 rpm. In other
words what you are happy with. The line away from the start is fairly obvious,
going into a mild right hander so mild that it does not even figure on the maps.
Orchard
The first corner of note is sweeping left hand “Orchard”. Assuming good tyres,
and good marshalling (see earlier) a standard 4/4 up to and including a CVH
engine ought to be able to get round Orchard flat out, just. My three wheeler
was definitely flat out, but Plus 8s and Aeros will need to exercise increased
caution as they will be going a lot faster. You need to enter fairly well out,
but aiming to exit on the middle, as it all too easy for the inexperienced to
run wide, and end up in the middle of the crossover.
Ettores
The next bend the right hand hairpin “Ettores” is the first bend to usually
really catch people out with any regularity. You need to shed a lot of speed,
since even a standard 4/4 will be motoring quite quickly by now, the bend itself
is quite tricky, and judging a suitable breaking point can be difficult. There
is a gravel trap on the outside, but I would not advise needing it! Ettores
tightens up as you go round and has a pronounced left-hand kink on the exit.
Therefore you cannot simply apply power all the way round as you would do with
an ideal bend. As soon as you are able to straight-line to the left-hand “Pardon”
hairpin. There is room to use third on tuned or later 4/4s but only just. Anything
that has a gear that will pull and go from “Ettores” to “Pardon” without overreving
use it. My three wheeler has, and I suspect some Plus 8s have. The exit to this
bend has been reported as noticeably more slippery than before.
Pardon
“Pardon” is tricky. Almost any live axled car should drive round the outside.
Wheelspin is almost inevitable, and the action of a LSD in other than a straight
line can be interesting. The inside line is for some really old cars, three
wheelers and those with independent rear suspension. If you take this route
at any speed, you do need to consider the changes in camber, know where you
are going and what you will do. If you take the outside, you can go just fast
enough to use second. Use of first on anything with some go in it, will equal
smoke, noise and perhaps axle tramp. Once you have got going from “Pardon” there
is short straight before the first bend that make up the “Esses”.
The Esses
For many, other than the quickest it is possible to drive most of the first
right hander without touching the brakes. However to do this you need to be
able to put the brakes on in or just after a bend as you will not make the left
hander. Guaranteed, even if your last name is Schumacher! Although it will hopefully
not be a consideration, if it has been wet, the “Essses” are the last place
to dry out. The next part of the “Esses” will have you wishing that Morgans
had touring car suspension. The last right hander has rumble strip (actually
angled paving slabs!) on the inside. Needless to say you would want to straight
line this bend. It can be done a little bit, but the attempt is not recommended
for a non competitive event (you stand a real chance of bending a stub axle
if you get this wrong - or worse). The last part of the “Esses” the last left
hander needs an entry to the right of the track and a tight exit. Don’t get
this wrong and scrape the Armco as I did once. Success in doing this puts on
the right part of the track for the short straight to semi- circle.
Semi-Circle
I’m not going to say much about driving this bend other than you need an outside
(ish) entry to try and ease this bend. Discretion is the better part of valour,
and there is nothing on the outside. There is a tree that makes a convenient
end of bend marker, but you will need to observe this for yourself (Prescott
has lots of trees!). Finally a quick blast across the line and that is it. Immediately
past the line you will need to slow right down.
The return road is also a bridleway along part of its length and horses can often be encountered. Needless to say they should be give right of way (as if you’d do otherwise!). From here slowly and quietly make your way back into the paddock. Vocal cars note, it is all downhill to the paddock and it is quite normal to turn the engine off - I do.
Other stuff
Noise
Prescott does have noise worries, and was actually the reason that hill climbs
now have noise limits. (There is a house high up, nearly 3 miles away, where
at 3 miles, a road car at Prescott exceeded race car noise limit for 0.5 metre!).
Any standard car will have no worries, and it is unlikely any sensibly modified
car will have either. However I would urge against the making of unnecessary
noise.
Tyre pressures
If you are going for it, you probably want more air in the tyres. Competitors
will have their views, and not all agree, so I won’t suggest anything other
than making sure the pressures are what you normally run - early that morning.
You can then let the resultant pressure rise with temperature do the rest.
Attire
Helmets are not compulsory! But if you are, the wearing of a jacket or overalls
is very sensible (no bare arms etc)
Fuel
You should not be running so little fuel that this event causes you to run out
before getting back to Gaydon. However, competitive mpg is horrendous. Mine
is about 8 mpg (from a normal of 25 mpg). So do have enough! However you do
not want too much as petrol is heavy!
Want to do more?
There should be a number of people who compete there. Some cars are a bit obvious
(roundels on the doors etc). As far as I am concerned, I’ll gladly help with
getting started advice if asked, but do see here
and the Prescott
Hillclimb School
What ever you do, however slow or fast you go, enjoy yourself.
© Martyn Culling 2001 revised 2005 www.slidingpillar.co.uk/
Reproduction is free for members of the Morgan Sports Car Club, the Morgan
Three Wheeler Club and the Bugatti Owners Club and their friends for non commercial
purposes. The illustration used is copyright to the BOC, and as such I cannot
give permission for its use (and if they moan, I'll have to draw my own!).