Yorkshire Speed and Montague Burton Hillclimb 2026

The British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) Yorkshire Centre reached the halfway point of the 2026 Harewood Speed Hillclimb Championship following the Yorkshire Speed and Montague Burton Hillclimb meetings. After four previous rounds, competitors arrived at Harewood for another action-packed weekend, with championship battles tightening and class records falling.

A large contingent from the Northampton Motorsport Caterham & Lotus Seven Club Speed Championship and the Midland Speed Championship joined the regular Harewood competitors, producing a full entry of 150 drivers across both days.

With these two events complete, only the final Championship weekend on 26–27 September remains. Before then, Harewood hosts the Classic and Vintage Hillclimb on Sunday 23 August as part of the Vintage Sports Car Club calendar.

The season will conclude with the second running of Rallye Harewood on Saturday 12 December. The rally will use the familiar Harewood Hillclimb course but with a unique twist. Following practice and timed runs in daylight, competitors will tackle further practice and competitive runs after dark, subject to timings. The event is expected to attract rally and road cars equipped with auxiliary lighting rather than the specialist hillclimb machinery normally seen at Harewood. Neither event forms part of the Harewood Speed Hillclimb Championship.

Championship Battle Takes Shape

Reigning 2025 Harewood Speed Hillclimb Champion Adam Riley has yet to compete this season. Instead, he has been supporting his father-in-law, Doug Mitchell, whose Volkswagen Up helped secure last year’s championship. Riley’s absence means his remarkable run of five consecutive championship titles will end in 2026.

Among previous champions, only Dave Banner, winner of the 2000 title, appeared this weekend. Banner currently sits eighth in the standings while campaigning his Westfield Megabusa.

Heading into the weekend, Mark Teale led the Harewood Speed Hillclimb Championship in his rapid Suzuki Swift GTi. Gordon Riley, second overall in another Suzuki Swift, did not compete, leaving the door open for his rivals.

James Hudson returned to his turbocharged Honda S2000 after driving his Subaru Impreza in recent rounds, while Rob Spedding continued his impressive campaign in the Formula Ford-based Vector TF93K.

The Harewood Fastest Time of the Day (FTD) Award Series also remained finely balanced. Wallace Menzies, John Prickett in the Radical PR6 and Dave Banner all shared the lead on 20 points before the weekend began. British Hillclimb Championship contender Will Hall sat just two points behind.

Neither Menzies nor Hall competed at Harewood as both concentrated on their British Hillclimb Championship campaigns. That left Glyn Moignard, who travelled from the Channel Islands in his OMS 2000M, aiming to close the gap, while brothers Antony and Robin Wood continued their shared Force PT campaign.

Yorkshire Speed Hillclimb – Saturday

Saturday began under cloudy skies with a brisk wind, although the course remained dry throughout the day. Competitors completed two practice runs and one timed run before lunch, followed by two further timed runs in the afternoon.

The meeting produced two new class records.

Dave Banner lowered the long-standing Class 3F record for Modified Specialist Production, Kit, Replica and Space-Framed Cars up to 1800cc in his 1600cc Westfield Megabusa. The previous benchmark had stood since July 2022.

Chris Harrison also rewrote the record books, setting a new Class 4C record for Sports Libre Saloon and Sports Cars of any engine capacity in his Ford Escort Mk1.

Fastest Time of the Day went to Will Hamer, whose OMS 3000M stormed up the hill in 53.83 seconds. His brother Morgan Hamer finished just 0.01 seconds behind in the OMS28, highlighting how closely matched the pair were throughout the day. Dave Tatham completed the top three in his DJ Firehawk with a time of 54.40 seconds.

Montague Burton Hillclimb – Sunday

Sunday brought much brighter conditions with sunshine and very little wind. As on Saturday, competitors completed two practice runs and a timed run before lunch, followed by two more timed runs during the afternoon.

Drivers from the Northampton Motorsport Caterham & Lotus Seven Club Speed Championship remained in attendance, adding even more variety to the packed entry list.

Chris Harrison enjoyed another outstanding day. Having established a new Class 4C record on Saturday with a 61.96-second run, he returned on Sunday to lower the mark again, stopping the clocks at 60.26 seconds in his Ford Escort Mk1.

The championship battle also tightened further.

Mark Teale retained the championship lead in his Suzuki Swift GTi, although James Hudson’s strong performances in the Honda S2000 lifted him into second overall. Rob Spedding moved up to third in the Vector TF93K, while David Leach climbed into fourth in his Lotus Elise.

However, the title race remains far from settled. Dropped scores will be applied after the final championship weekend in September, meaning several drivers still have a realistic chance of lifting the 2026 Harewood Speed Hillclimb Championship.

Fastest Time of the Day Championship

Sunday’s Fastest Time of the Day honours went to Glyn Moignard, whose OMS 2000M recorded a superb 54.68-secondclimb.

Robin Wood finished second in the Force PT with 54.72 seconds, just 0.04 seconds behind the winner, while brother Antony Wood completed the podium with 56.10 seconds.

Dave Tatham’s challenge ended prematurely after fuel supply problems restricted him to a single practice run. Neither Will nor Morgan Hamer, who dominated Saturday’s FTD contest, appeared on Sunday’s entry list.

The results transformed the FTD Award Series standings.

Glyn Moignard now leads the championship by a single point. John Prickett and Robin Wood share second place on 30 points, while Dave Banner sits fourth, only two points further back. The Fastest Time of the Day title promises to be just as competitive as the overall Harewood Speed Hillclimb Championship.

Championship standings can be viewed here:

• Harewood Speed Hillclimb Championship after Round 6
• Harewood Fastest Time of the Day Award Series

Looking Ahead

With only the September finale remaining, both Harewood championships remain wide open. Mark Teale continues to hold the advantage in the overall championship, but James Hudson, Rob Spedding and several others remain firmly in contention once dropped scores are applied.

The Fastest Time of the Day Award Series is even closer, with just a handful of points separating the leading contenders. Every run at the final rounds could decide the destination of both titles.

Many thanks go to the BARC Yorkshire Centre for providing trackside access throughout the weekend. Equal thanks go to the volunteer marshals, medical teams, the Darlington & District Rescue Team, timekeepers and all the officials whose dedication allows Harewood Hill to host one of Britain’s finest hillclimb championships.

Remaining Harewood Hill events for 2026.

Key: Blue = Non-Harewood Championship events

• 23 August – Classic & Vintage (VSCC)
• 26 September – Greenwood Cup
• 27 September – Mike Wilson
• 12 December – Rallye Harewood

Harewood Speed Hillclimb Location.

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