What does it take to get into doing something like this? Maybe I've just been watching too much Initial D....

http://www.ccrscca.com/2011/04/28/the-tail...agon-hillclimb/

Has anyone else ever done any hillclimbs? My car is woefully inadequate for something like this, but it looks like an interesting long term proposition to get into. This is a few hours from where I live, some of you guys in Atlanta probably know all about the tail of the dragon.

But what kind of preparation level do events like this normally require? Are these kinds of things open to amateurs? Do you need SCCA licenses?

I can always contact them and ask, but I was specifically curious if any of you guys have ever dabbled in anything like this, especially since I've got a lot of other things on my plate (school, etc) for the next couple of years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkFKyyF860E

Looks like a BLAST..

Those used to be called 'Solo I' or 'high-speed solo', which meant solo events where the speed could exceed 70 MPH. We used to run one of those here in Texas at the Texas World Speedway. It was put on by the Texas A&M Sports Car Club. It was awesome fun, and you got to really wring out the car. It was great fun crossing the start/finish line in my 71 Trans Am at redline, or beating my co-driver in his 75 Trans Am simply because I was second driver and the car had NO brakes for the last half of my run.

The SCCA has renamed those 'hill climbs' and have moved those events under the Club Racing umbrella. In short, yes, you'll need to have a car that'll pass a certain level of tech over and above normal autocross tech, and I believe you have to have a SCCA racing license. I have no clue specifically what all is involved, and the SCCA web site is wadded up right now. I'd hop on that Region's forum, and search, or join and ask:

http://ccrscca.proboards.com/

Knox Mountain here in Alberta runs full rollcage only: http://www.knoxmtnhillclimb.ca/

And obviously the most famous: http://www.ppihc.com/

Okay, I know AB is the new Center of the Universe now that Mayor Ford has embarrassed the whole country, but Knox Mountain has moved there too?

I used to want to run the Virginia City HC, but after 7yrs of ORR I realized that what really got me going, more than the sheer speed, was to chase another car down and pass it - then I switched to RR to satisfy that bug. HC now looks just crazy dangerous to me. I've driven at least 2 off in most corners of the tracks that I have raced on, quite a few 4 off. Do that most anywhere on a HC and the car is wrecked and you're hurt or dead.

In the linked video, the surface looks bumpy as hell, and the wheel is so twitchy that the driver is close to overdriving it. His shoulder harnesses are loose, so if he did impale a rock wall or tree it would not go very well for him. The impact safety in a HC car needs to be more carefully thought out and executed than a RR car.