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As posted from TVR/TAC website:
There is no official set of rules or regulations to go by, just a lot of experience locked in brain matter but I will try an place into some sort of writing what to look for but keep in mind everyone has an opinion and nowadays with so many events to go to in SEDIV to find the "special" place can result in a lot of work and in terms that became apparent a week ago can come crashing down as something that can hurt to the core.
What is considered a hillclimb - well you would hope some mountain road with lots of twisty curves with elevation change and the shaking of your hands at the end of a run as your adrenaline spikes. Again there are those who like the trees and rocks by the road and some who do not because they may hit them and destroy a car. You'll know a few years into a venue who likes it and who doesn't. ALL VENUES have problems even the parking lot kind there is no 100% safe venue as you know we have had our own grief in the past but very few of you remember the photographer killed 20 some odd years ago working at Bainbridge - fast car/go off course/wet grass (enough said).
So we have found the greatest hillclimb course in Alabama - whats next?
Who lives on the road or is along the route - is it a unused road? Does it connect with some other street? Park settings sometimes help in that if there are several roads then the closing of one may not hamper local traffic. County roads that need closing must have approval with the local County Commission or governing body. A park may be easier in some aspects but the State Comission that controls the park may have sayso on the closing so there maybe more redtape envolved.
In the internet age we have the ability to look on Goggle maps from above and think we have a possible site to look at but we need to remeber that if you post something on a thread then what information do we really have? Pavement conditions do vary with some counties they may have no money to properly maintain the road plus we saw that last year Jackson County repaved 33 with tar and gravel - not the best thing to have eh? Maps on the internet may not be up-to-date also,,,so what do you do? If you have a suggestion take a video camera and make a video of the area you would like us to look at. Take into consideration how many houses/land owners are along the route - the fewer the better.
Paddock area - Crow was fortunate to have the world's biggest Hillclimb paddock - the paddock should not be very far from the start line. Smooth and somewhat level is a premium and rocky uneven ground does not bode well for happy hillclimbers.
Turn around at the finish area - something for the drivers to turn their cars around (not all racecars have reverse), and enough room to line up the cars for the descent down the hill after the runs are finished in that group.
Corner stations - the most vital part - the corner stations need some sort of area for their base. Crow utilized several types from the inside of turn to small areas overlooking the course. Those stations were linked by radio and many were in line of site. The more height and more obstructions may cause interference in radios but that subject is left for "testing" of communications well before the event.
Road conditions - also very important. Newly paved is nice but you want to have the pavement without areas of broken pot holed areas. Something Goggle can't show is the "yumps" - you and your daily driver may be fine on the road at 40mph but imagine at 3K pound GT1 blasting over a yump at 100+ mph going airborne. There are hillclimbs that have some of the short jumps but again it is a safety concern and each situation has to be looked at.
A big plus - can this event benefit the local economy? If we could keep 30 and above entries and 100 some odd workers that will help something in the area wouldn't you think? And if the event becomes more successful you may be asked for more than one event (see Robbinsville, NC).
We also look into Fire/Rescue/Ambulance and Wrecker Service - which all must be in attendance
Food Service - also a big consideration you need to feed workers and entrants. If I came from 8 hours away and I find out I need to bring my food or drink does that help or hinder? Same thing for a worker.
Spectators - something else to think about, where do they park? If you have spectators where do they go to watch? Do you have a bus or hayride or something to get them in place?
Toliets? Garbage cans? Clean-up before and after the event? Traffic control?
I'm just getting started..............
And there is more - the site must be inspected by an SCCA TT licensed site inspector - you gots any? Well I know of some! But the big thing is that this is not as easy as getting sites used for AX/RX/TT/RR - Unless you know of a private owned hillclimb road that you could pay rent on. You find the right site and you can make something special - it does have it rewards but it is a lot of work.
There is no official set of rules or regulations to go by, just a lot of experience locked in brain matter but I will try an place into some sort of writing what to look for but keep in mind everyone has an opinion and nowadays with so many events to go to in SEDIV to find the "special" place can result in a lot of work and in terms that became apparent a week ago can come crashing down as something that can hurt to the core.
What is considered a hillclimb - well you would hope some mountain road with lots of twisty curves with elevation change and the shaking of your hands at the end of a run as your adrenaline spikes. Again there are those who like the trees and rocks by the road and some who do not because they may hit them and destroy a car. You'll know a few years into a venue who likes it and who doesn't. ALL VENUES have problems even the parking lot kind there is no 100% safe venue as you know we have had our own grief in the past but very few of you remember the photographer killed 20 some odd years ago working at Bainbridge - fast car/go off course/wet grass (enough said).
So we have found the greatest hillclimb course in Alabama - whats next?
Who lives on the road or is along the route - is it a unused road? Does it connect with some other street? Park settings sometimes help in that if there are several roads then the closing of one may not hamper local traffic. County roads that need closing must have approval with the local County Commission or governing body. A park may be easier in some aspects but the State Comission that controls the park may have sayso on the closing so there maybe more redtape envolved.
In the internet age we have the ability to look on Goggle maps from above and think we have a possible site to look at but we need to remeber that if you post something on a thread then what information do we really have? Pavement conditions do vary with some counties they may have no money to properly maintain the road plus we saw that last year Jackson County repaved 33 with tar and gravel - not the best thing to have eh? Maps on the internet may not be up-to-date also,,,so what do you do? If you have a suggestion take a video camera and make a video of the area you would like us to look at. Take into consideration how many houses/land owners are along the route - the fewer the better.
Paddock area - Crow was fortunate to have the world's biggest Hillclimb paddock - the paddock should not be very far from the start line. Smooth and somewhat level is a premium and rocky uneven ground does not bode well for happy hillclimbers.
Turn around at the finish area - something for the drivers to turn their cars around (not all racecars have reverse), and enough room to line up the cars for the descent down the hill after the runs are finished in that group.
Corner stations - the most vital part - the corner stations need some sort of area for their base. Crow utilized several types from the inside of turn to small areas overlooking the course. Those stations were linked by radio and many were in line of site. The more height and more obstructions may cause interference in radios but that subject is left for "testing" of communications well before the event.
Road conditions - also very important. Newly paved is nice but you want to have the pavement without areas of broken pot holed areas. Something Goggle can't show is the "yumps" - you and your daily driver may be fine on the road at 40mph but imagine at 3K pound GT1 blasting over a yump at 100+ mph going airborne. There are hillclimbs that have some of the short jumps but again it is a safety concern and each situation has to be looked at.
A big plus - can this event benefit the local economy? If we could keep 30 and above entries and 100 some odd workers that will help something in the area wouldn't you think? And if the event becomes more successful you may be asked for more than one event (see Robbinsville, NC).
We also look into Fire/Rescue/Ambulance and Wrecker Service - which all must be in attendance
Food Service - also a big consideration you need to feed workers and entrants. If I came from 8 hours away and I find out I need to bring my food or drink does that help or hinder? Same thing for a worker.
Spectators - something else to think about, where do they park? If you have spectators where do they go to watch? Do you have a bus or hayride or something to get them in place?
Toliets? Garbage cans? Clean-up before and after the event? Traffic control?
I'm just getting started..............
And there is more - the site must be inspected by an SCCA TT licensed site inspector - you gots any? Well I know of some! But the big thing is that this is not as easy as getting sites used for AX/RX/TT/RR - Unless you know of a private owned hillclimb road that you could pay rent on. You find the right site and you can make something special - it does have it rewards but it is a lot of work.
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