KNYSNA NEWS - The 16th edition of the Simola Hillclimb takes place from 30 April to 3 May, and it promises more excitement and thrills than ever before.
The fact that it also coincides with the Workers’ Day public holiday on Friday 1 May, makes it more accessible and enables fans to make the most of the long weekend by attending South Africa’s premier motoring and motorsport lifestyle event.
Spectators will have their first chance to see the iconic Classic Car Friday cars and competitors up close at the Fan Fest on Thursday 30 April in Hedge Street, Knysna, from 09:00 to 14:30. This is followed by the popular Classic Car Parade along Waterfront Drive from 14:45 to 15:15, which is free and open to the public.
The competitive action for Classic Car Friday kicks off at 08:00 with three practice runs on the 1.9km Simola Hill course, leading to three qualifying rounds. Fans will be treated to a variety of lunchtime entertainment, including the tyre-decimating Monster Drift Taxi driven by Jim McFarlane, along with demonstration runs by manufacturer partners featuring their latest cars and motorcycles.
The top three finalists from the qualifying rounds compete for honours in the Class Finals, followed by the all-or-nothing Top 10 Shootout to crown this year’s Classic Conqueror. Prize-giving commences at the start line straight after the final shootout has been completed.
The Fan Fest and scrutineering for the King of the Hill competitors continues on Friday, leading to the thrilling King of the Hill parade from 17:15 to 17:45.
The opening action of the mighty King of the Hill challengers starts at 09:00 on Saturday with four practice runs for teams to familiarise themselves with the hillclimb course and refine the setup of their cars, followed by the lunchtime break and entertainment. The intensity ramps up with three qualifying rounds to finish off the first day.
On Sunday, the Simola Hill comes alive again with a morning warm-up and the final three qualifying runs. The lunchtime break and entertainment resets the scene before the top three challengers in each class battle it out for glory in the Class Finals.
Then it’s on to the nail-biting Top 10 Shootouts for the three King of the Hill categories - Road Cars and Supercars; Modified Saloon Cars; and the Single Seaters, Sports Cars and Sports Prototypes. Prize-giving takes place at the start line on conclusion of the shootouts.
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