Jaguar has implemented a few new tweaks for the 2017 Knysna Hillclimb which will once again return to the infamous hill around Simola Golf Resort from the 4-7 May.
Jaguar’s support of the Knysna Hillclimb for the fourth consecutive year has not only ensured the good health of the sport, but has been a hive of activity for new model launches, most recently the F-Pace and Project7.
VIP competitors for the eighth edition of the Knysna Hillclimb will have already received their invitations – a treasured guarantee when one remembers how quickly the 2016 pitlane reached maximum capacity.
“Despite the invitation list being relatively small, we’ve already had a large number of competitors confirming their places for the 2017 Jaguar Simola Hillclimb, including many of the high-profile entrants and a couple of our past Hillclimb champions,” says Geoff Goddard, the event’s Sporting Director.
“With just 60 places available for Classic Car Friday, and a maximum of 84 for King of the Hill which takes place on the Saturday and Sunday, we always receive far more applications than we can accommodate,” he adds. “Our focus is on putting together the very best show we can with the most exciting and diverse range of cars and drivers that you will find at one race weekend.”
Starting now, the second rotation of invitations will run until 25 January s competitors will be able to lodge an expression of interest to enter. International competitors from the US and UK are expected to bring their machines along, adding that little bit of variety and flavour to an event that already possesses that in droves.
And Jaguar has clearly listened to the gripes about classes which previously lumped every type of vehicle into King of the Hill. That method used to work six years ago but now with bespoke racing cars coming up against highly modified production cars in the same category, Knysna Hillclimb began to lose sight of its original appeal and left worthy competitors unacknowledged.
“For next year, there will be three distinct categories for King of the Hill which allows cars of similar type and performance to compete against each other, which should make the racing even more exciting,” Goddard says.
Aside from the established class finals, catering for the various types of road and race cars, there will be separate Top 10 Shootouts for Road and Supercars, Single-seaters and Sportscars, as well as Racing Saloon Cars. Each category will carry the same level of importance and stature.
