Weatherly Hillclimb brings like-minded competitors

The competition can be fierce, but drivers and fans at the Weatherly Hillclimb are drawn together by a love of speed.

The small town was filled with the sounds of racing engines as the first of two annual hill climb events took place this weekend.

Cars ranging from humble Volkswagen Golfs up to sleek single-seaters all had many shots up the mountain.

Some haul their cars in expensive trailers. Others drive to the hill in their race car, possibly switching to specialized tires which provide more grip.

“What’s great about this is you have everything from high-dollar guys to my friend who drives up from Philadelphia, changes his tires, then runs the course,” said Steve Olshefski, who came to watch with his dad.

The course is only a mile in length, but over that distance it rises 340 feet.

The drivers have the easy way up. Numerous fans also make their way up to the upper turns on the track to get a look at the cars as they climb.

For Diane Bower, the hill climb is a family activity. Her dad used to race a single-seat car based on a Volkswagen. She said Weatherly’s changes in grade, as well as a spot where the cars become airborne, are unlike any of the other six courses on the Pennsylvania. Hillclimb Association schedule.

“We don’t have anything like the jump anywhere else,” she said.

Unlike at Pocono Raceway, hill climb cars take on the course one at a time. Drivers compete against each other, but they’re also competing against themselves to get the best time.

“If I screw up, it’s 100 percent on me,” said Mike Robinson, of Perkasie. “On a track, you could be doing everything right, and get taken out.”

Of course pushing a car to 100 percent can often have some unpredictable results.

Jason Fraley from Wellsville once had to drive his Audi A3 home from a hill climb without second and fourth gear, making for a strange ride. He later decided to buy another A3 for the street and convert his old one into a race car.

But if a driver does experience mechanical problems, there’s usually a fellow competitor or competitors who helps them get the car back together.

Robinson, who drives a Corvette, and Fraley are competitive on the hill.

They compete the course within a few tenths of a second of each other. But they’re good friends off the track too.

“In the car it’s competitive,” Robinson said. “Once you’re out of the car, it’s like ‘What do you need?’ ” Robinson said.