Racers start your engines.
The Empire Hill Climb will embark up notorious Wilco Hill Road Saturday as hundreds of racing enthusiasts gather to celebrate God’s greatest creation – Race cars – and Empire.
“This year’s event, everything is going to plan at the moment,” Empire Hill Climb Director Paul Skinner said.
The event will have upwards of 50 cars competing.
Course officials are optimistic about good weather leading up to the event.
Skinner is back at the Empire Hill Climb after having quadruple bypass surgery a week before last year’s event.
“(This year) makes every hour, every meeting worth while,” Skinner said. “To see the way the event engages with the residents and visitors that know Empire because of the Asparagus Festival and the Hill Climb makes it all more worth while.”
First cars roar up the hill at 10 a.m. with very short breaks in between several classes or divisions of cars. There will be a lunch break around 1 p.m. before resuming and wrapping up around 4:30 to 5 p.m. with an awards presented after.
On Friday, spectators are welcome to visit the tech inspection at Johnson Park.
The Empire Hill Climb are still looking for volunteers.
“We need volunteers ... Volunteer go to the Facebook page. You will receive a free t-shirts, sandwhich and all drinks,” Skinner said. “This event keeps Empire a little bit different as it always will be.”
Colin MCleery of Zeeland has been coming up to the hill climb for the past nine years.
“(The Empire hill Climb) is a fun day and a nice event. It’s well run, relaxing, but good competition,” McCleery said.
The race was run from 1964 to 1980 until 2014 when it jumped back to life by Skinner and other locals. The Empire Hill Climb returned to a shorter course, which is now 0.4 miles because of residential development. Each driver in the field gets two sets of runs up the challenging Wilco Road with three runs in each set. The competition gives participants six chances to set their best time. Hundreds of spectators watch from the hillside, shaded in the wood and elevated above the action by about 20 feet. Fans watching the race have clear views of turns two and six on Wilco Road. Front Street in downtown Empire will feature all of the participating race cars for public viewing.
McCleery races up Wilco with a 25-year-old 5.0 V8 powered Merkur Ford.
“The length of the course is short, however it means no room for errors or mistakes,” McCleery said.
McCleery and his wife will come rent a cottage and make it a weekend with friends.
“You have to attack (Wilco Road) from first chance,” McCleery said. “There’s a great variation of vehicles that enter.”
The Empire Hill Climb is still looking for volunteers to help with race day. For more information on how to help register at https://www.motorsportreg. com/events/empire-hill-climbvolunteers- wilco-road-sccadetroit- 601986 or email paulskinner@ charternet.com or dstone@ mmaline.com
