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Knox Hill Climb set for another year

Popular and long-running event is ready for its 61st year in Kelowna
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One of last year’s participants in the annual Knox Mountain Hill Climb

It’s being billed as the longest running paved hill climb race in North America.

And the 61st running of the Leavitt Machinery Knox Mountain Hill Climb takes place May 19 to 20 this year

The hill climb attracts the top drivers from throughout B.C., Alberta and the Northwest United States who aim to tame the 3.5 kilometre (2.2 mile) stretch up Knox Mountain.

Racers will climb 245 meters (800 feet), negotiating a total of nine turns up an average incline of bottom to top for an average grade of 6.7 per cent.

Cars are run one at a time, each trying to reach the top in the lowest elapsed time. Drivers compete in various classes from open wheel formula cars to various sports cars and sedan classes including powerful high horsepower GT cars.

Each hopes to be crowned King of the Hill by earning the fasted time of the weekend. Each car gets one practice run and seven timed runs over the course of the weekend.

The hillclimb also supports two local charities, The Kelowna SPCA and the Sunshine Dreams for Kids. The Kids Cancer Care also raises funds through car rides up the mountain during the weekend event.

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