The sixth annual Bellefontaine Hill Climb Revival returns from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, to Corkscrew Hill in Zanesfield.
A reenactment with this year’s cars climbing Corkscrew Hill as they did when the event began 70 years in 1953 will kick off the event.
The race will be live streamed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m for public viewing at the Holland Theatre.
A 3 p.m. car show on Court Street will allow the public to see this year’s car entries up close and provide an opportunity to meet some of the drivers. The show is free to the public and DORA will be in effect during the event.
The Logan County Engineer’s Office reports the event will impact traffic. County Road 153 will be restricted to one lane from Township Road 147 west to County Road 28; County Road 28 will be closed from the intersection of County Road 153 south to County Road 29 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Deputies of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office will be directing traffic at the event site throughout the day.
Residents will have access to their homes throughout the event, with slight delays to allow safe entrance and egress. Through traffic will be restored at 5 p.m. as the Hill Climb event concludes. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes.
A little history
Vintage sports cars gathered each summer from 1953 to 1974 at Corkscrew Hill in an exhibition of speed and daring in a race to the top. Corkscrew Hill Was one of the steepest grades on the Sports Car Club of America calendar, challenging drivers and machinery alike.
The Hill Climb event was revived in 2019 and is thriving as a tribute to the original event drawing many makes and models from the original era such as MG, Triumph, Porsche, Alfa Romeo, Austin Healey, Corvette and Camaro, along with a select number of modern cars to showcase what the Hill Climb would be like today.
Although the race is run on a hill in Zanesfield, the event was called “Bellefontaine Hill Climb” at it’s inception because Bellefontaine is the state’s highest point and because the event was originally kicked off with a parade from the Logan County Fairgrounds in the city to Corkscrew Hill.
New era adds new stories, memories
A number of interesting stories are born with each Bellefontaine Hill Climb Revival. It is family event in many ways.
Team Notarmuzi is a family affair with father, Lance, and sons Lance Jr. and Gino, bringing three Miatas that compete in autocross events around the area.
Logan County residents, the Scovanner family, and their Alfa Romeo have made eight appearances at the Hill Climb Revival with Lee Scovanner and son, John, driving the car the last few years.
This year the Silver Streak Alfa Romeo will make appearances nine and10 with Lee and his daughter, Melissa, driving, while John has shifted to his 1972 Alfa Romeo GTV for its inaugural visit.
Watch for Melissa in Run Groups 3 and 5, while Lee drives in Group 4.
The Siegel family drove “Dad’s 69” Mercedes Benz 280 SL in the first several Hill Climb Revivals, before son John brought his Porsche 944, leaving Dad, Jim alone in the Whitewall Class.
The Mercedes was purchased new by Jim’s Dad in 1969 passing into Jim’s care years back the Father/Son team made the car a part of the history of Corkscrew Hill. Jim and John Siegel run in Group 4.
356 Porsches have been a force at Corkscrew Hill since the inaugural Hill Climb in 1953 and were prevalent race entries throughout the 50s and 60s.
Bill Myers carries the torch in 2024 with his 1957 Porsche 356 Coupe. This car has been raced since the 1970s and is a key element to the Revival with five appearances.
Myers also creates all of the Hill Climb Revival logos, banners, and posters.
Some of the proceeds from the annual car enthusiast event will go to support the Logan County History Center and the Holland Theatre.
Bellefontaine Hill Climb Revival schedule
Saturday Aug. 24, Goshen Friends Church, 5527 County Road 153, Zanesfield:
• 7 a.m. — Registration and Tech, open until 11 a.m.
• 7:15 am — Volunteers’ meeting, church pavilion, equipment distribution.
• 8:15 a.m. — Driver’s meeting groups 1&2, church pavilion.
• 8:30 a.m. — National Anthem performed by Jimmie James Ibold.
• 8:45 a.m. — Group 1 WOR returns to Corkscrew Hill with current day autocrossers.
• 10 a.m. — Group 2 British Invasion small bore festival, Spridgets, Minis, TR, TD, the classics.
• 11 a.m. — Group 2 B TR6 Challenge, Big Healeys and Jaguars 6 cylinder spectacular.
• 11:15 a.m. — Driver’s meeting groups 3, 4, 5, church pavillion.
• 11:45 a.m. — Group 3 parade laps.
• Noon — Lunch break for volunteers, parade laps continue.
• 1 p.m. — Group 4 , The Germans — Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz.
• 2 p.m. — Registration opens for the Porsche Concours at the Holland Theatre (3-5 pm Porsche Concours Judging and awards. You can Participate in the Historic Hill Climb and the Porsche Concours).
• 2:45 p.m. — Group 5, Rods, Mods, Racers, Italians, Datsuns.
• 4:30 p.m. — Course teardown, clean up, all hands on deck.
• 4:45 pm — Hill Climb Cars parade into downtown for display at Holland Theatre.
• 5 to 8 p.m — Rewards Celebration and display of cars at the Holland Theatre, food by Six Hundred Downtown, DORA outdoor cocktails available in the theater.