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Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey 2016 – Report and Photos

1948 Talbot Lago T26C. Michael Casey-DiPleco
1948 Talbot Lago T26C.

The Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey 2016 was held June 10-11 on the roads leading to the historic Hotel Hershey in Pennsylvania. Staged in conjunction with The Elegance at Hershey Concours, the two-day Grand Ascent, a revival of the Hershey Hill Climb, featured more than 40 vintage cars racing against the clock.

The Grand Ascent at Hershey is a Vintage Sports Car Club of America (VSCCA)-sanctioned hill climb exhibition in the European tradition, where drivers piloted race cars up the historic back road to the Hotel Hershey. Modeled on similar events such as England’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and paying homage to long standing events such as Mount Equinox, the Grand Ascent relived the excitement of race cars storming up hill to test the mettle of the driver and the machine.

The Grand Ascent is a challenging hill climb. The narrow roadway is shaded with a canopy of mature trees that render the course almost tunnel-like. It is a very technical course narrow in width, rising 200 feet in a mere 0.7 of a mile with demanding twists and turns throughout its length.

Notable and interesting entrants in the 2016 running of the Grand Ascent at Hershey included the 1912 Mercedes Grand Prix; 1923 Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio; 1924 Bentley 3-Litre; 1927 Bugatti Type 37; 1948 Talbot-Lago T26C; 1952 Cunningham C3 Coupe and 1952 Allard J2X; among of host of specials. The agile 1958 Lotus 7 of Graham Long was the quickest entrant at the 4th annual VSCCA event led by David L. George.

Similar to 2014 and 2015, Sports Car Digest also documented the 2016 Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey, with photographer Michael DiPleco offering the following pictures capturing the historic race cars challenging the hill climb. We split up Michael’s images into two galleries. The first gallery starting below features our favorite images, while the second gallery can be found on the last page of the article and gives a comprehensive view of all the photographs.

Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery

 

1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider.
1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider.
1952 Cunningham C3.
Tom Cotter’s 1952 Cunningham C3
Hershey Kiss
Hershey Kiss
1935 Ford Amilcar.
1935 Ford Amilcar.

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1923 Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio.
1923 Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio.
1952 Allard J2X.
1952 Allard J2X.
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
Wayne Carini - Group 44 Triumph TR4.
Wayne Carini – Group 44 Triumph TR4.

 

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Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Two

 

1935 Ford Amilcar.
1935 Ford Amilcar.
1952 Allard J2X.
1952 Allard J2X.
The quickest man on the hill, Graham Long's Lotus 7.
The quickest man on the hill, Graham Long’s 1958 Lotus 7.
1948 Talbot Lago T26C
1948 Talbot-Lago T26C

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1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1927 Bugatti Type 37.
1927 Bugatti Type 37.
1914 Studebaker.
1914 Studebaker.
1912 Mercedes Grand Prix.
1912 Mercedes Grand Prix.

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Three

 

1914 Studebaker.
1914 Studebaker.
1959 Quantum Two.
1959 Quantum Two.
Roger Cassin - 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider.
Roger Cassin – 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider.
1959 Chevy powered Devin Healey.
1959 Chevy powered Devin Healey.

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1953 Porsche 356.
1953 Porsche 356.
1939 Ford Board Track Sprint Car.
1939 Ford Board Track Sprint Car.
1941 Oldsmobile Special.
1941 Oldsmobile Special.
1952 Cunningham C3.
1952 Cunningham C3.

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Four

 

1912 Mercedes GP.
1912 Mercedes GP.
1923 Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio
1923 Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1924 Bentley 3 Litre
1924 Bentley 3 Litre

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1948 MG TC.
1948 MG TC.
1964 Formcar, Eric Logan.
1964 Formcar, Eric Logan.
1959 Chevy powered Devin Healey.
1959 Chevy powered Devin Healey.
1948 Talbot Lago T26C.
1948 Talbot-Lago T26C.

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Five

 

1939 Dreyer
1939 Dreyer
Lotus 7.
1958 Lotus 7.
1959 Quantum Two.
1959 Quantum Two.
1959 Special H-Mod. Richard Campbell.
1959 Special H-Mod. Richard Campbell.

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1924 Bentley 3 Litre
1924 Bentley 3 Litre
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1914 Studebaker.
1914 Studebaker.
1912 Mercedes GP.
1912 Mercedes GP.

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Six

 

1923 Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio.
1923 Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio.
1927 Bugatti T37.
1927 Bugatti T37.
1952 Allard J2X.
1952 Allard J2X.
1959 Special H-Mod.
1959 Special H-Mod.

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1912 Mercedes GP.
1912 Mercedes GP.
1923 Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio.
1923 Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio.
1927 Bear Special Champ Car.
1927 Bear Special Champ Car.
1959 Fiat Abarth Zagato 750.
1959 Fiat Abarth Zagato 750.

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Seven

 

1952 Cunningham C3.
1952 Cunningham C3.
1914 Studebaker.
1914 Studebaker.
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1957 Chevrolet Corvette

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1964 Formcar, Eric Logan.
1964 Formcar, Eric Logan.
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1959 Chevrolet powered Devin Healey
1959 Chevrolet powered Devin Healey
Wayne Carini - Group 44 Triumph TR4.
Wayne Carini – Group 44 Triumph TR4.

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Eight

 

1924 Bentley 3 Litre.
1924 Bentley 3 Litre.
1939 Ford Board Track Sprint Car
1939 Ford Board Track Sprint Car
1961 Sunbeam Alpine.
1961 Sunbeam Alpine.
1957 Chevrolet Corvette
1957 Chevrolet Corvette

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1950 HRG 1500
1950 HRG 1500
1953 Porsche 356.
1953 Porsche 356.
1939 Dreyer
1939 Dreyer
1953 Porsche 356.
1953 Porsche 356.

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Nine

 

1923 Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio.
1923 Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio.
1927 Bugatti T37.
1927 Bugatti T37.
1912 Mercedes GP.
1912 Mercedes GP.
1927 Bugatti T37.
1927 Bugatti T37.

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1954 Edwards Blume H-Mod - Norm Hutton.
1954 Edwards Blume H-Mod – Norm Hutton.
1927 Bugatti T37.
1927 Bugatti T37.
1927 Bear Special Champ Car.
1927 Bear Special Champ Car.
1952 Cunningham C3.
1939 Dreyer

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Grand Ascent Hill Climb at Hershey 2016 – Main Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture and description)

 

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The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

[Source: Elegance at Hershey; photos: Michael DiPleco]