REIGNING British Hill Climb champion Scott Moran has been dusting off his car in preparation for the first events of the season at Loton Park Hill Climb near Shrewsbury this weekend.

The 39-year-old from Orleton, a five-times British champion is sharing his all conquering McLaren-powered Gould GR61X car with young Tenbury Wells driver Alex Summers, 24, following the retirement of his regular co-driver and father Roger from the open racing car classes at the end of last season.

Moran senior was British Hill Climb champion in 1997.

Scott Moran said: “The season ahead looks very exciting as several new car and driver combinations are taking part in the national championship and the competition overall is getting tougher all the time.

“I will only be competing in a limited number of events but Alex had a very successful outing at the recent member’s practice weekend and soon got to grips with the car, so he should provide a credible challenge to the likes of regular front runners Trevor Willis, Jos Goodyear and Will Hall.”

A full entry has been received by organisers Hagley Car Club for both of the separate one-day events at Loton Park, which have attracted a wide range of sports, classics, saloon and racing cars, with many local drivers taking part. Practice will start on both days at 9am, followed after lunch by two timed runs for all competitors.

Specialist clubs invited to compete include Bugatti, Morgan, Reliant and Jaguar, together with crowd-pleasing competitors in the British Motorcycle Hill Climb Championship.

The actual MSA British Hill Climb Championship begins the following weekend at the Prescott Hill Climb near Cheltenham, followed by Shelsley Walsh the following week.

The series ranges from the classic midland hills to the tricky parkland track at Wiscombe Park in Devon to the King of the Hills at Doune in Scotland and the best road courses in Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.