Herts County Auto & Aero Club (HCAAC) were awarded a certificate by Motorsport UK to celebrate and recognise their 120^th anniversary during the club’s annual awards dinner.

HCAAC’s President, Keith Warnell, commented, “Whilst we are proud of our heritage over the last 120 years, we look forward to the future of the club and motorsport over the next 120 years.”

The club originated when eight people, including Lord Clarendon, met on 3 December 1903, resulting in a set of provisional rules circulated to Hertfordshire motorists and an invitation to a general meeting on 14 January 1904, when Herts County Automobile Club was officially born. The club acquired “& Aero” 1910, although the only aero activity to be organised by the club was a “balloon chase”, in which competitors in cars had to follow a manned balloon as it drifted across the countryside.

On 10 September 1904 the club ran its first event, a Hillclimb at Aston Clinton over a three quarters of a mile course which ran through Alfred de Rothschild’s estate.

The Aston Clinton Hillclimb was attended by many competitors over the years between 1904 and 1924, notably Lionel Martin in his special, which he later named the Aston Martin starting the history of this well-known marque.

Unfortunately, at Essex MC’s Kop Hillclimb on 28th March 1925 a Bugatti went out of control and collided with a spectator who suffered a broken leg. The RAC withdrew all permits for speed Hillclimbs on public roads and this was the end of Aston Clinton Hillclimb. Or was it?

During the 1950s the club organised events such as the Nocturne Night Navigation Trial and the Westbrook Hay Hillclimb, the latter of which was held on a private drive near Hemel Hempstead, as well as sprints at Brands Hatch.

During the 1960s HCAAC was the leader of five clubs who persuaded Silverstone to allocate use of the club circuit for five sprints after the racing season had finished. The club’s other sprint venue was Duxford, where many clubs held sprints on the hard-standing in front of the hangars.  HCAAC were privileged to use a longer layout, including part of the main runway, giving quite a fast course over one mile long.

In the 1980s the club shifted to running sprints at North Weald and Debden airfields both located in Essex. The club’s experience in organising sprints was complimented by an invitation to run The Fastest Production Car in the World as part of The Fighter Meet at North Weald on 30th June 1984.  This was a public airshow with a crowd of around forty thousand.  HCAAC laid on scrutineers, timekeepers and all its usual paraphernalia for a 1km sprint down the main runway during an interval in the airshow.

HCAAC continues to hold two sprints each year at Debden (near Newport in Essex) and, in conjunction with Lotus Motor Club, one at the Lotus test track at Hethel. It also supports a number of other motorsport events in association with Anglia Motor Sport Club including the Rixy Stages and the Snetterton Stages rallies.

Looking to the near future, Aston Hill will once again echo to the sounds of vintage cars as on 17 May 2025, the “Aston Hillclimb 100 Celebration” will take place. This event will in effect recreate the club’s cancelled hillclimb that should have taken place in 1925 and will feature a number of historic cars and motorcycles that actually ran up the hill between 1907 and 1924, as well as other cars and motorcycles of the period.

Further information about the Aston Hillclimb 100 Celebration can be found here.