Kathy Dawkins, 73, was the oldest racer at the Empire Hill Climb on Saturday.
But age is just a number. “My husband (Scott) raced the Empire Hill Climb back in the 1970s,” Dawkins said.
With Scott now gone, over a decade ago, Kathy thought it was time to hop behind the wheel herself – something she has always been interested in.
“I was going to take racing classes when I first got pregnant and then time goes by and I’m not getting any younger and seriously wanting to race,” Dawkins said.
Eventually, her son, Ian, became her coach.
Dawkins raced in a 2003 Volkswagen Golf streetcar and took it down to Thompson Racing Fabrication in Cedar for restoration. Ian and Clint finished up the car and got it ready for racing.
“I went down to Empire to get myself familiar with the track before, and then the day of, I’ll tell you, it was pure adrenaline all day long,” Dawkins said.
Dawkins’ first time up the hill was her best posting in the low 28 seconds.
“Coming around the first, second and third turns, you see all these straw bales; I don’t know what to do. Ian told me just put your foot down and steer this car, she said.”
Dawkins thought, “holy crap, what am I doing and told myself several times – Do not take the foot off the gas pedal.”
Dawkins credited the event’s camaraderie and positive atmosphere. Dawkins was one of three women racing in a field of over 50 drivers. Ian has now been doorside for both the youngest and oldest competitors at the Empire Hill Climb.
“I was really impressed with my mom, and she was leaving a lot harder off the line than other racers,” Ian said. ‘It was a great event, and I’m really excited we got to do it. She has been pestering me for a few years, and it’s a very welcoming event.”
Ian has always looked at his father’s 1967 first-place trophy, but never did race with him.
“We talked about the moments when I was growing up, and when the Empire Hill Climb came back in 2014, we got to witness it. When (Scott) did pass away, it motivated me.”
Ian didn’t race this year, but you can bet a mother-son duo at next year’s Empire Hill Climb.
Empire Hill Climb sees healthy crowd Saturday Over a thousand spectators watched dozens of cars race up Wilco Road.
“This year was a great event, and we had many spectators lined up on the Empire Hill,” Empire Hill Climb Race Director Mike White said.
The race dodged light sprinkles of rain thanks to the canopy on Wilco Road, allowing for dry racing.
Brian Blain took home the King of the Hill prize.
White finally claimed third in his class after many years of racing.
“The spread between first through third was .0049 thousandth of a second ... Six times as long as that to blink,” White said.
White said there were anywhere between 1,000 and 1,500 spectators, similar to years past, and the free race said it had record merchandise sales.
The iconic time-trialed race includes all sorts of race cars, from homebuilt monsters to vintage racers, rally cars, and drift cars. This unique motorsport event has an old-school feel.
During its original run (1964 to 1980), some of the best cars of their time made their way up the hill, including Austin Healeys, Jaguar E-Types, AMC Gremlins, Formula Fords and V’s, Triumphs, Corvettes, Porsches, and even a Ferrari or two.
The iconic course is ¾ mile with eight turns.
