10-05-2025
Car enthusiasts attend annual Wilbraham Hill Climb
WILBRAHAM, Mass. (WWLP) – Car enthusiasts stopped by Wilbraham on Saturday for the town's annual Hill Climb.
The Wilbraham Hill Climb is over 100 years old. It started as a test bed for many local automotive companies, including Springfield Rolls-Royce, Indian Motorcycles, and Knox Automobiles. Now, it is a competition to be named the 'King of the Mountain.'
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'The winning time back in 1908 was like 1:06,' said Jeff DeMarey, Director of the Springfield to Boston Education Foundation. 'And if you can think about it now in 2025, they're accomplishing the task in probably 59 to 60 seconds. So in 100 years plus, they haven't really knocked that much off the time.'
The one-mile-long course gains 700 feet in elevation over two hill climbs. Since 1908, classic cars have been climbing up Monson Road in Wilbraham with a need for speed. 22News got to experience the climb this year, joining Jim, the driver of the 1933 Ford 'Elgin' Roadster.
While the Hill Climb may be in the name, there was also a large car show, bringing together people of all ages.
'I created the Springfield to Boston Foundation to actually do that, and get the kids involved,' DeMarey said. 'And when I mean kids, I mean from Nolan, right up to 30 to 40-year-olds, or veterans, or disabled veterans that wanna get involved.'
Nolan Burke got involved when he mentioned his love of cars to his fifth-grade science teacher, who just happened to be Jeff DeMarey's wife.
'He dragged me over to the Greenwich concourse in Greenwich, Connecticut, where I ended up meeting Wayne Carini for the first time,' Burke said. 'And I got to see a bunch of other amazing cars.'
Despite having his birthday around the corner, Nolan will only be turning 14 years old. But he already has his first car, a 1977 Pontiac Catalina.
'It's a two-door coupe, which isn't very common for the second-generation Catalina,' Burke said. 'That's not really common, most of the Catalinas are four doors.'
The rain held off for much of the day, allowing enthusiasts to enjoy the classic cars, crafts, and food.
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