The weekend of Saturday May 27th and Sunday May 28th see the first of the two visits to Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb by the British Hill Climb Championship. Both the Avon Tyres / TTC Group MSA British Hill Climb Championship and the Avon Tyres / TTC Group MSA Hill Climb Leaders Championship come to the hill.

Copyright – John Hayward

The weekend brings some of the fastest cars and drivers in British Hill Climb. They will pit their wits against each other, the clock and the fast, twisty course at Wiltshire’s famous Speed Hill Climb Venue. There will be over 130 cars and drivers competing in everything from standard road cars, specially prepared hill climb cars and spectacularly fast fast sport and single seat racing cars.

Spectators have fabulous unrivaled access to the hill, paddock and facilities. We have excellent catering and refreshments on site too.

You really can’t get closer to the action!

Saturday May 27th is practice day. There will be three practice runs, starting around 09:00 with two runs in the morning and one after lunch, usually finishing around 15:00.

On Sunday there will be an early morning practice, starting around 09:00 followed by one timed run before lunch and the first of two top twelve run-offs. Then after lunch the second timed runs are followed by the second top twelve run-off.

The Top Twelve Run-Off allows the fastest twelve registered competitors to take an additional run, after which the fastest ten score points for the British Championship. Ten points for a win, down to one for tenth. These run-offs ultimately determine who becomes the British Champion! The current leader in the championship is Trevor Willis.

Alongside the British Championship and Leaders Championships, the Lotus 7 Club and the Porsche Club have rounds of their championships and the BARC South West Members have their own class.

As ever there will be a Fastest Time of Day but with new cars and drivers this is far too difficult to call. You’ll need to be there to find out!

Class Preview in Detail:

The BARC South West B Licence Class will run first. The class has a variety of cars and drivers. Martin Watson’s Westfield, Richard Wood’s Yamaha Mini, Dean Cubitt’s Mazda MX5, Sarah Fudge’s Impreza and Alex England’s Ford Fiesta are all likely to be in the top five of this class.

August 2016

The Porsche Club’s National Championship Class has an all 911 line-up. The form book says Peter Turnbull or Bob Mortimer will probably be in the top two. But Robert Lancaster-Gaye and his 911 GT2 will be fighting hard. Robert’s recent visit to Gurston’s Drivers School will probably see him right there with Peter and Bob.

The MX5 Class runs next. With only two cars in the class Nick Revels, our newly appointed Competition Secretary’s experience will probably pay dividends.

The Road Going Series Production Car Class up to 2000cc has just five cars entered. Tim Forster and the gorgeous Lotus Elan will have his work cut out with Steve Harris and his rapid Vauxhall Corsa. But you shouldn’t ever discount Richard Brant and his Clio 172.

The over 2000cc Road Going Series Production Car Class, also has just two cars entered. Andrew James returns in the Nissan 350Z GTS but he’ll have to work hard to over-come Shaun Fudge’s revitalised Impreza.

The Road Going Specialist Production Car Class has a three car entry. Adrian Lewis and his Westfield Superbusa will have to work for a win.

The Over 2000cc Modified Series Production Car Class has former Gurston champion, Simon Purcell in his Lotus Exige up against Geoff Tremlow’s beautiful Subaru Impreza, Tim Painter and Andrew Fraser’s stunning Aston Martin Vantage and Mark Walker’s Porsche. It will probably be between Simon and Geoff for first place, although you can’t discount any of the entrants!

The Modified Specialist Production Cars Class, goes next. It could be anyone’s class, Mike Rudge, Anthony Orchard and Simon Jenks will make it a great class to watch. It will depend on who’s on form on the day!

As ever there are some beautiful cars entered in the the Historically Interesting Class. Hopefully, we will see the Chevron B19 of Richard and Amanda George out on the hill. Fyrth Cross and Mike Broome make up this class but “make up” isn’t really the right thing to say. All of the drivers are very capable of taking the class win.

The up to 2000cc Sports Libre Car Class has a large entry. It’s a tough class these days and has some pretty amazing cars entered too. There’s the Maguire Mini of Derek Kessell, Peter Steel’s Mallock, Tim Pitfield’s DJ Firecat and Keith Diggle’s WEV HCS. However, on current form this class will probably be headed up by the supercharged Force LM shared by Jonathan Gates and Peter Sexton.

The over 2000cc Sports Libre Car Class has a former Manx Grand Prix winner (on a bike, of course), Allan McDonald and his Mini Evo.

August 2016

There is a massive entry in the 601 to 1100cc Racing Car Class! There are 26 entrants! Simon Fidoe (Empire Wraith), Darren Gumbley (Force TA Mistral), Steve Owen (OMS 28), Oliver and Liam Cooper (Force HC) and Felix and Lindsay Summers (DJ Firehawk) to name just a few on the competitors who will be fighting for places in the Top Ten Run-Off and Leaders points. Adam and Andy Greenen come back to Gurston with their new Empire Evo 2 a few different car from the Honda Civic they have previously competed in. This class will probably be settled by just hundredths.

The 1100cc to 1600cc Racing Car Class puts Ed Hollier in his Empire Evo up against Sean Gould and Eynon Price’s Gould GR59 and Richard Spedding’s GWR Raptor and six other drivers! All of them will be looking to qualify for the Run-Off and to maintain their respective standings in the British Championship.

Copyright: John Hayward

The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car Class – Normally Aspirated – has four cars and six drivers competing. Terry Davis’ OMS has Gurston form as does Tim Elmer (Dallara). This class is pretty open.

The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car Class – Forced Induction – has seven cars entered. Form would suggest that the Gould GR59’s of Paul Haimes and Simon Moyse are likely to be in the top two but hill climbing is unpredictable.

August 2016

The Over 2000cc Racing Car Class is the class that will probably bring the Fastest Time of the Day. There are some new car and driver combinations this season. Wallace Menzies brings his Gould GR59b and Dave Uren and Nicola Menzies have the ex-Wallace Menzies GR55. Trevor Willis is currently leading the British Hill Climb Championship so he will be one to watch. But you can’t really discount the current champion Scott Moran (Gould GR61X) or any of the other runners in this class. They will all be looking for Run-off points! Perhaps the Ladies Hill Record is at risk?

The Formula Ford Class sees the current record holder Simon McBeath, back after some time-off, along with eight other drivers in the class. These cars are so similar, the class is always close. The winner will be decided by hundredths and their performance on the day.

Then it’s the turn of the Lotus 7 Club Championship runners

The Lotus 7 Club Championship Class 1 – Cars Up to 125 bhp – has just one entry, Paul Boston.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship Class 2 – Cars up to 150 bhp – List 1A Tyres – David Nelson who won the class last year starts favourite but there are five other entries. It is very early in the season.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship Class 3 – Cars up to 150 bhp – List 1B Tyres – has seven entrants. This class was decided by just one hundredth of a second last year so you should look forward to some spectacular and close racing. decided this! Daniel Malkin beating Richard Price last time but the top five in this class were separated by just one second.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship – Class 4 – Car up to 210 bhp – Jeremy Davis is the only entrant.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship – Class 6/7 – sees six cars and drivers.

Another exciting weekend of at Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb – Don’t Miss It!

Key info
Location: 1 mile west of Broad Chalke, 9 miles SW of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Turn off the A354 at Coombe Bissett on the unclassified road to Broad Chalke, follow AA signs.
Dates: Saturday May 27th and Sunday May 28th
Times: Saturday Practice from 0830 until 1500 approx.Sunday 0830 Final Practice then timed runs from approx 1030, then first timed runs followed by First Top Twelve Run-Off, then lunch and final timed runs from 13:00 Second Top Twelve Run-Off.
Admission: £10 for adults Sunday (£6 on Saturday), accompanied under 14s free, free paddock entry, free parking.

 

Anthony Record – Press Officer Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb – BARC SW