Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb celebrates it’s 50th Anniversary during the Tony Marsh Memorial Weekend on the 17th and 18th of June.
The Anniversary Celebrations include some of the cars and drivers who competed at the first event or were part of Tony Marsh’s racing career. There will be a convoy run of the cars during practice and during the events both days. Tony Marsh was instrumental in the design and build of the hill as we know it today.
There are over 130 cars and drivers together with more than 30 motorbikes competing on both days with a separate event on Saturday and Sunday.
All will face the challenge of the legendary 12 feet wide, fast and twisty course at Wiltshire’s famous Speed Hill Climb Venue, Gurston Down.
With unrivalled access to the hill, paddock, cars, drivers and facilities available to our spectators, the weekend promises to be a veritable sceptical of sound, smell, skill and speed. We have excellent catering and refreshments on site too!
You really can’t get closer to the action!
The weekend’s events are the second and third rounds of the Meadens Skoda Gurston Down Hill Climb Championship and the Cavendish Ship Stores BARC SW Top Ten Challenge.
In addition to the regular Gurston Down classes, there are a number of invited clubs on both days.
Saturday’s Invited Classes:
ACSMC Registered Road Legal Cars will head to the hill first. There are a wide range of cars in this class. The Westfield SEIW of Mike Williams, the Supercharged Mini Cooper S of Steve Barnett and the Clio 200 of Andrew Bisping are likely to head the field. But with the variety of cars and drivers, this class could be anyone’s.
ASWMC Registered Road Legal Cars run next. There are four drivers and cars in this class. The form book would suggest that Steve Clark and his Subaru Impreza should take the win. Although the Caterham of Paul Reynolds and the Lotus Elise of Jonathan Langmead might just give Steve something to think about.
The Porsche Club GB Class runs next. The class has 14 drivers in a variety of Porsche cars. It’s such a difficult class to predict. There are some driver / car combinations that are likely to be in the top three. Geraint Evans and his 911, Ian Wadsworth 911 Carrera and Graham Rose 924s should all be there or there abouts.
The Service Hydraulics Speed Championship goes next. The class has just two entries, Ian Perry and his Rover 25 and Dave Reed in his Lotus 61 FF. That should be interesting, the Lotus will probably snatch the win.
Sunday’s Invited Classes:
The Volvo Owners Club Class has just two entries. The current class record holder, Richard Conway in the PV544 and Kevin Diamond in an Amazon. It will probably be Richard who will take the win.
The Morgan Cars Class comes next. There are nine cars entered. The Plus 8’s of Robert Toon and Alan Foster should be in the top five but this is another competitive class.
The Bugatti Owners Club Championship will head for the hill next. This class has an eclectic group of cars entered. Everything from an Ginetta G15, Mallock Mk11, a Russell Alexis FF, Lotus Type 51b, Austin Minis and a Jaguar 3.4 Saloon. They are always beautifully presented so these will be some of the cars to visit in the paddock.
The Service Hydraulics Speed Championship returns for it’s second day. It will be interesting to see if the Saturday victory, wins on Sunday.
The 500 Owners Association Championship has Mark Riley and his 500cc Creamer entered.
The Gurston Down Regular Classes, running both days:
The Gurston Down Mazda MX5 Class, supported by DoctorMX5 runs next. The current leader, class record holder and the winner of the2016 Tony Marsh Memorial Trophy, Mark Crookall is favourite in this class. With a class full of standard cars, Mark will have to work hard to insure his victory. Can he repeat his 2016 record breaking form and take the Tony Marsh Memorial Trophy again?
The Road Going Series Production Class up to 2000cc, supported by Record-Designs will be next. It is a big class and has a few new comers and returnees. Miles Horne bring a 306 Rallye back after an absence. Tim Forster and his Lotus Elan will have his work cut-out with Miles and Dean Cubitt ready to pounce.
The Turbo Dynamics supported Over 2000cc Road Going Series Production Class goes next. This will be a challenging class for most of the entrants as the current class record holder and former Gurston Down Champion, Stephen Moore and his Evo 6 comes back after missing the May meeting. The biggest battle might be for the places in this class. But who will it be? Shaun and Sarah Fudge and their Subaru Impreza, Jon Maycock and his turbo Mazda MX5 or Simon Marsh in the VW Golf R?
The Fieldfare Trailer Centre supported Road Going Specialist Production Class comes next. There are nine entries! Adrian Lewis and his Westfield Superbusa and Clive Skipper and the Caterham 7 HPC usually have this class pretty much to themselves. But with the experienced group in this class both days, everyone will need to be on top form.
Steve Butts, a former Gurston Down Champion, and his Lotus Elise has some competition in the Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Cars up to 2000cc Class.
Steve Holley has an interesting weekend ahead in the Over 2000cc Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Car Class. Graham Beale returns in his Ginetta G33 and Simon Purcell will be in his Lotus. Simon will have an interesting weekend. On Sunday these three are joined by Bob Mortimer and his 911 and Paul Slade in the Jaguar E Type. An interesting class this weekend!
It’s an all Mini line-up with David Bean, Derek Mullis and Neil Turner entered both days in the Up to 1400cc Modified Series Production Class. The class record holder, Neil Turner will have to work really hard to keep David and Derek from taking the win.
Richard Wood is certain to have a good weekend in the Modified Series Mini Class, he is the only entrant.
The 1401cc to 2000cc Modified Series Production Class, supported by Tipadel will be the next to start. It has just two entrants, Tom Reeves and his Peugoet 106 and Rod Wheat in his Racing Ford Puma. Both of these cars should be quick.
The Over 2000cc Modified Series Production Class, supported by Meadens Skoda takes to the hill next. This should be a very interesting class to watch on Sunday as we see the return of Roy Barker and that super fast Evo!
There is a huge entry in the Gates of Brokenhurst supported Over 2000cc Modified Specialist Production Class. Mike Rudge and Antony Orchard in their respective Westfield’s will have a really tough time this weekend. There are some really great cars and drivers entered. A notable entry is Graham Masters who competed at Gurston in 1967, shares his son Neil’s Westfield.
Peter Marsh brings his father, Tony Marsh’s three time British Hill Climb Championship winning, Marsh Special to the Historically Interesting Class, supported by Kelvin Jouhar. The Marsh Special is a 4200cc four wheel drive car that Tony won the British Championships in 1965, 1966 and 1967. Geoff Hunt and the Lotus 22 will be competing as will some beautiful historic machines. This class is another class full of beautiful cars!
Derek Harris in his Mallock17b has the Hill Climb Super Sports Class to himself. Derek will be chasing personal bests and class records!
There is a good entry in the Lewis Property Services supported Sports Libre up to 2000cc Class. Saturday sees nine entrants and Sunday ten. It’s probably going to be the Force LM shared by Jonathan Gates and championship sponsor Peter Sexton that will take the win as long as the oil leak they had in May has been sorted. Peter and Jonathan will be looking for Top Ten Challenge points too.
Jeff Way brings the mad Chevrolet Camaro to the Sports Libre over 2000cc Class, supported by Berazzi Wheels on Sunday. Sue Hayes and Chris Cannell with the Force SR8 go both days. On current form, Chris is the likely class winner both days. He will also be looking to improve his standings in the Cavendish Ship Stores Top Ten Challenge.
The 601cc to 1100cc Racing Car Class, supported by Drynham Project Management Limited run next. There is a good entry with five driver and car combinations. James Moore and his Empire Evo 2 should take the win but the others will make him work for it.
The Formula Ford Class has nine entries on Saturday and seven on Sunday. All these cars have been built to roughly the same regulations and usually finish within a few tenths of seconds of each other. With the class record holder Simon McBeath heading the field, it’s going to be the driver who does best on the day who will take the win.
The 1101cc to 1600cc Racing Car Class, supported by SM AeRoTechniques with Brian and Adrian Moody takes to the hill next. There is a pretty good entry. Peter D Smith and Richard Gayland with the Force PT start favourites. All these competitors will be looking for Top Ten Championship Points.
The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car – Normally Aspirated Class has two entries. Dave Lord and the Quest SF86 and Roger Cook with the Pilbeam MQP54. This class is too close to call.
The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car – Forced Induction Class sees Andrew McBeath go head to head with Ben Wheeler on Saturday in their OMS25 and Empire Evo respectively and Andrew alone on Sunday.
There are three entrants in the Over 2000cc Racing Car Class, both days. Sandra Tomlin in the Pilbeam MP97-03 and Paul Crute in the Jaguar OMS 28 run both days. They are joined by David Gardner and his Pilbeam MP62 on Saturday. Sandra is joined by her son Oliver on Sunday. He’s competing in the historical interesting class on Saturday.
And don’t forget we have the motorbikes and sidecars of the ACU’s National Hill Climb Championship both days too!
With the event being the official celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hill Climbing at Gurston Down and the variety of cars and motorbikes, June 17th and June 18th will be provide two action packed days of motorsport.
There will be more on the 50th Anniversary Celebrations soon! So don’t miss it!
Why not join us?
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 June 17th and Sunday June 18th
Times: Competition runs from approx. 1300, practice runs from 0830 both days.
Admission: Only £10 for adults each day, accompanied under 14s free, free paddock entry, free parking.
Anthony Record – Press Officer – BARC SW, Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb