Gurston News Report

"Double double" for Marsh brothers at Gurston Down

Simon and Peter Marsh, the sons of the late Tony Marsh, six-times former British Hillclimb Champion, achieved perfect results at Gurston over the midsummer weekend by taking first and second overall at both of the weekend's events. The brothers have vowed to share their father's car for the rest of this season following Tony's passing in early May as their own special tribute, and drove brilliantly to set some very fast times on the daunting Wiltshire track. The results could not have been more popular.


Sarah Bosworth took the Roadgoing Series production class on Saturday in her 1.8 Lotus Elise ©Copyright Simon McBeath / maximage.co.uk 2009

Saturday June 20th
Two days of intense competition, with big entries and plenty of incident kicked off with Saturday's Bridge Tyres and Wheels ASWMC Hillclimb Championship round, with three invited classes running first. The Porsche Cars class, like so many in this event was close fought, less than two tenths covering the top three, and Geraint Evans emerged fastest in his 3.2 911 with a good second run charge. The road division of the Pre-War Austin 7 class was tight too, 18 hundredths separating the top two, and here it was Daniel Cowley in his Special who won here. The track division saw just two runners and Carol Woods' Ulster was a comfortable victor. The ASWMC Registered Road Legal class saw a tight battle between various rapid four-wheel drive cars, again two tenths covering the top three here, and Steve Clark's 2.5t Subaru Impreza came top.

In Gurston's own Roadgoing Series Production class Sarah Bosworth (1.9 Lotus Elise S1) and Jules Freeman (2.0t Subaru Impreza WRX RA) battled it out again, with Sarah taking the laurels this time by just over half a second. Also running in this class were Gurston old hands Chris Cannell (2.0t Mitsubishi Evo 10) and Roger Cock (2.5t Subaru Impreza STi), the pair forsaking their usual Force and Pilbeam cars to have a scrap in their road cars in aid of the Tony Marsh Motor Racing Marshals Fund. As well as having some fun, their efforts raised nearly £400 over the weekend, so very well done to all involved and to all the contributors.

The hard trying Ben Stapley (3.1 Datsun 240Z) has been whittling away at his times again this season but he was nineteen hundredths shy of Jonathan Williamson's 3.2 Porsche 911 Carrera in the combined modprod marque sports car class.

Local man Neal Masters (1.4 Austin Mini 16V) and ASWMC visitor Andrew White (1.3 Suzuki Swift GTi) enjoyed a great scrap in the up to 1400cc modprod saloon car class but it was the very hard driving White who emerged top by just 13 hundredths. Anthony Orchard hada fraught day fixing radiator problems o his 1.4 Westfield Megabusa but having missed his first run he did more than enough on his second to take a comfortable win in the up to 1400cc modprod sports car class.


Ian Cameron won the up to 2000cc sports libre class in his 1.2 Mallock Mk 18BK ©Copyright Simon McBeath / maximage.co.uk 2009

Andy Bascombe's immaculate 2.0 Ford Escort RS was giving its driver a bit of gear selection grief but Andy put in a decent first run to take the up to 2000cc modprod saloon car class from the well-driven 2.0 Vauxhall Astra of Stewart and Philip Lillington. Another suffering gear selection problems was Alan Briggs but he managed to find enough gears in the 2.0 Westfield 2000S to take the up to 2000cc modprod sports car class by just under half a second. A rather depleted over 2000cc modprod saloon car class saw father and son David and Adrian Flagg fighting it out in the PPL Motorsport 2.0t Subaru Impreza Sti, and Adrian came out top with a rapid pair of runs. And Mike Rudge once more ran alone in the over 2000cc modprod sports cars class, taking his 2.3 Westfield SEi to within eight tenths of the new record he set in April.

The invigorated Historically Interesting class has seen some good scraps already this year, and this weekend was no exception, new record holder Fyrth Crosse using his 1.6 Ensign LNF3 to good effect to see of former record holder Geoff Hunt (1.6 Lotus 22) by under half a second. A varied mix of up to 2000cc sports libre class was next up, and Ian Cameron's bike engined 1.2 Mallock Mk 18BK did the business here by nearly two seconds. The over 2000cc sports libre class was closer though, former Gurston champion Rod Thorne's rumbling 5.0 Pilbeam MP434 just three quarters of a second ahead of Mike Endean's stunning Puma Gould.


The up to 1600cc racing car class went to Peter D. Smith in the 1.4 Force he shares with runner up Richard Gaylard ©Copyright Simon McBeath / maximage.co.uk 2009

In the up to 1100cc racing cars nobody had an answer to the fleet Paul Crocker in his 1.1 Jedi Kawasaki. In the 1600cc racing cars Peter D. Smith and Richard Gaylard took a popular one-two in their shared Force, Peter D. half a second ahead for the win. And in the up to 2000cc racing car class Tim Davies was the only sub-30 second runner in Bill Morris's 2.0 Pilbeam MP82.

Onto the unlimited capacity racing cars, and Simon Marsh looked a likely winner from the word go in the family 2.5 Gould GR55, and indeed he was nicely ahead for BTD, improving on each run. But also fast improving was his brother Peter who had only had a few laps of Llandow in the car prior to this meeting, and came through on the second runs with a terrific sub-29 second run to snatch second place by 14 hundredths from 2008 Top 10 Challenge winner Dave Gardner in John Forsyth's 3.5 Pilbeam MP58. In fairness the Pilbeam was giving gear selection problems (among others) that certainly stymied Gardner's second attempt, but it was still a great effort from both the Marsh brothers.


Simon Marsh set a popular double BTD in the family 2.5 Gould GR55 ©Copyright Simon McBeath / maximage.co.uk 2009

Results
BTD: Simon Marsh, 2.5 Gould GR55, 28.28secs
Class winners
Geraint Evans, 3.2 Porsche 911, 37.48s
Daniel Cowley, Austin 7 Special, 50.62s
Carol Woods, Austin 7 Ulster, 48.31s
Steve Clark, 2.5t Subaru Impreza, 36.12s
Sarah Bosworth, 1.8 Lotus Elise S1, 36.74s
Jonathan Williamson, 3.2 Porsche 911 Carrera, 35.91s
Andrew White, 1.3 Suzuki Swift GTi, 37.30s
Anthony Orchard, 1.4 Westfield Megabusa, 32.92s
Andy Bascombe, 2.0 Ford Escort RS, 35.24s
Alan Briggs, 2.0 Westfield 2000S, 38.48s
Adrian Flagg, 2.0t Subaru Impreza STi, 35.02s
Mike Rudge, 2.3 Westfield SEi, 31.70s
Fyrth Crosse, 1.6 Ensign LNF3, 33.51s
Ian Cameron, 1.2 Mallock Mk 18 BK, 33.99s
Rod Thorne, 5.0 Pilbeam MP43, 30.06s
Paul Crocker, 1.1 Jedi, 30.59s
Peter D. Smith, 1.4 Force, 30.45s
Tim Davies, 2.0 Pilbeam MP82, 29.63s
Simon Marsh, 2.5 Gould GR55, 28.28s

Sunday June 21st

The summer solstice dawned with weak sunshine, and first to take to the track were the invited clubs again, starting with MG cars. Class record holder Terry Pigott was the class of the field here in his well-developed 3.6 MGB V8 and he tore his old record apart, chopping 1.11 seconds off as he went deep into the 36-second bracket. The entertaining Morgans were next up, and although Roger Shadbolt's +4 was fastest on scratch and the only car under 40 seconds, the winner on handicap was Joe Philips in his 4/4. The GTD 40s and invited cars class ended up with the awesome 8.0s Dodge Viper of Bjorn Arnils versus the 'substitute' entry from Nadine Geary of her MG SVR, her own Viper being in bits at present. It was 'Smokin' Bjorn' who came out tops this time!


Ben Stapley's PB in the 3.1 Datsun 240Z saw him well clear in the over 2000cc modprod marque sports car class ©Copyright Simon McBeath / maximage.co.uk 2009

Onto the class that is producing the highest scores in the Gates of Brockenhurst Gurston Championship this year and it was the rapid Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 of Simon Neve that won here with the only sub-37-second effort in the class on the day. However, three quarters of a second behind in second place was Nigel Watkins in his 3.6 Porsche 964, this Nigel's first competitive event after coming top at the recent Gurston School day. 2009 Championship leader after round 1 and former triple champion Steve Butts practised with his 1.9 Lotus Elise in the morning but mechanical maladies struck as he recorded a 'fail' on his only attempted afternoon run.

The lone runner in the up to 2000cc modprod marque sports cars was Paul Thackeray in his 1.8 MG TF, but there was fierce competition again in the over 2000cc modprod marque sports car class again, this time Ben Stapley going deep into the 25s to set a PB (by one hundredth!) and take the win. The hard charging Bob Mortimer (2.7 Porsche 911) and the ever-improving Steve Holley in 'Blue Griff' (5.2 TVR Griffith) had no answer to Stapley's pace on this occasion.

Undoubtedly Neal Masters was disappointed to have been beaten on his home hill on Saturday, but he more than made up for it with a superb PB in the 1.4 Austin Mini 16V on Sunday, finishing less than a quarter of a second shy of Jim White's up to 1400cc modprod saloon class record. Vince Stone's well driven 1.4 Austin Mini was next up and knocking on the door of the 37s. Anthony Orchard enjoyed a trouble-free day this time, recording a couple of fast times to win the up to 1400cc modprod sports car class in his 1.4 Westfield Megabusa. Andy Bascombe continues to get close to the record in the up to 2000cc modprod saloon car class, and a clean second run in the Escort RS was just three tenths away from the mark he's trying so hard to reset.


BARC (SW) committee member Neal Masters was less than a quarter second away from the up to 1400cc modprod saloon record on Sunday ©Copyright Simon McBeath / maximage.co.uk 2009

It was pretty tight in the up to 2000cc modprod sports car class as Geoff Blake (1.8 Westfield SEi) saw off Alan Briggs's 2000S variant by less than two-tenths. In the over 2000cc modprod saloon cars Adrian Flagg ran alone but improved on his Saturday time with a fleet second effort. Mike Rudge was on good form in the 2.3 Westfield SEi too to take the over 2000cc modprod sports car class with a time just eight hundredths shy of the record he reset in April.

The historically interesting class once more saw Fyrth Crosse (1.6 Ensign LNF3) and Geoff Hunt (1.6 Lotus 22) pushing each other hard, Crosse emerging top again just six hundredths away from his class record. But Hunt was well pleased with his runner up time, a PB under his old record. A depleted sports libre class nevertheless saw some good competition, and Ken Smith emerged winner in his impish 1.3 Nike. The over 2000cc sports libre class again produced a mix of machinery vying for victory, and class record holder Nic Mann won in the amazing 1.7t Mannic Beattie in spite of a recurrence of May's misfire, which Mann thought he had traced. Rod Thorne (5.0 Pilbeam MP43) was only 0.27s behind, taking seven Top Ten points in the process, and Mike Endean (2.2t Puma Gould) just 0.28s behind that in third, all three under 30 seconds.

The racing cars up to 500c (500 Owners Association Rules) class entertained as ever, and Mark Riley's spiritedly driven Kieft was almost two seconds clear in the end. Author/constructor Tony Pashley won the modern up to 600cc racing car class in his self-designed and built 0.6 Marengo 3, and Adam Steel was extremely rapid in the latest creation he shares with class runner up father Tony, the 1.0 Martlet AS1, as the pair took a family one-two in the up to 1100cc racing car class.

James Blackmore was charging as hard as ever in the 1.6 OMS CF04 to take a comfy win in the up to 1600cc racing car class, going well sub-30 and grabbing a handy 8 points in the Gurston Top Ten Challenge to lie third overall after two rounds. Tim Davies once again took the win in the up to 2000cc racing car class in Bill Morris's 2.0 Pilbeam MP82 but was unable to improve his first run time after Morris, running first, clouted the recticel at Ashes and damaged the front wing on his second effort. Paul Webster didn't match his excellent May form in the 'for sale' 2.0 Dallara F301 but was second with a very low 30s run.

In the unlimited capacity racing car class Simon and Peter Marsh looked untroubled in taking a great second one-two of the weekend, Simon going well into the 27s on both runs and Peter setting a fine low 28 on his first run. By contrast John Forsyth and Dave Gardner rounded off a bit of a fraught weekend with gear selection problems and a broken rear anti-roll bar that saw Forsyth able to set one good time to take third, but Gardner was unable to get a timed run at all, and so failed to add to his 10 point Top Ten Challenge maximum in April. Thus, Simon Marsh bagged the 10 points to go into equal first on points with John Forsyth (Peter Marsh is not registered). The Challenge will get very exciting come 'dropped scores time' in September…


Peter Marsh was a deserving runner up on both days in the family Gould, despite this being his first event in the car. ©Copyright Simon McBeath / maximage.co.uk 2009

Results
BTD: Simon Marsh, 2.5 Gould GR55, 27.67s
Class winners
Terry Pigott, 3.6 MGB V8, 36.70s (new class record)
Roger Shadbolt, 2.0 Morgan +4, 39.37s (scratch), Joe Philips, 1.6 Morgan 4/4, 43.75s (h/cap)
Bjorn Arnils, 8.0s Dodge Viper, 37.94s
Simon Neve, 2.0t Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6, 36.54s
Paul Thackeray, 1.8 MG TF, 38.42s
Ben Stapley, 3.1 Datsun 240Z, 35.24s
Neal Masters, 1.4 Austin Mini, 36.52s
Anthony Orchard, 1.4 Westfield Megabusa, 32.78s
Andy Bascombe, 2.0 Ford Escort RS, 34.66s
Geoff Blake, 1.8 Westfield SEi, 38.27s
Adrian Flagg, 2.0t Subaru Impreza STi, 34.72s
Mike Rudge, 2.3 Westfield SEi, 30.99s
Fyrth Crosse, 1.6 Ensign LNF3, 33.46s
Ken Smith, 1.3 Nike, 35.79s
Nic Mann, 1.7t Mannic Beattie, 29.41s
Mark Riley, 0.5 Kieft, 41.41s
Tony Pashley, 0.6 Marengo 3, 34.75s
Adam Steel, 1.0 Martlet AS1, 30.49s
James Blackmore, 1.6 OMS CF04, 29.55s
Tim Davies, 2.0 Pilbeam MP82, 29.81s
Simon Marsh, 2.5 Gould GR55, 27.67s


Simon Marsh / maximage.co.uk 2009 ©Copyright Simon McBeath


Ben Stapley was so thrilled with his PB that he dressed formally for the prizegiving! ©Copyright Simon McBeath / maximage.co.uk 2009


Couldn't resist slipping one in of Bjorn Arnils and the Smokin' Viper... ©Copyright Simon McBeath / maximage.co.uk 2009


Mark Walker indulged in a bit of kerb hopping at Karousel... followed by a bit of crop gathering! ©Copyright Simon McBeath / maximage.co.uk 2009


Marshals 9 - Brooms 4!! ©Copyright Simon McBeath / maximage.co.uk 2009

The Tony Marsh Motor Racing Marshals Fund

The Tony Marsh Motor Racing Marshals Fund had apparently reached a total approaching £400 prior to the midsummer event weekend, and almost another £400 was collected thanks to the efforts of Roger Cock and Chris Cannell's Road Car Challenge during the event of June 20th, which certainly served to raise awareness of the fund and prompted people around the paddock to donate generously! Well done to all.

Anyone wishing to donate towards this fund can send cheques, made payable to the undertakers, Michael Miller & Partners, and posted to their address (below) with a covering note stating Tony Marsh Motor Racing Marshals Fund. Any queries regarding this should be made to Graham Masters, who has kindly offered to administer things on behalf of the family, and Graham can be contacted on 02392 828430 (W) or 736217 (H).

The undertakers are Michael Miller & Partners, Buriton House, 27A High Street, Petersfield, Hampshire. GU32 3JR. Tel: 01730 233244. E-mail address: Michael@michaelmiller.co.uk

Meanwhile, the very nice tribute to Tony can be found on his son Peter's company web site, and the direct link to click on is here: http://www.turbodynamics.co.uk/downloads/tony_marsh.pdf

The event at Gurston in July will henceforth be known as the Tony Marsh Memorial Meeting.


Tony Marsh ©Copyright Simon McBeath

Event regulations and entry forms are available. The BARC (SW) would much prefer if you logged on to www.gurstondownentries.co.uk to enter on line, but you can still enter on paper if you prefer by going to the Drivers Information page, accessed from the Full Gurston Menu tab above.

It is pleasing to be able to report that Neal Masters has been co-opted on to the committee of the BARC (SW). Neal, a regular class winner in the red 1.4 Austin Mini he shares with his father Graham, is also the man behind Gurston's online entries system. He is sure to be an even greater asset to the committee and the club in his new role.

Tony Bray at Brayspeed Productions tells us that the the Gurston national rounds will be on Motors TV Saturday 20 June at 8pm, repeated Sunday, and through the week. The last 5 mins of the programme are of Tony Marsh including footage from 1992 at Gurston in the Toleman & from the Isle of Man

August 29th/30th British Hillclimb Championship (National A) and HSA Speed Championship (National B)

September 13th Final round of the Gurston Down Hillclimb Championship and Top Ten Challenge

Following the successful introduction of the 'Roadgoing Production Cars, any capacity' class in 2008, the committee of the BARC (SW) has decided to adopt it as a Gurston championship class for 2009. Once again the definition is: 'for vehicles complying with the 2009 MSA Year Book Section I.70-81, and tyres to C(e) List 1B will also be permitted.'

In addition, the 'Historically Interesting Cars' class has also been brought into the Gurston Championship, and will henceforth be defined thus: 'Cars built up to and including 1972. Tyres are free. Wings are permitted where originally fitted.'

It is intended that both these classes will be run at all meetings including the May and August British Hillclimb Championship events, though clearly Gurston Championship points will not be on offer at the BHC events, and National A licences will be required to enter those National A status meetings.

You can view all the times from all the cars from every run during the season by clicking on the TSL logo below and going to the appropriate event date in the listings.

Send in your stories to simonmcbeath@btinternet.com (please cut and paste this address into your email program) Don't worry about speling, grammer, etc, we'll put that write. Just make sure what you send is legal, decent, and true or I'll put you in my spam filter so your messages can't reach me in future! With input from our active club members though we can make this an interesting news section, so keep us posted.

All stories must be factual and substantiated - we're not starting a rumour mill here - so get busy and send the Gurston press officer, Simon McBeath, an email with your news now! If you've heard rumours that seem like they need checking out, then let me know and I'll do my best to see what the hard facts are!


Set in beautiful Wiltshire downland, Gurston Down provides a spectacular venue to watch motorsport, with cars topping 140mph in some cases on the narrow twisty track. ©Copyright Simon McBeath 2002

Hillclimbing at Gurston Down involves cars running singly against the clock from a standing start over the measured distance of 967 metres (1057 yards).

The course rises 43 metres (140 feet) from start to finish, although uniquely in this country the first section after the start is downhill. The course is tarmac, about 12 feet wide and comprises fast and slow bends.

Timing is done electronically to one hundredth of a second (triggered by cars breaking beams of light at the start and the finish). Speed traps measure speeds at the fastest parts of the hill. A tight section of bends brings the cars down to around 25 mph before the uphill blast to the twisty finish line, where the fastest recorded speed is 150 mph! Full commentary is provided during the competition runs.

Location
1 mile west of the village of Broadchalke, approx 9 miles south west of Salisbury. The venue is at Gurston Farm, with the competition car paddocks in various parts of the farm yard. The Speed Hillclimb course is tucked away in a valley in Wiltshire´s picturesque chalk downland. (See our Calendar page for additional details including a Map.)

Gurston Down is easy to get to, and access to the paddock and the course, at close but safe proximity, is excellent, with level or gently sloping routes to some viewing points (although some spectator areas are reached via steeper pathways on grass). The facilities provided for spectators are excellent, and include a modern Restuarant which serves hot and cold food from 0730 hours to 1600 hours (1900 hours on Saturdays), and a bar from around 1200 noon.

Programmes are available, commentary will be provided, digital speed and time displays will be installed - all designed to inform and enhance your day in wonderful countryside.

The cars
There are classes for every type of competition car from Minis to Formula 1 powered racing cars, and including modified production cars, sports racing cars and single seaters in various engine capacity classes. Some meetings have classes for invited clubs who bring cars like Ferraris, Porsches, Ginettas, Austin Healeys and Austin 7s. In fact, there is something for just about every car enthusiast.

The aim
Speed Hillclimbing is about driving a car from a standing start to a flying finish, along an uphill course against the clock. The fastest driver in any class is the winner, and the fastest driver overall at a meeting receives the Fastest Time of the Day (FTD) award.

General :-

The 2009 admission price is £10.00 for an adult (aged 14 or over); Accompanied children aged 13 and under are admitted free.

Car parking is free.

Campers, Caravans and Motorhomes can all be accommodated, subject to the payment of a small fee to the organisers (free to Marshals).

Our Restuarant will be open from 0730 hours until about 1800 hours, serving hot and cold food until 1600 hours, and offering a bar from around 1200 noon.

Modern permanent toilets and showers are available, and also a disabled access toilet adjacent to the Restuarant.

It's narrow. It's twisty. And it's fast! In a nutshell, that's the sport of speed hillclimbing, one of motorsport's most accessible and friendly categories. With the British Hillclimb Championship coming to Gurston Down over two Bank Holiday weekends in each year, (late May and late August) there's great opportunities to see how the best drivers in the country tackle the course at speeds up to 140mph.

But you can actually start hillclimbing in a road car, and there are generally three opportunities each year to start in the best possible way - with a day at the Gurston Down Hillclimb Drivers School. The dates for 2009 (all on Tuesdays) are 12th May, 09th June and 14th July.

N.B. As at the 04th Dec 2008, there are spaces on all three of the 2009 schools

Hillclimbing is all about driving up narrow windy roads, with timing at competitive events done electronically, and there are classes for all types of cars. But because the roads are private, and closed to traffic of course, the environment is a safe one in which to drive as fast as you feel you can.

To make your entry into this fun branch of motorsport as easy as possible, at the Gurston Down Hillclimb Drivers School you receive classroom tuition on safety and how to drive the course from experienced, licensed instructors before you take to the hill in your car. And your every-day road-car is ideal for the job, providing it is roadworthy and has a current MoT certificate if appropriate. It's a great day out, and an adenalin-induced grin is guaranteed! All pupils need to have a full driving licence (not a provisional), or hold an MSA competition licence.

Interested? Then call the School Principal, Andrew Hext, on 01264 882215 (W) or 07971 989517(M) for further details, or click here to visit our School web page.

Introduction	Championship	News & Press	Cameo	Gallery	Records	Membership	Related Links
Calendar	Challenge	Committee	School	Marshals	Timing	Accommodation	Full Gurston Menu

Introduction	Championship	News & Press	Cameo	Gallery	Records	Membership	Related Links
Calendar	Challenge	Committee	School	Marshals	Timing	Accommodation	Full Gurston Menu

Gurston Down News and Views

Our 2009 Gurston Event Schedule

New Gurston Championship Classes for 2009

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Background Information on Gurston Down and its events

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