The British are Coming!

Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb hosts the first of two visits of the British Hill Climb Championship on 28th and 29th May. Both the Avon Tyres / TTC Group MSA British Hill Climb Championship and the Avon Tyres / TTC Group MSA Hill Climb Leaders Championship will be competing.

The weekend will be full of glorious sounds, smells, skill and speed. Over 130 cars and drivers will compete in standard road cars, specially prepared hill climb cars and spectacularly fast fast sport and single seat racing cars. All of them will pit their wits against each other, the clock and the fast, twisty course at Wiltshire’s famous Speed Hill Climb Venue.

Spectators have unrivalled 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 is practice day. There will be three practice runs, two in the morning and one after lunch.

On Sunday there will be an early morning practice followed by one timed run before lunch and the first of two top twelve run-offs. 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 Scott Moran, five time champion and hill record holder at 25.37s…

History will also be made this weekend. A WORLD first for a hydrogen fuel cell car and the first standard production car powered by hydrogen fuel cell to compete in a Speed Hill Climb event – a Toyota Mirai.

The Mirai, part of Toyota’s press fleet, is being driven by journalist and racing driver David Finlay. David is the editor of the online motoring magazine www.roofsideup.com, and is also part of the Multi-Car Hillclimb Challenge.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship bring 30 cars in a variety of classes. The competition between these drivers is fierce and tends to lead to class hill records!

The Porsche Club’s National Championship bring six 911’s.

BARC South West members also compete in a class of the own.

The Fastest Time of Day 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. James Gibson in his OMS Hornet should see off Steve Holland’s Caterham and Marin Watson’s Westfield.

The Porsche Club’s National Championship Class has an all 911 line-up. The form book says Peter Turnbull, Jonathan Williamson and Paul Howells should be in the top three but Robert Lancaster-Gaye’s lovely 911 Turbo should be in the mix.

History is made when the quietest, greenest and most unusual car, a Toyota Mirai competes in the Chairman’s Invitation Class. It’s an electric car with the electricity being generated by a hydrogen fuel cell. The car, part of Toyota’s press fleet will be driven by David Finlay, journalist and racing driver, as part of the Multi-Car Hill Climb Challenge.

The Road Going Series Production Car Class up to 2000cc has just three cars entered. The honours are likely to go to Paul Webster, Gurston’s competition secretary in his Mazda MX5 but Steve Harris in his rapid Vauxhall Corsa won’t let Paul have it all his way

The over 2000cc Road Going Series Production Car Class, also has just three cars entered. Simon Neve’s Mitsubishi Evo 2.3t has the form to win. But we didn’t see the car in April. Neil Duncanson in his Audi Quattro and Jamie Powell in his Mitsubishi Evo, who is new to Gurston, will have their work cut out to snatch a win.

The Road Going Specialist Production Car Class brings the Warburton’s, David and Allan, Caterham to the hill. Adrian Lewis will have to work for a win.

The up to 1400cc Modified Series Production Car Class sees Andrew Russell’s Gineta G15 up against David Bean’s Mini. Andy will probably take the win.

The 1400cc to 2000cc Modified Series Production Car Class pits the two Peugeot 205’s of Ralph Pinder and Colin Satchell against Dee Stapley’s MGF. This year’s previous events in the national championships suggest Colin, the current leader of the Avon Tyres / TTC Group MSA Hill Climb Leaders Championship, will take the class.

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, Mark Walker’s Porsche and the Datsun 240z of Steph Colvin and Hannah Stapley. It will probably be between Simon and Geoff for first place.

Mike Rudge will have his work cut out in the Modified Specialist Production Cars Class with a field of four highly competitive drivers. The class win could go to any of the drivers. It will depend on the day!

The up to 2000cc Sports Libre Car Class is likely to be headed up by the supercharged Force LM shared by Jonathan Gates and Peter Sexton.

The over 2000cc Sports Libre Car Class sees the Manic Beattie of Nic Mann and the Mini Evo of Allan McDonald against Gurston regulars Chris Cannell, Sue Hayes (Force SR8) and Keith Diggle (WEV HCS). Nic Mann should win this battle.

Les Buck goes in the up to 600cc Racing Car Class in his OMS Hornet.

The 601 to 1100cc Racing Car Class has a huge entry! Simon Fidoe in his Empire Wraith, Adam Steel (Marlet AS1), Steve Owen (OMS 28), Oliver and Liam Cooper (Force HC), to name just a few should make this a very close class.

The Formula Ford Class sees Simon McBeath as favourite. Nev Rollason and Mark Alley won’t let him have it all his way. With similar cars, this class will be decided on the day.

Geoff Hunt’s glorious Lotus 22 should be back and is the only car in the Racing Car Upto 1985 Class.

The 1100cc to 1600cc Racing Car Class puts Ed Hollier in his Empire Evo up against Peter D Smith’s Force, Sean Gould and Eynon Price’s Gould GR59 and eight other drivers! On early season form, there’s no real favourite here.

The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car Class – Normally Aspirated – has five cars and seven drivers competing. Tim Davies’ Pilbeam MP88 has Gurston form but Tim Elmer took the win at Harewood earlier in the month.

The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car Class – Forced Induction – bring David Uren and Nicola Menzies’ Force PC back to Gurston. The Marsh brothers, Simon and Peter will have to use all their local knowledge to catch David Uren.

The Over 2000cc Racing Car Class will be another class that will be difficult to predict. Wallace Menzies should be back in his Gould GR55 NME after problems in Northern Ireland, Will Hall (Force) should have sorted his throttle issues now, Graham Wynn might be out in the ex-John Bradburn GR55. Tony Hunt and Terry Graves (GR55), Jason Mourant (GR55), Trevor Willis (OMS) and Sandra Tomlin (Pilbeam) will all have to work to beat Scott Moran (GR61x) who is properly “in form” this season and current leads the championship.

The Fastest Time of the Day should go to one of the Top Twelve Run-Off competitors but which one? Only time will tell!

The Lotus 7 Club Championship has five classes in May. They are always entertaining and highly competitive. Classes are broadly based on BHP but the rules aren’t quite that straight forward. Note championship standings do not take account of the results of Curborough on 15^th May.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship Class 1 – Cars Up to 125 bhp – with five drivers in this class and with his current championship lead, Robert Jacobs is likely to take this class.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship Class 2 – Cars up to 150 bhp – List 1A Tyres – Mike Cocker, the current championship leader shouldn’t be far off the pace but the seven other drivers won’t let him take the class easily.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship Class 3 – Cars up to 150 bhp – List 1B Tyres – ten drivers compete for the honours. Richard Price must be favourite as he is the current championship leader.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship – Class 4 – Car up to 210 bhp – Jeremy Davis and Michael Sankey will have good battle. Michael Sankey is the current leader in the championship.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship – Class 6/7 – Cars not in classes 1 to 4 – Shaun Elwell and Robert Margel, the current leaders in classes 6 and 7 will be a good bet for the win.

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

INFO:

Saturday 28th May
Practice for the first visit of contenders in the British Hillclimb and Leaders Championships.
Admission £6.00 per person, Car parking free, Children under 15 free.
Gates open 0800; practice from 0830; two practice sessions before lunch, one further practice session after lunch.

Sunday 29th May
Speed Event, Nat A; the first visit of he year of contenders in the British Hillclimb and Leaders Championships.
Admission £10.00 per person, Car parking free, Children under 15 free.
Gates open 0800; final practice from 0830; first class runs from about 1030; first top-twelve run-off at about 1300; lunch; second class runs from about 1415; second top-twelve run-off at about 1600.

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