WOW! It Really was an Awesome weekend!

The sun shone on Gurston Down and the crowds came!

Saturday morning was a little damp with some over-night rain but it didn’t stop some great times being posted in practice.

Sunday’s timed runs produced some spectacular performances.

The two top twelve runs-offs were close. Run-off one, Round 7 of the BHC Championship, was won by Trevor Willis (26.12s) with the top five being separated by just 0.50s… Scott Moran just 0.07s off Trevor’s pace, Wallace Menzies and David Uren just 0.38s and 0.42s slower respectively.

Run-off two, Round 8 of the BHC Championship, was Scott Moran’s after a 26.10s run with Trevor Willis (26.25s) and Wallace Menzies (26.73s) second and third respectively.

The Fastest Time of the Day went to Scott Moran with his second run-off time of 26.10s.

Scott still leads the Avon Tyres / TTC Group MSA British Hillclimb Championship with 79 points, Trevor Willis second with 62, Dave Uren is third with 39 and Wallace Menzies forth with 33 points.

What will the positions be when they return at the end of August?

Class Results in Detail:

The BARC South West B Licence Class got the event under way. The class had a wide range of different cars, all BARC SW members who don’t hold National A licences. James Gibson (31.75s) in his OMS Hornet took the lead in the first timed run and produced a better time in the second run, fending off Marin Watson’s Westfield (32.35s) and Steve Holland’s Caterham (32.69s). Dean Cubitt and his Mazda MX5 (41.89s) has improved since his first event in April and would have set a new record in the MX5 class had that class been running. Gordon Weston’s engine work has improved his performance in his lovely red Porsche 924.

Next up were the Porsche Club’s National Championship Class. Peter Turnbull and his 911 GT3 (34.42s) had an interesting battle with Paul Howells in his 911 RSR, finishing on 34.79s. Robert Lancaster-Gaye’s 911 Turbo fighting off Andy Norris (911 Carrera S) to take third..

The Road Going Series Production Car Class up to 2000cc saw Paul Webster, Gurston’s competition secretary in his Mazda MX5 take the win with a 38.21s, Steve Harris couldn’t get his previous form back to challenge Paul.

The over 2000cc Road Going Series Production Car Class, saw Simon Neve and his Mitsubishi Evo 2.3t secure the win with a 34.84s run. Both Jamie Powell in his Mitsubishi Evo and Neil Duncanson in his Audi Quattro couldn’t match his pace, and were second and third respectively.

History was made by David Finlay in the Chairman’s Invitation Class, no Production Hydrogen Fuel Cell car had every competed in a hill climb anywhere else in the world before. The electric Toyota Mirai in a stunning chrome wrap managed a 44.44s run. That’s a record for an electric car at Gurston! The car, part of Toyota’s press fleet was being driven by David Finlay, journalist and racing driver, as part of the Multi-Car Hill Climb Challenge.

The Road Going Specialist Production Car Class saw the Warburton’s, David and Allan’s Caterham take first and second. David beat his father by just 0.61s. Adrian Lewis just couldn’t match the pace of the Warburton’s Caterham.

Andrew Russell in his Gineta G15 won the up to 1400cc Modified Series Production Car Class.

Colin Satchell’s dominance of the 1400cc to 2000cc Modified Series Production Car Class continues (33.36s). He and his rapid (that’s an understatement!) Peugeot 205 saw off Ralph Pinder and his 205. Another two class wins for Colin won’t hurt his Avon Tyres / TTC Group MSA Hill Climb Leaders Championship challenge.

Simon Purcell and his Lotus Exige (34.07s) had to work hard for his win in the Over 2000cc Modified Series Production Car Class. The former Gurston champion needed some great runs to beat Geoff Tremlow’s Subaru Impreza (34.67s). Tim Painter and Andrew Fraser in the Aston Martin Vantage were split by Mark Walker and his Porsche Cayman S.

The Modified Specialist Production Cars Class saw Mike Rudge and the Westfield Sei (31.32s) kept Simon Jenks and Antony Orchard at bay to take the win.

Jonathan Gates took the up to 2000cc Sports Libre Car Class from Peter Sexton, the Gurston Down Championship sponsor, in their shared supercharged Force LM by just one hundredth of a second. Jonathan Gates finishing on 29.86s and Peter Sexton on 29.87s!

The amazing Manic Beattie of Nic Mann won the over 2000cc Sports Libre Car Class with a stunning (28.32s). Which would have been a qualifing time for the run-off had he been a registered contender! The mental Mini Evo of Allan McDonald (30.95s), with a new personal best, finished third just behind Gurston regular Chris Cannell in his Force SR8 (30.39s).

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

As expected the huge over 601 to 1100cc Racing Car Class produced a fabulous run by Simon Fidoe in his Empire Wraith after a failed first run. His time of 30.46s pipped Thomas Poole by just 0.06s… Darren Gumbley took forth in the Fidoe / Gumbley Empire Wraith. The top nine in this class were separated by just 1.5s!

Simon McBeath (Swift SC92F) won the Formula Ford Class with a 37.07s, dispite having starter motor problems earlier in the weekend. We look forward to the Formula Ford Fest, later in the year.

The 1100cc to 1600cc Racing Car Class saw Ed Hollier’s Empire Evo, Sean Gould and Eynon Price’s Gould GR59 fight it out for the win. All three being separated by just 0.4s, Ed Hollier winning with a 28.47s.

Tim Davies’ Pilbeam MP88 (29.55s) won the 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car Class – Normally Aspirated Car Class beating Tim Elmer’s Dallara.

An outstanding performance by Dave Uren 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car Class – Forced Induction Class in the Force PC he shares with Nicola Menzies, gave him the class by almost 2 seconds. He finished on a 26.80s. Paul Haimes finished second on 28.60s with the Marsh brothers, Simon and Peter finishing third and fourth. Although they were non starters for the second timed run.

Trevor Willis (OMS 28) won the Over 2000cc Racing Car Class with a great performance. Both Scott Moran (Gould GR61X) and Wallace Menzies were all very close. Will Hall (Force WH-XTEC) didn’t have a great day, a small incident at Ashes meant a failed run in the second timed runs.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship had five classes this weekend. They were all very entertaining, particularly in Karousel and Ashes!

The Lotus 7 Club Championship Class 1 – Cars Up to 125 bhp – Robert Jacobs’s, 38.49s run is in winning form. He beat Paul Boston by just 0.09s.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship Class 2 – Cars up to 150 bhp – List 1A Tyres – Mike Cocker, the current championship leader was pipped by David Nelson who won the class with a 37.50s run, only 0.08s ahead of Mike.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship Class 3 – Cars up to 150 bhp – List 1B Tyres – Just one hundreth of a second decided this! The lead swapping between the first and second runs. Daniel Malkin (36.19s) beating Richard Price (36.20s). 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’ first run of 35.16s couldn’t be matched by Michael Sankey’s. Michael’s first run was also his best at 35.33s.

The Lotus 7 Club Championship – Class 6/7 – Simon Rogers first timed run of 32.40s saw off Robert Margel’s 32.50s first run time. Neither of them could improve in their second runs.

We would like to thank everyone who made the day possible, the Toyota Press Team, Steve in particular for being the technical representative, the office staff, the marshalls, timekeepers, scrutineers and officials without whom we couldn’t run the meeting. Thanks to Ashley Wood Recovery, TSL Timing, Insight Medical Services, Insight Security and Peter Crutcher from Ringwood PA.

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