The season finale at Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb, on Sunday 11th September. There will a full day’s exciting and entertaining championship action.

Over 130 cars and drivers will compete in standard road cars, classic and modern cars and amazingly fast sport and single seat racing cars. All of them will pit their wits against the fast and twisty course at Wiltshire’s famous Speed Hill Climb Venue and each other to score valuable championship points.

Spectators have unrivalled access to the hill, paddock and facilities. The excellent catering and refreshments are available on site too.

You really can’t get closer to the action!

Meeting Details:

Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb hosts a number of championships, including the final rounds of the Meadens Skoda Gurston Down Hill Climb Championship and the Cavendish Ships Stores BARC SW Top Ten Challenge. Both of these championships have yet to be decided, so September will be important for many of the registered contenders.

In the Meadens Skoda Gurston Down Hill Climb Championship there are two drivers, both former champions, who can win. Simon Purcell leads on 88 points with Stephen Moore second on 87 points. Stephen will need a class record breaking timed run to grab the extra point but he would then be equal with Simon. Third and fourth places aren’t decided either! Chris Cannell leads Graham Beale by just 0.33 points.

June 2016 - Copyright: Chris Burch

June 2016 – Copyright: Chris Burch

The Cavendish Ships Stores BARC SW Top Ten Challenge is currently lead by Simon Marsh, his brother Peter is second, Peter Sexton, Peter D Smith and Jonathan Gates, third, fourth and fifth respectively could all mathematically win the championship. But they are all dependant on each others results!

JD

John Davey – Top Ten Championship Sponsor

Other championships visiting the hill include, Triumph TR cars, MG Cars, Austin Healeys, the Reliant Scimitar and Sabre cars as well as the historic 500cc racing cars.

Fastest Time of the Day should be interesting! Peter D Smith’s Force and Simon and Peter Marsh’s DJ Firehawk are likely contenders. But we shouldn’t forget the SR8 of Chris Cannell and Sue Hayes and the Force LM being driven by Jonathan Gates and Gurston Championship Sponsor, Peter Sexton, which might all be in with a chance.

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The TR Class is up first. Roderick Warner (TR7 V8) probably starts favourite with the TR6 of Nick Smith second favourite, based on April meeting results. But what does the April form book mean? You can’t ignore any of the car and driver combinations in this class.

TR7-V8

The MG Cars go next. There are fifteen drivers in this class. Robert Orford (MGB Roadster), Richard Withers (MGB GT) or Steve Luscombe (MG Midget) are, on previous form, likely to be the top three.

EPC161B-12

In the Big Healey and Warwick Cars Class should see Richard Mason (3.0 3000 Mk 2) take the honours. Although Pat Cooper (Austin Healey 100/6) and Paul Baker (Austin Healey 3000) won’t let him take that win without a fight.

Copyright: John Hayward

Copyright: John Hayward

The Austin Healey Sprite Class has eight drivers, all of whom could take the win. Andrew Taylor and Colin Gale are the fastest two based on previous results but all the other drivers will want to score points and take a win.

Thanks to Andy Withers

The Reliant Scimitar and Sabre Cars class has a good entry, including a now super rare Scimitar SS1. The GTE of Steven and John Louch likely winners.

The Isle of Wright Car Club class sees three cars. A Mazda MX5 driven by Kevin Richardson, a Ford Escort RS2000 of Richard Weaver and a Locost driven by Steve Wells. It’ll probably between the Escort and Locost. But these drivers are new to Gurston so it will be great to see just how much they will improve over the day.

Regular Gurston Classes

Gusrton Down’s Mazda MX5 Class will be particularly interesting. Mark Crookall has already won this class in the championship. But Dean Cubitt, Mark Jones and Nick Revels will all be wanting to beat Mark in the season finale!

Danny Dzenis www.dd-photography.co.uk

Danny Dzenis www.dd-photography.co.uk

The Road Going Series Production Class up to 2000cc brings both Andy and Adam Greenen competing together. Andy has missed a few events and will be wanting to grab his brothers class record. But they will have Tim Forster in his Lotus Elan to contend with after he posted a time just 0.01s off the class record. Paul Webster, Gurston’s competition secretary, in his Mazda MX5, shouldn’t be forgotten but he’ll have to be on top form to catch them.

August 2016

The Over 2000cc Road Going Series Production Class, is likely to be won by the 2015 Meadens Skoda Gurston Down Champion, Stephen Moore in his 2.0t Mitsubishi Evo 6. But the Subaru of Shaun Fudge should be back so we will see. Stephen will be looking to break the class record as it’s the only way he can regain his title. It will be interesting to see how the turbocharged Mazda MX5 of Jon Maycock does, particularly his times against the standard car class.

Danny Dzenis www.dd-photography.co.uk

Danny Dzenis www.dd-photography.co.uk

The Road Going Specialist Production Class always brings fast cars to the hill. Clive Skipper’s 2.0 Caterham HPC or Adrian Lewis’ 1.4 Westfield Megabusa are the most likely winners in this class. We will have to wait and see.

The Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Cars up to 2000cc Class pits Graham Beale’s Ginetta G20 against Sarah Bosworth and her Lotus Elise. Sarah will probably be the surprise here, to those who haven’t seen her drive! She’ll be one to watch! She’ll make Graham’s job of improving his championship position a real problem! Hill record for Sarah? Sarah holds a number of class records at other hills so she’ll be looking to add Gurston to her collection!

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The over 2000cc Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Car Class sees Bob Mortimer (Porsche 911), Paul Slade (Jagaur E Type), and the TVR Griffith of Steve Holley in what will be an interesting class. Bob’s probably favourite.

The up to 1400cc Modified Series Production Class is complemented with classic Minis as usual. Jim White, the class record holder, in his highly developed 1.4 Mini Clubman will be starting as favourite. Derek Mullis and Neil Turner have been having a good season so this should make an interesting battle.

DerekM

Richard Wood runs in his Yamaha Mini both days in the Modified Series Mini Class.

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The 1400cc to 2000cc Modified Series Production Class, has just one entrant. Daneil Jacobs in a Peugoet 205.

The over 2000cc Modified Series Production Class, has the gorgeous the Aston Martin Vantage of Tim Painter and Andrew Fraser up against Simon Purcell in that super fast Lotus Exige, Mike Butler in his BMW M3, Brendon Jones in his supercharged Escort RS2000 and Mark Walker in his 3.4 Porsche Cayman S. Tim and Andrew’s Aston Martin and Simon’ Exige will be the top three. But who will be first?

Aston

Mike Rudge will have his work cut out in the over 2000cc Modified Specialist Production Class with a field of five cars. Antony Orchard beat him in August! Martin Watson and Steve Holland won’t let either of them walk away with the win.

August 2016

The Historically Interesting Class always brings out stunning cars! This Sunday will be no exception! Hugh Kemp in his 1.6 Palliser WDF3 and Geoff Hunt in his Lotus 22 have a Jensen C-V8 Mk1 driven by Richard Lovell-Butt. Geoff Hunt and the Lotus 22 are likely winners.

GeoffHunt

The up to 2000cc Sports Libre Class is likely to be headed up by Jonathan Gates / Peter Sexton in the supercharged Force LM. Tim Pitfeild has taken the class once this season so you should ignore his DJ Firecat. It’s another class that will go down to the wire!

TimPitfield

The over 2000cc Sports Libre Class sees Chris Cannell start favourite in the Force SR8 he shares with Sue Hayes The WEV HCS of Keith Diggle will make sure Chris has to earn his championship points!

Cannell

The ‘500 Owners Association’ historic 500cc racing cars are up next. Six cars and seven will start, including the Alfa Dana of the late John Forsyth driven by Andrew and James. It’ll be good to see these cars back. The other 500 class, has only one entry, Ainsley Barwick’s Mk6.

The 601 to 1100cc Racing Car Class has a great entry! James Moore and Tony Levitt’s Empires should be the front runners both days.

600to1100RC

Five cars go in the Formula Ford Class! Simon McBeath and his Swift SC92F, the current record holder, is the favourite, although he had a tough August meeting! None of the others drivers should be discounted, it only takes a small error to loose this class.

FormulaFord-SMB

The 1100cc to 1600cc Racing Car Class has Peter D Smith (Force), in the car he shares with Richard Gayland, up against Gurston regulars, Pete Hammock (OMS) and Ian Tucker (OMS). Peter D Smith is likely favourite here and possible fastest time of the day too!

PeterDSmitth

The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car Forced Induction Class has the brothers Peter and Simon Marsh going head to head is their DJ Firehawk. They always fight hard and their times are great too. Both have their sights on the Gurston Top Ten Championship and they are contenders for Fastest Time of the Day…

Marsh

Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb – You really can’t get closer to the action!

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

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: Sunday September 11th
Times: Competition from approx. 1300, practice from 0830.
Admission: Only £10 for adults each day, accompanied under 14s free, free paddock entry, free parking.