Championship Finale – Event Report

The weather was almost perfect for the season finale at Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb. Saturdays rain was gone by late evening and the prospects for some really competitive motorsport loomed.

Both the Meadens Skoda Gurston Down Hill Climb Championship and the Cavendish Ships Stores BARC SW Top Ten Challenge were to be decided. There will be a full report on the both championships later.

This years Meadens Skoda Gurston Down Hill Climb Championship was decided in the second timed runs. Stephen Moore, last years champion, made it two in a row. Stephen had to break the class record to win the championship. The first timed run almost went to plan but he “only” matched the record! It was all to do in the second run! Stephen did exactly what he needed, breaking his own record again! Finishing on

The Cavendish Ships Stores BARC SW Top Ten Challenge was also up for grabs. Simon Marsh maintained his lead, taking fastest time of the day too!

FULL CLASS RESULTS:

Invited Classes:

The TR Class is up first. Roderick Warner’s TR7 V8 took the honours finishing on 39.38s with Dale Huxford in his Spitfire second on 40.74s and Tony Browne in the Triumph Dolomite taking third finishing on 41.14s.

The MG Cars went next, the top two drivers finishing jusy 0.12s apart. Richard Withers (MGB GT) won with a first timed run of 40.20s and Robert Orford’s (MGB Roadster) second timed run almost snatched the win. Robert could quite match Richard’s first timed run and finished on 40.32s.

The Austin Healey, Big Healey and Warwick Cars Class was another close class, with Paul Baker (Austin Healey 3000), at Cooper (Austin Healey 100/6) and Richard Mason (3.0 3000 Mk 2) finished in first, second and third, on 39.03s, 39.12s and 39.40, respectively.

The Austin Healey Sprite Class was another hotly contested class! The first three were separated by less than 0.5s and the first five less than 1s! Andrew Taylor was second, to Joseph Mackrell after the first timed run. But it all changed in the second timed run, Andrew pulled a 39.34s run, narrowly beating Joseph’s first time run of 39.56s. Stephen Casson and his Sprinzel Coupe stopped the clocks on 39.75s to take third.

The Reliant Scimitar and Sabre Cars class wasn’t quite as close as the previous classes. Steven Louch and his beautifully presented Scimitar GTE took first with a first timed run of 38.48s. Craig Hughes secured second in his Scimitar Sabre with a second timed run of 39.22s.

The special Isle of Wright Car Club class saw a variety of cars. With the Ford Escort MK1 RS2000 of Richard Weaver and a Locost driven by Steve Wells stopping the clocks on identical times of 36.99s in the second timed runs! Steven takes the class win because he had a better aggregate time.

Regular Gurston Classes

Gurston Down’s Mazda MX5 Class saw six cars in the class. Mark Crookall with his gold Mk2 RS started favourite but Nick Revels had a new car (another MK2 RS) and Dean Cubitt’s MK1 was finally running right, it wasn’t going to be easy!Mark finished first on 41.04s, Dean second on 41.20s and Nick third on 43.44s. The MX5 class next season looks like it’ll be one to watch!

The Road Going Series Production Class up to 2000cc, just gets better and better. The Greenen brothers have had a great season in their Honda Civic Type R but the unexpected star this season is Tim Forster and his lovely Lotus Elan! Adam finished first on 37.52s, Tim second on 37,61s and Andy third on 37.74s.

The Over 2000cc Road Going Series Production Class, saw the 2015 Meadens Skoda Gurston Down Champion, Stephen Moore and his 2.0t Mitsubishi Evo 6 needing a class record to take the title for the second year running. The record stood at 33.31s and Stephen matched that in his first timed run! So it was all or nothing in the second timed run! Stephen arrived at Top Paddock wondering whether he’d done what was needed. He took 0.35s off his first run and set a new class record at 32.96s! He won the class and the championship too! You can find an in-car video on our facebook page!

The Road Going Specialist Production Class had Clive Skipper’s 2.0 Caterham HPC and Adrian Lewis’ 1.4 Westfield Megabusa, stopping the clocks on 34.33s and 34.35s respectively in their first timed runs. Neither improved on their second timed run so Clive took the class win!

There was only one starter in the Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Cars up to 2000cc Class, Sarah Bosworth and her Lotus Elise! Sarah managed a 34.98s run!

The Over 2000cc Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Car Class was won by Simon Purcell in his supercharged and turbo charged Lotus Exige. Simon first timed run wasn’t a good run, he needed to beat the class record to win the championship. His second timed run of 35.99s won the class.

The up to 1400cc Modified Series Production Class is complemented with classic Minis as usual. Neil Turner and his Mini Cooper S won the class and set a new class record with a 35.22s second timed run! He was a happy man in Top Paddock!

Richard Wood in his Yamaha Mini took the Modified Series Mini Class, stopping the clocks on 38.68s.

The 1400cc to 2000cc Modified Series Production Class, was won by Daniel Jacobs in his Peugeot 205 finishing on 36.32s.

Tim Painter and the gorgeous Aston Martin Vantage won the over 2000cc Modified Series Production Class. But Mark Walker and his 3.4 Porsche Cayman S made it tough! Tim finishing on 35.33s just 0.14s ahead of Mark.

Mike Rudge won the over 2000cc Modified Specialist Production Class in his super quick Westfield Sei. He managed a 31.46 beating Martin Watson.

Hugh Kemp and his 1.6 Palliser WDF3 fended off Geoff Hunt and his Lotus 22 and the Jensen C-V8 Mk1 driven by Richard Lovell-Butt to win the Historically Interesting Class. Hugh managed a 35.61s with Geoff second on 37.43s.

The up to 2000cc Sports Libre Class was won by Peter Steel in his lovely Mallock Mk20. He was challenged hard by Tim Pitfield but Tim couldn’t quite match Peter’s first run time of 33.44s.

The over 2000cc Sports Libre Class saw Chris Cannell and his Force SR8 fend off Keith Diggle and Sue Hayes! Chris finished just over a second ahead of Lance stopping the clock at 30.82s.

The ‘500 Owners Association’ historic 500cc racing cars came next. Andrew and James Forsyth brought the Alfa Dana of their late father John Forsyth.

But the Alfa Dana suffered a mechanical issue during the first timed run and didn’t complete a climb. Mark Riley and his Creamer won finishing on 41.38s.

The ‘500 Owners Association’ – Other Car Class had just one entrant so Ainsley Barwick won with a 45.87s first timed run.

James Moore Empire EVO beat Murray Wakeham’s OMS to take the honours in the 601cc to 1100cc Racing Car Class. James’s time of 31.45s. The next three in this class were separated by less than one second. Great racing!

The 1100cc to 1600cc Racing Car Class was won by Peter D Smith (Force), with a 29.95s run. Pete Hammock (OMS) was only 0.50s behind and finished on 30.45s!

The ultra-competitive Formula Ford Class was next! Simon McBeath and his Swift SC92F, the current record holder, won. He managed a 36.60s first timed run with Russell Haynes and Roger Moran finishing second and third. The top three were separated by just 0.35s.

Simon Marsh beat his brother Peter in the 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car Forced Induction Class in their shared DJ Firehawk. Simon also won the Cavendish Ships Stores Gurston Down Top Ten Championship and the Fastest Time of the Day. Well done Simon!

Full Championship Report Coming Soon!

Gurston Marshall of the Year: Rob Broomfield

Rob’s won Marshall of the Year for his sterling work in the Top Paddock! Well Done!

And he hates having his picture taken!!

We would like to thank everyone who made the day possible, the office staff, the marshalls (who braved the rain), 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 BARC SW Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb