It’s the Tony Marsh Memorial Weekend on the 16th and 17th June and four rounds of the Meadens Skoda Gurston Down Championship and two rounds of the Cavendish Ships Stores Top Ten Challenge.
Both the Championship and the Challenge are in their early stages. With four rounds of the Championship and two of the Challenge, by the end of the weekend, we should see the top two or three in each class to the fore.
The Tony Marsh Memorial Trophy is awarded to the Meadens Skoda Championship Competitor who makes the greatest improvement in or is nearest to their respective class record in the two June meetings. Mark Crookall and his MX5 has won this for a record two successive years.
We have over 130 cars and drivers together with 30 motorbikes competing on both days with a separate event on Saturday and Sunday.
All will face the challenge of the legendary 12 feet wide, fast and twisty course at Wiltshire’s famous Speed Hill Climb Venue, Gurston Down.
With unrivalled access to the hill, paddock, cars, drivers and facilities available to our spectators, the weekend promises to be a veritable sceptical of sound, smell, skill and speed. We have excellent catering and refreshments on site too!
You really can’t get closer to the action!
In addition to the regular Meadens Skoda Gurston Down Championship classes, there are a number of invited clubs on both days.
Saturday’s Invited Classes:
The double drives in batch three head to hill first in their own very small batch then the ACU National Hill Climb Championship motorbikes and sidecars run in batch two. There is a separate preview for the bikes.
Batch three begins with the ACSMC Registered Road Legal Cars Class. There is a wide range of cars in this class, everything was a the Westfield SEIW of Mike Williams, last years winner, the Lotus Elise of Elen Worthington, David Newman’s Mazda MX5 and Gurston regulars, Jenny and Clive Stangle in the Mitsubishi Evo. The class will probably be between the Westfields of Mike Williams and Steven Wells and the Stangle’s in their Mitsubishi Evo. But with the variety of cars and drivers, this class could be anyone’s.
ASWMC Registered Road Legal Cars run next. There are just three cars / driver combinations entered. The cars are probably very evenly matched so it will be down to the best drive of the day.
Next runs the Midland Speed Championship (formerly the Service Hydraulics Speed Championship). The class has three entries. Dave Reed in his Lotus 61 FF took the win last year and is probably favourite.
The 500 Owners Association Championship has a great entry. Five cars and six drivers will compete in cars designed and built just post war. Some of them are faster than the road going cars of today. Mark Riley, the class sponsor and his 500cc Creamer are likely to take the honours.
Sunday’s Invited Classes:
The Volvo Owners Club Class has just two entries. The current class record holder, Richard Conway in the PV544 and Kevin Diamond in an Amazon. It will probably be Richard who will take the win but both drivers have Gurston experience so you shouldn’t discount Kevin Diamond.
The Bugatti Owners Club Championship will head for the hill next. This class has an eclectic group of cars entered. Everything from a Lotus Type 51b, an Austin Mini, a Jaguar 3.4 Saloon, Brabham BT29X, BT30X, BT21B are amongst the entries.They are always beautifully presented so these will be some of the cars to visit in the paddock.
The Midland Speed Championship returns for it’s second day with one less entry. It will probably be a repeat of the Saturday but hill climbing often throws a curved ball when you are least expecting it.
The Pirelli Ferrari Championship class comes to the line next. There are seven cars with eight drivers entered. There are some lovely cars in this class, spanning at four decades of Ferrari production. We have the Dino shared by Anthony and Iwan Attwood, the F430 of David Snelson, the 328 of Pauline Goodwin and the 355 of John Swith to name just a few. Part of the championship rules is that the cars have to be driven to the event, they can’t come on a trailer. So look out for some great cars on the loacl roads.
The Gurston Down Regular Classes, running both days:
The Gurston Down Mazda MX5 Class, supported by The Window Doctor runs next. All the competitors run both days. The current leader, class record holder and the winner of the2016 and 2017 Tony Marsh Memorial Trophy, Mark Crookall is favourite in this class. But he is having a really tough season so far. He will have to contend with Jason Richardson and Nick Revels, Gurston Competition Secretary, to name just a few. On current season form, these three will be in the first three places, but in which order? And can anyone beat the Class Record to be in with a chance to take the Tony Marsh Memorial Trophy?
The Road Going Series Production Class up to 1400cc is a new class this season and seems to been popular. There are four entries on Saturday and three on Sunday. The class record is 41.28s will probably be in danger as John Davey in his MG Midget set the championship target time at 40.44s. On current form John, the Managing Director of our Top Ten Challenge sponsor should take this class and perhaps the Tony Marsh Memorial Trophy but he will have to work for it.
Next to the line will be the Road Going Series Production Class 1401cc to 2000cc, supported by Record-Designs. It’s a big class with similar entries both days. Dean Cubitt in his Mazda MX5 and Paul Dickinson in his Honda S2000 have Gurston form. Paul is fresh from a great win at the Citroen C1 24hr race at Spa. Tim Forster and the Elan probably won’t make it to the start after a fire a Goodwood last month. If he makes it, Paul and Dean will have a much harder time. Don’t discount the Clio’s of Rob Brodie and Paul Hearne as well as the Honda Civic of Chris and Russell Davies. Top three should include Paul, Dean and one of the others…
The Turbo Dynamics supported Over 2000cc Road Going Series Production Class goes next. This will be a challenging class for most of the entrants as the current class record holder and former Gurston Down Champion, Stephen Moore and his Evo 6 bring his Road Going car to Saturday, then his Modified car on Sunday. Look out for Simon Neve in his Mitsubishi Evo as he comes back after missing a few meetings. And it’s such a competitive class we can’t forget Shaun and Sarah Fudge and their Subaru Impreza or Jon Maycock and his turbo Mazda MX5. With all but two competitors, Stephen Moore and Aaron Watlers, registered for the championship, every timed run will count!
The Fieldfare Trailer Centre supported Road Going Specialist Production Class has another strong entry, although there is a smaller entry on Sunday. Adrian Lewis and his Westfield Superbusa and Clive Skipper and the Caterham 7 HPC will probably be the top two. But with the experienced group and new drivers in this class both days, it’s too difficult to predict who’s going to win this one!
There is just one Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Cars up to 2000cc Class on Sunday, Andrew Hurle so he will be chasing the class record and his personal best.
The Over 2000cc Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Car Class has just two entries on Saturday and four on Sunday. Saturday will be between Graham Beale and his Ginetta and Phil Price and his 911RS. The 911RS will probably snatch the win on Saturday. Both Paul and Graham are back for Sunday along with two others, Bob Mortimer and his 911 and Paul Slade in the Jaguar E Type. Sunday will probably a very different day to Saturday but who’s day will they be?
Then there’s the all Mini line-up with David Bean, Derek Mullis, James White and Neil Turner entered both days in the up to 1400cc Modified Series Production Class. The class record holder, Neil Turner and former record holder James White will have a proper fight on there hands. This is another class where records are pushed back regularly. Another Tony Marsh Memorial Trophy winner here perhaps?
The Over 2000cc Modified Series Production Class, supported by Meadens Skoda takes to the hill next. Stephen Moore brings his modified car to the class on Sunday so that should change things around then. Saturday will be interesting too. That gorgeous Aston Martin of Tim Painter and Andy Frasers will have to work for their championship points and the event win.
There is a huge entry in the Gates of Brokenhurst supported Modified Specialist Production Class. Simon Marsh, Tony Marsh’s son bring a Caterham R300 to the hill for the first time. He will be sharing that with Edward Marsh. Which generation will be fastest? This class is so competitive! It’ll be interesting to see whether Martin Watson can hold off the rest of the class this weekend.
There’s another great entry in the Historically Interesting Class, supported by Kelvin Jouhar. There are so many great cars and drivers in this class, you should take some time and take a look at them. Geoff Hunt’s Lotus 22, the Chevron B19 of Amanda and Richard George, Chris Sutton’s Alvis and Fryth Crosse’s Dempster Ensign LNF3. Who will take the class? Who knows?
Mark Mortimer in his Mallock17b has the Hill Climb Super Sports Class to himself. Mark will be chasing personal bests and class record too!
The Sports Libre up to 14000cc Class has just three cars entered, both days. Tim Pitfield, Gurston Down Drivers School principal in his DJ Firecat is probably favourite. Richard Wood in the Yamaha Mini is handling better now so he will be chasing Tim along with Peter Steel in his Mallock.
The Lewis Property Services supported Sports Libre 1400cc to 2000cc Class.. The Saturday entry sees five entrants and three on Sunday. The WEV HCS-BDG of Keith Diggle starts favourite both days but he will have the Radical of Clive Wooster and Stewart Lillington. The supercharged BMW powered Citroen 2CV of Alex de Vires runs both days and the Lancia Stratos of Malcolm Cole.
The Sports Libre over 2000cc Class has two entries both days. Chris Cannell with the Force SR8 and Geoff Twemlow’s Saker GT. Chris should take this class and will be looking to improve his standings in the Cavendish Ship Stores Top Ten Challenge.
The 601cc to 1100cc Racing Car Class, supported by Drynham Project Management Limited has another great entry. James Moore and his Empire Evo 2 should take the win on past performance but Tony Levitt is sharing his Evo with Pete Hammock, who is waiting for his new Empire Wraith.
The NTM Training supported Formula Ford class has just one entry on Saturday. Carole Nicholls in her Nike Mk4. She has a shared car as competition on Sunday, Richard and Georgia Yeomans bring their Crossle 25F.
The 1101cc to 1600cc Racing Car Class, supported by SM AeRoTechniques come to the startline next. There is a relatively small entry both days. The shared Force PT will be the one to watch here. Peter D Smith and Richard Gayland will be looking for Top Ten Championship Points and perhaps even fastest time of the day.
The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car – Normally Aspirated Class has two entries, both days. Dave Lord and the Quest SF86 and Roger Cook with the Pilbeam MQP54. Dave Lord will be looking for championship points but he’ll have to avoid the little off he had last time out.
Paul Crute runs his Jaguar power OMS 28 in the Over 2000cc Racing Car Class, both days. Another contender for Fastest Time of the Day perhaps?
With a weekend packed with great cars and great motorsport – Why not join us?
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: Saturday June 16th and Sunday June 17th
Times: Competition runs from approx. 1300, practice runs from 0830 both days.
Admission: Only £10 for adults each day, accompanied under 14s free, free paddock entry, free parking.
Anthony Record – Press Officer – BARC SW, Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb