The two July meetings now form part of the Meadens Skoda Gurston Down Championship and of the Cavendish Ships Stores Top Ten Challenge.

There are four rounds of the Championship, two each day and two rounds of the Challenger, one each day.

The Meadens Skoda Championship is close after the first eight rounds. The performances at the July meetings might well determine the overall championship but as ever that will depend on the performances during every timed run.

The Challenge doesn’t seem to be quite as open. There’s more on that in the reports on the website. Needless to say, this weekend will probably decide this too.

We also have over 30 motorbikes abd side-cars running both days. There is more on that in the Motrorbike Preview that will be available after the entries have closed.

We have around 130 cars and drivers 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, award winning 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.

Invited Classes:

The double drives in batch three head to hill first in their own very small batch then the Auto Cycle Union’s motorbikes and sidecars run in batch two.

Batch three begins with the Sevenoaks and District Motor Club Class. There are just two entries, Robert Wood in his Lotus Cortina and Dave Rayner in his Caterham 7. This one should be won by Dave in the Caterham but Robert Wood’s Lotus will make him work hard for the win. But can he take the win both days?

Next to the line will be the DEWS Motor Club Class. On Saturday, this class hosts a very wide range of cars ranging from Derek Kessell’s lovely Maguire Mini, a host of Mini Coopers and Marc Morris’ Renault Clio. Sunday, there are a few changes to the class, a couple of cars drop out and there is the addition of the Morgan 4/4 of Paul and John Denning. The form book would suggest Derek in the Maguire should take the win both days but second, that could be anyones.

Batch three concludes with the first of the regular Gurston Down Regular Classes:

The Gurston Down Mazda MX5 Class, supported by The Window Doctor runs next. All the competitors, except Chris Burch, run both days. The class championship leader, class record holder and the winner of the Tony Marsh Memorial Trophy at the June meeting, Mark Crookall needs wins both days to stop Jason Richardson taking his class title. Mark also needs great points to maintain his challenge in the overall Championship. It will be important to everyone to score points in each timed run.

Finishing batch three is the Road Going Series Production Class up to 1400cc Class. David Nutland runs his Mini and John Davey, the managing director of Cavendish Ships Stores, our Top Ten Challenge sponsor, in his MG Midget. John won in June. Can he repeat that and get the class record somewhere near his personal best.

Batch four brings the Road Going Series Production Class 1401cc to 2000cc Class, supported by Record-Designs to the line. There’s a big entry in this class. Paul Dickinson in his Honda S2000, the joint current overall championship and class leader will want to secure this position and take the win. But he will have the newly refreshed Mazda MX5 of Dean Cubitt and Tim Forster and his Lotus Elan to contend with. Let alone the Clios of Rob Brodie and Paul Hearne as well as the Honda Civic of Chris and Russell Davies who have been inform recently. There are three additional unknowns in the class, another Lotus Elan shared by Peter Lythell and Guy Brooker and the stunning Alpine A110 of Peter Ellens.

The Turbo Dynamics supported Over 2000cc Road Going Series Production Class goes next. Simon Neve in his Mitsubishi Evo came back in June and took the class win. Shaun Fudge, in the Subaru Impreza is the current class leader. Shaun will need to put in a solid performance to maintain his class championship challenge. Jon Maycock in the Mazda MX5 is currently second. Andrew James in the Nissan 350Z GTS is back and there’s an Audit S3 double driven by Daryl Newstead and Jonathan Sweet just to add to the mix.

Copyright: Akina Media

The Fieldfare Trailer Centre supported Road Going Specialist Production Class is the last to go in batch four. The class championship is very close this year. Clive Skipper in his Caterham currently leads and has had some great performances. However, you can’t discount the Adrian Lewis Westfield Superbusa which he is sharing with Anthony Orchard at these events. But with the experienced group this class is too difficult to predict.

Batch Five brings the Over 2000cc Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Car Class to the line next. Graham Beale and his Ginetta currently leads the class from Phil Price and his 911RS. It’s been close between these two all season and will be down to the best performance on the day.

Then there’s the all Mini line-up with David Bean, Derek Mullis and Neil Turner entered both days in the up to 1400cc Modified Series Production Class. The class record holder,, Neil Turner, on previous form, will probably take the win.

The Over 2000cc Modified Series Production Class, supported by Meadens Skoda takes to the hill next. Tim Painter and Andy Fraser in the gorgeous Aston Martin Vantage will have to work for their championship points with Stephen Moore and his Mitsubishi Evo entered.

There is small entry in the Gates of Brokenhurst supported Modified Specialist Production Class. Martin Watson is leading the class championship and has had some great performances over the past few events. He starts favourite but he has Richie Gatt and Steve Holland to contend with.

There are just two entries in the Historically Interesting Class, supported by Kelvin Jouhar. On previous form and current championship standings this class should go to Fryth Crosse and the Dempster Ensign LNF3.

The Sports Libre up to 1400cc Class has just three cars entered, both days. Peter Steel in his Mallock leads the class championship. He will need to maintain his current form to secure that position as Richard Wood in the Yamaha Mini is only trailing by a few points.

Copyright: John Hayward

The Lewis Property Services supported Sports Libre 1400cc to 2000cc Class has just one entrant, the WEV HCS-BDG of Keith Diggle.

The Sports Libre over 2000cc Class also has just one entry, Chris Cannell with the Force SR8. Chris will be looking to improve his standings in the Cavendish Ship Stores Top Ten Challenge in which he is currently second.

Batch five is rounded off by the 601cc to 1100cc Racing Car Class, supported by Drynham Project Management Limited has another good entry. James Moore, the current joint leder is the overall championship and his Empire Evo 2 should take the win on past performance but Tony Levitt is sharing his Evo with Pete Hammock, both of which could easily upset James’ position in class championship.

Batch six starts with the NTM Training supported Formula Ford Class has a massive entry. The Gurston Down Formula Ford Festival looks like it will be a highly competitive event, Simon McBeath, the current class record holder, will be looking to take the win. But with such a large entry, this is by no means certain. The positions in this class is usually decided by hundredths of a second and we will expect it to be the same this time.

The shared Force PT of Peter D Smith and Richard Gayland is the only entry in the 1101cc to 1600cc Racing Car Class, supported by SM AeRoTechniques. Peter will be chasing Top Ten Championship points and is a likely contender for fastest time of the day.

The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car – Normally Aspirated Class has three entries, both days. Dave Lord and the Quest SF86 and Roger Cook with the Pilbeam MQP54 will have their work cut out taking on Tim Elmer’s Dallara F399. Tim is another possible Fastest Tim of the Day winner.

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 July 21st and Sunday July 22nd
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