Saturday 15th and 16th June are the Tony Marsh Memorial Weekend. There are 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, although there are a few drivers and cars that didn’t feature last season. Will the June meetings change that or will they establish the main contenders. Although the meetings are likely to settle who will be in the top two or three in the class championships.

What is the Tony Marsh Memorial Trophy? The Tony Marsh Memorial Trophy is awarded to the Meadens Skoda Championship registered competitor who makes the greatest improvement in or is nearest to their respective class record in any of the timed runs at either of the June meetings. Mark Crookall and his MX5 has won this for a record three successive years.

We have over 110 cars and drivers together with 40 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, 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.

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’s a separate preview available.

BARC Connaught Speed Championship Class

There are just four entries in this class but there’s a good range of cars. William Hunt in the turbo charged Ford Sierra should take charge of this class but none of the other competitors will make it easy.

ACSMC Registered Road Legal Cars Class

David Newman’s Mazda MX5 probably starts this car favourite. He has extensive Gurston experience and the car is running well. He will need to look out for the Elise of Steven Elliot and Daniel Friel in the Honda Civic. They will all be looking for points in their respective classes and the championship overall.

TyreMarks ASWMC Registered Road Legal Cars Class

It will be interesting to see how the Alfa Romeo 4C of RodneyEyles fares against the Westfield’s of Ian Ingleheart and Adrian Lewis. Adrian Lewis is most likely to come out on top with his superfast Westfield Superbusa.

The Midland Speed Championship

There’s a great entry in this class and with such an interesting and wide variety of cars, it will be really difficult to predict who will end up on top. But you will need to look out for the Audi TT Spaceframe car of Stephen Barnard, the Porsche 911 shared by Helen Evans and Andrew Norris and Garry Morgan’s Vauxhall Chevette HSR. With the variety of cars, this class is likely to be down to the performance on the day.

Sunday’s Invited Classes:

The Morgan Sports Car Club Techniques Speed Championship

There’s a great entry in this class, even a very early car, the 1267cc Morgan Series 1 of George Proudfoot is likely to struggle again the more modern V8 plus 8’s of recent Saint Goueno Master competitor, Robert Toon, James and Georgina Dean, Alan Foster and the lightweight of Paul Clarke. These will be the ones to watch.

The Pirelli Ferrari Championship Class

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 local roads as they usually arrive together.

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 Gurston Down Regular Classes – running both days

The Gurston Down Mazda MX5 Class, supported by The Window Doctor

Charles Gaylard joins the other competitors who run both days, on Sunday. This will be a class to watch, The triple Tony Marsh Memorial Trophy winner, the 2018 class and 2018 overall champion and current class record holder, Mark Crookall is having to work hard to retain those titles and records. Jason Richardson, who is the current class and overall championship leader is making serious headway with some great performances. Both of these drivers are likely contenders for the 2019 Tony Marsh Memorial Award.

The Road Going Series Production Class up to 1400cc

With two entries on Saturday and the addition of Chris Briant in the MG ZR on Sunday, the winner both days is likely to depend on whether John Davey, the managing director of our Top Ten Challenge sponsor, Cavendish Ships Stores, has completed the rebuild of his “new” MG Midget. Although, David Nutland will be looking forward to the challenge! If John’s new car is as good as the old, which it sounds like it could be, he will be another contender for the Tony March Memory Trophy!

The Road Going Series Production Class 1401cc to 2000cc, supported by Record-Designs

The current record holder, Miles Horne, in the Peugeot 306 will have to work hard for the class win. Tim Forster in that lovely Lotus Elan and Dean Cubitt in the Mazda MX5 won’t make it easy for him. There are a few other that might just pop into the top three but that will be down to the performance on the day. On Sunday, there are a few new comers to Gurston Down, Olly Wright and Anna-May Furness in the Peugeot 106 so it will be interesting where they will finish. Miles is also a contender for the Tony Marsh Memorial Award but he’ll have to smash the record.

The Turbo Dynamics supported Over 2000cc Road Going Series Production Class

Saturday gives Shaun and Sarah Fudge and their Subaru Impreza a great chance to build on their class championship points. They won’t get it all their own way with the others in the class either and on Sunday, Stephen Moore bring that superfast Mitsubishi Evo 6 RS. He will be very difficult to beat but Shaun and Sarah should be able to get some very solid championship points.

Road Going Specialist Production Class, supported the Fieldfare Trailer Centre

Look out for Antony Orchard in Adrian Lewis’s Westfield Superbusa on Saturday, he will start favourite. On Sunday, Adrian is back in the class so it will be interesting to see how those two get on.

Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Cars up to 2000cc Class

Simon Purcell in the Lotus Elise runs in the class on his own. He is a previous champion and has recently changed classes.

The Over 2000cc Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Car Class

Phil Price his Porsche 911 RS has the class to himself on Saturday but Paul Slade in the Jaguar E Type joins his on Sunday. Likely winner both days is Phil.

Up to 1400cc Modified Series Production Class

David Bean, Derek Mullis, James White and Neil Turner entered both days in their respective Minis and Steve Luscombe in an MG Midget runs on Saturday. The current record holder, Neil Turner and former record holder James White will have a proper fight on their hands. Here’s another class where records are pushed back regularly. Another Tony Marsh Memorial Trophy winner here perhaps?

Over 2000cc Modified Series Production Class

That gorgeous Aston Martin of Tim Painter and Andy Fraser will be the car to beat in this class. Mark Walker in the Porsche Cayman and Jim Herbert in the Mitsubishi Evo will be trying to snatch his away from them. It will be tough but it’s all about the timed runs.

Modified Specialist Production Class supported by Gates of Brokenhurst

Steve Holland in the Caterham Hayabusa and Ritchie Gatt in the Westfield SeiW will be the ones to watch in this class. Simon Marsh, Tony Marsh’s son bring a Caterham R300 to the hill. He is sharing the car with Thomas Marsh both days. Who of those two with finish on top? The Dax Rush of David Mitchell might put a spanner in the works here but it will be an uphill battle with all the experience hewill have to overcome.

The Historically Interesting Class, supported by Kelvin Jouhar

Saturday has the 1932 Morgan of George Proudfoot and Jeremy Smithson’s Lotus Elan. The class should be Jeremy’s on Saturday. On Sunday George moves to the Morgan Car Club class and two Alvis’ arrive, an Alvis 1250 SD of Chris Sutton and a 12/50 TJ of Anthony Norton. It is great to see these cars out and especially competing! Jeremy should take the win on Sunday too…

The Sports Libre up to 1400cc Class

Tim Pitfield, Gurston Down Drivers School principal in his DJ Firecat is probably favourite and is on form this season, breaking the class record in April. He also went quicker in May but the May and August events don’t run the same class structure. So Tim is a very strong contender for the Tony Marsh Memorial Award. But Peter Steel in his Radical SR1 has been improving so might be a threat to Tim.

Sports Libre 1400cc to 2000cc Class, supported by Lewis Property Services

Saturday sees a good entry. The lovely Lancia Stratos replica of Malcolm Cole runs both days but Saturday will probably go to Clive Wooster in the Radical SR4. Sunday sees Malcolm on his own but we will see the beautiful car on the hill.

The Sports Libre over 2000cc Class

Chris Cannell and Sue Hayes run the Force SR8 both days and will both be looking for championship and Top Ten Challenge points.

The 601cc to 1100cc Racing Car Class, supported by Drynham Project Management

Murry Wakeham in the OMS CF96 has had a great season so far. But James Moore and his Empire Evo 2 are back both days. James has the form to take this class but he will have to have some great performances to gain championship nd Top Ten Challenge points.

Formula Ford Racing Car up to 1600cc

Russell Haynes in the Zeus ZR163 runs both days but only has competition on Saturday when David Matthews joins him in another Zeus. Russell should take the win Saturday.

The 1101cc to 1600cc Racing Car Class

Pete Hammock in the gorgeous Empire Wraith has a tough class with Andrew Forsyth in the OMS CF04 and Mike Lee in his OMS3000M. Mike and Pete will both be hunting championship and challenge points.

The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car – Normally Aspirated Class

There are two entries, both days. Roger Cook with the Pilbeam MQP54 and Tony Wiltshire in his Ralt RT34. It’s a while since Tony has competed in a racing car at Gurston Down but he’ll be the one to watch in this class.

The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car – Forced Induction

Paul Haimes and the lovely turbocharged Gould GR59 has this class to himself. He must be a contender for Fastest Time of the Day.

Paul Crute runs on his own in the Jaguar power OMS 28 in the Over 2000cc Racing Car Class, both days. He may well be a contender for Fastest Time of the Day but he will be looking for more Top Ten Challenge points as he is the current leader. Two great performances will help him strengthen his position.


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 15th and Sunday June 16th
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