Now that was an interesting weekends speed hill climb! Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th June was the Tony Marsh Memorial Weekend.

There were just three rounds of the Meadens Skoda Gurston Down Championship and two rounds of the Cavendish Ships Stores Top Ten Challenge after an incident in hollow at the very end of the first timed run on Sunday. More on that later in this report.

The weekend was the Tony Marsh Memorial weekend. A special 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. There will be a full report on this later.

There is a full report on the Motorbikes is available on our website.

The regular Meadens Skoda Gurston Down Championship classes were supported by a number of invited classes.

Saturday’s Invited Classes:

ACSMC Registered Road Legal Cars Class

David Newman and his Mazda MX5 was in a very strong position after the first timed runs, he was just under two seconds ahead of Steve Elliott in the Lotus Elise. The second timed runs were in much better conditions, David put together a great performance and reduced his time from 42.92s to 39.68s. Daniel Friel in the Honda Civic Type R took more than five seconds out of his first timed run, finishing second on 40.78s and Steve Elliott in the Elise was third on 41.03s.

TyreMarks ASWMC Registered Road Legal Cars Class

Adrian Lewis and the Westfield Superbusa took the win and a new class record with a 34.29s second timed run. Ian Ingleheart in his Westfield SE Cosworth was second on 35.27s and the Alfa 4C of Rodney Eyles was third on 36.33s.

The Midland Speed Championship

The Porsche 911 Carrera of Andrew Norris was ahead from the start. Stephen Barnard in the space-frame Audi TT ran second after the first timed run. However, after the second timed run, Stephen’s advantage fell away and Simon Jones and his Westfield SeiW improved his first timed run by six seconds. Andrew finished on 35.68s, Simon on 36.05s and Stephen on 36.26s.

Sunday’s Invited Classes:

There was only one timed run on Sunday

The Morgan Sports Car Club Techniques Speed Championship

Robert Toon in his Plus 8 took the win. Simon Ashby in his 4/4 was second with Clive Hall is his 4/4 third. Robert finished on 38.71s, Simon on 39.30s and Clive 39.95s.

The Pirelli Ferrari Championship Class

David Snelson has been a regular visitor to the Gurston Down Drivers School this season and it paid off. David and his Ferrari F430 finished ahead of Tim Dickinson in the 458. David crossed the line at 103 mph. These two were close, David put in a 36.39s and Tim in 37.16s.

The Midland Speed Championship

The class was much smaller than Saturday’s. It was a repeat of Saturday, Andrew Norris with the Porsche 911 Carrera finished with a 35.13s and the space-frame Audi TT of Stephen Barnard on 35.59s.

The Gurston Down Regular Classes

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

Mark Crookall in his Mazda MX5 RS took the win both days and lowered the class record by 0.45s. The record now stands at 39.13s. Jason Richardson in his RS had lowered the record by 0.01s in the run directly before Mark’s run. Chris Burch had a great run on Saturday’s damp conditions and pushed Jason back to second. Chris had a rather tough second timed run as you will see from the great video on our Facebook page and couldn’t improve his time.

The Road Going Series Production Class up to 1400cc

David Nutland in his Mini took the win both days. John Davey, the managing director of our Top Ten Challenge sponsor, Cavendish Ships Stores took second. It will be interesting to see how July pans out as John’s “new” Midget should be much more settled by then.

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

The current record holder, Miles Horne, in the Peugeot 306 was in front after the first timed run on Saturday with a 39.00s. But mechanical issues forced him out of the rest of Saturday’s meeting and the car couldn’t be fixed for Sunday. With the conditions drying, Tim Forster in that lovely Lotus Elan stopped the clock on 38.06s. Saturday’s results was Tim Forster, 38.06s, Miles Horne 39.00s, Christopher Davies (Honda Civic) and 39.07s and Alex England (Ford Fiesta) 39.08s.

Everything changed in Sunday’s single run event, Dean Cubitt in the Mazda MX5 had a great run. He seemed to be struggling on Saturday. His timed run was 38.48s. Christopher Davies in the Honda Civic was second on 38.97s, Tim Foster in his Elan, third on 39.00s.

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

Shaun Fudge and the Lewis Dean Subaru Impreza took the win on Saturday from Steve Cox in the Golf R. Shaun managed a 36.94s just over a second ahead of Steve who finished on 38.05s

Sunday’s single run event turned everything around. Steve Cox put together a 37.26s and took the class win. Sarah Fudge pushed Shaun back to third with a 37.72s run with Shaun just 0.13s behind.

Road Going Specialist Production Class, supported the Fieldfare Trailer Centre

Antony Orchard in Adrian Lewis’s Westfield Superbusa was unbeatable on Saturday. Adrian was away winning the ASWMC class. Antony’s time was 34.15s. Claire Tooth in her Lotus Elise was second on 39.75s.

Sunday saw Adrian back in the class but Antony was in sparkling form. He took the win with an improved time compared to the previous day. Antony’s time 33.79s and Adrian just 0.03s behind on just 33.82s.

Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Cars

The two Modified Limited Production Marque Sports Car classes were amalgamated. Phil Price in the 500 plus bhp Porsche 930RS. He stopped the clock on 33.45s on Saturday and 33.46s on Sunday.

Up to 1400cc Modified Series Production Class

Neil Turner took the win both days. He also reduced the class record on Saturday to 35.04s, a great performance.

Modified Series Production Class 1401cc to 2000cc Class

Colin Satchell and the superfast Peugeot 205 took the class win, 33.59s on Saturday and 33.83s on Sunday.

Over 2000cc Modified Series Production Class

Mark Walker in the Porsche Cayman put together a class winning second timed run. Pushing interesting Mazda 323 of Chris Edwards and Tim Painter in the gorgeous Aston Martin Vantage. It was close between these three, Mark 34.43s, Chris 34.80s and Tim 34.89s, great performances all round.

On Sunday everything changed! Stephen Moore in the amazing Mitsubishi Evo RS returned and took the class with a 33.43s run. Second was close, Tim Painter and Mark Walker were almost even at the intermediate time, 18.71s and 18.91s respectively. But Mark’s 110 mph over the line was 6 miles and hour faster than Tim in the Aston. What a great class this has become this year!

Modified Specialist Production Class supported by Gates of Brokenhurst

Steve Holland in the Caterham Hayabusa dominated this class from the outset. Saturday he stopped the clocks on 31.85s and Sunday 32.03s. Satuday’s second place man was Ritchie Gatt on 33.53s and Sunday’s was Jonathan Smith on 33.33s.

The Historically Interesting Class, supported by Kelvin Jouhar

Jeremy Smithson in the Lotus Elan won the class both days. His best time was on Saturday 43.86s on Saturday’s second timed run.

The Sports Libre up to 1400cc Class

Tim Pitfield, Gurston Down Drivers School principal in his DJ Firecat had a great Saturday and won the class. Sunday was even better, he won the class and lowered the class record by 0.43s. It now stands at 32.61s. Peter Steel in his Radical, known as the “Tory Canyon” improved his times over the weekend, Saturday 35.32s and Sunday 34.31s.

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

After issues with on Sunday, this class only ran on Saturday. Clive Wooster in the Radical SR4 had a great first timed run had a great lead. The lead was significantly cut by a great second run by Steven Wells in the SEWC SubZero. However, Clive went even quicker, he finished the day on a 33.04s, a great performance.

The Sports Libre over 2000cc Class

Chris Cannell and Sue Hayes ran the Force SR8 both days. Chris had a great Saturday and scored ten points in the Top Ten challenge and Fastest Time of the Day on Sunday.

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

James Moore and his Empire Evo 2 is back! But some may have thought that it would be a comfortable class win. It wasn’t. Murray Wakeham in his OMS CF96, missed out on first by just 0.06s and just 0.05s on Sunday. James’s times were 32.31s, on Saturday, and 31.81s on Sunday. Murray’s were 32.37s and 31.86s respectively. This class will be an interesting one to watch for the rest of the season.

Formula Ford Racing Car up to 1600cc

Russell Haynes in the Zeus ZR163 ran on both days. The Saturday to himself wasn’t a great day, there were issues in his run.

On Sunday he was joined by David Matthews in his Zeus. Russell was ahead after the first timed run, with a 39.52s, but as the weather David improved his time and ended on 38.90s. Russell had issues and didn’t complete the second timed run. should take the win Saturday.

The 1101cc to 1600cc Racing Car Class

Mike Lee in his OMS3000M had a great lead over Pete Hammock in the Empire Wraith after the first timed run on Saturday. Pete had mechanical issues and didn’t complete the second timed run. Mike went faster and ended on 32.14s with Pete taking second.

Sunday saw the some class amalgamated.

The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car – Forced Induction

Saturday saw Paul Haimes and the lovely turbocharged Gould GR59 take the class win and the Fastest Time of the Day with a 28.55s. The fastest time of the weekend.

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

Saturday Tony Wiltshire in his Ralt RT34 took the class win.

Racing Cars 1101cc to 2000cc amalgamated – Sunday

Tony Wiltshire in the Ralt RT34 took the win on Sunday. But he was pushed very hard by Mike Lee. Tony finished on 31.97s and Lee on 32.02.

Racing Car over 2000cc

Paul Crute ran on his own in the Jaguar power OMS 28 both days. He had a great Saturday with a 30.62s. But a very serious off at Hollow in the first timed run on Sunday saw the car very badly damaged but Paul wasn’t seriously hurt.

 

 

There’s a separate report on the bikes which run both days.

We would like to thank all those who made our weekend possible!

 

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