The weekend of Saturday August 24th and Sunday August 25th bring the Avon Tyres / Wynn Developments British Hill Climb Championship and the Avon Tyres / Wynn Developments Hill Climb Leaders Championship back to Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb.

With 150 cars and drivers competing at the twisty course at Wiltshire’s famous Speed Hill Climb Venue, it will be a spectacular weekend. There will be a huge variety of cars, everything from standard road cars, specially prepared hill climb cars and spectacularly fast sport and single seat racing cars.

Spectators have fabulous unrivalled access to the hill, views of the course, paddock and facilities. We have excellent catering and refreshments on site too.

You really can’t get closer to the action!

Saturday is practice day. Each competitor gets three opportunities to take to the hill. We start around 09:00 with two runs each before lunch. Then a restart around 13:00 for one further practice. Practice day usually finishes around 15:00.

Sunday is competition day, this is when the fun starts. There will be an early morning practice, starting around 09:00. First timed runs start around 10:30 followed by the first of two top twelve run-offs. After lunch the second timed runs are followed by the second top twelve run-off.

The Top Twelve Run-Off of the Avon Tyres / Wynn Developments British Hill Climb Championship give championship registered another run on the hill. This time the fastest ten, score points for the British Championship. Ten points for a win, down to one for tenth. These run-offs ultimately determine who becomes the British Champion!

The Championship could be won at Gurston Down!

The current championship leader, Wallace Menzies in the Gould GR59 could secure the championship after the first runoff. He has to win the Run-off and the second place man, Alex Summers finishes below fourth.If this doesn’t happen Wallace has to score 15 points in total over the weekend and he will be champion!

The Avon Tyres / Wynn Developments Hill Climb Leaders Championship is slightly different and doesn’t have a run-off. Each timed run is treated as a separate event, so competitors will score in two rounds on Sunday.

Alongside the British Championship and Leaders Championships we will have the Porsche Club National Hill Climb Championship, SBD HSA Speed Championship and a special class for BARC South West Members too!

As ever there will be a Fastest Time of Day! Who will it be?

Class Preview:

The BARC SW B Licence Class

The BARC South West B Licence Class will run first. The class has a huge variety of cars and drivers who hold MSA Speed B Licences. Look out for Nigel Holt in his new Caterham 310R, Mark Everett in the TVR Griffith 500, Alex England is the Ford Fiesta and Steve Cox in his Porsche Boxster. But on current form it’ll will probably be Martin Watson and his Westfield SeiW for the win.

The Road Going Series Production Car Class up to 2000cc – A(i)

The class has a good entry with six drivers in five cars. Dean Cubitt in the Mazda MX5 starts favourite. It will be interesting to see how Shaun Fudge in a Mazda MX5 gets on. He won’t be the only one with a new car, Paul Levitt is sharing an MX5 with Ronald King. You mustn’t forget John Davey in the Midget.

The Over 2000cc Road Going Series Production Car Class – A(ii)

There are just three entrants in this class, all of which have significant Gurston experience. Jon Maycock is leaving his Mazda MX5 at home and borrowing Stephen Moore’s Class A(ii) Mitsubishi Evo 6 RS. Mike Rudge drives his Ford Focus RS and Rodney Eyles the beautiful Alfa Romeo 4C. Rodney starts favourite.

The Road Going Specialist Production Car Class – B

Adrian Lewis brings the super fast Westfield Superbusa and shouldn’t be too troubled by the rest of the class. But you never know!

The up to 1400cc Modified Series Production Car Class – C(i)

This class might hold a few surprises. Neil Turner’s super fast Mini is the class record holder should be able to hold off the rest of the field in this class. But he’s got James White in his Mini and the forced induction Hillman Imp of Eric Morrey to content with.

The 1401cc to 2000cc Modified Series Production Car Class – C(ii)

There are two drivers, Colin Satchell and Paul Drowne who share the very quick Peugeot 205. They are driving the car to beat. Simon Purcell in the Lotus Exige and the rest of the entrants will have his work cut out to catch these two.

The Over 2000cc Modified Series Production Car Class – C(iii)

This will be a tough class, not only does it have a big entry but it has some quick and beautifully presented cars. Stephen Moore in his Mitsubishi Evo should take this class. But it will be much more difficult to predict second place. All of the car and driver combinations have the experience to take second. Will it be the lovely Aston Martin Vantage GT4 of Tim Painter and Andy Fraser or Mark Walker in the Porsche or Geoff Twemlow in the Subaru Impreza.

The Modified Specialist Production Cars Class – D

Steve Holland in his Caterham Hayabusa and Simon Jenks and his Caterham Supersport will probably be the top two in this class. But the class is always really competitive so it could be any of the drivers taking the win.

The up to 2000cc Sports Libre Car Class – F

There’s another big entry in this class. It will be interesting to see how Tony Adams in his recently acquired Radical SR3 RS fares against Pete Steele in his Radical SR1. Look out for the lovely Norma M20FC of Duncan Barnes. Duncan is sharing the car with Tom New. But they will all be chasing Tim Pitfield in the DJ Firecat who is in sparkling form!

The Over 2000cc Sports Libre Car Class – G

Allan McDonald bring the crazy Mini Evo. The Mini Evo currently holds the hill record for a closed car. You’ll find a great video on our Facebook page.

The 601cc to 1100cc Racing Car Class – I

The ever popular 1100cc racing car class has another huge entry. The current class record holder Robert Kenrick in the GWR Raptor 2 has to be the man to beat. Robert reset the long standing class record in May, will he improve that again in August. There are so many other drivers in the class who will be looking for Leaders championship points and the change to qualify for the British Hill Climb Championship run-off. Look out for the Greenen brothers, Andy and Adam or perhaps Darren Gumbley, Harry Pick or Stephen Owen. The class will be settled by hundredths of a second and there might be some who will make the cut for the Top Twelve Run-Off too!

Formula Ford Racing Cars up to 1600cc Class – J(i)

Sam Lister is the only entrant in the class in her Van Diemen RF92.

The 1100cc to 1600cc Racing Car Class – J(ii)

This could be an interesting class. Olivia Cooper in the Force TA she shares with her husband Liam is having a great year, so you’ll need to look out for her. Eynon Price is also having a good year in his Force TA. Allan and David Warburton in their Gould GR59 and all the other drivers will all be chasing run-off plcaes.

The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car Class – Normally Aspirated – K(i)

Tim Elmer and his Dallara, Andy Bougourd in his Force PT and the GWR Pediaor driven by Johnathen Varley will probably be the top three in this class. It will be interesting to see how the Reynard TKD YV8 shared by Terry and Tricia Davis fares against the others in this class.

The 1601cc to 2000cc Racing Car Class – Forced Induction – K(ii)

Richard Spedding is having a great season in the British Hill Climb Championship so far in his GWR Raptor. Paul Haines in the Gould GR59 has had some great times at Gurston ealier in the season so it will probably be between these two for the win. But you can’t actually discount anyone in this class. All of the class is registered for the British Hill Climb Championship so they will all be looking for places in the run-off.

The Over 2000cc Racing Car Class – L

The class brings the fastest cars and drivers to the hill. With Gurston Down being a power hill, the fastest time of the day is likely to be a driver in this class. The British Championship has just a few rounds to go and is very much in progress and undecided. Wallace Menzies in the Gould GR59 currently leads the championship and will be looking for more points to consolidate his lead. Alex Summers is sharing the DJ Firestorm with Debbie Dunbar this season and she is having a great season too. As is Nicola Menzies in another Gould, this time a GR55. The ladies record might be under threat!

You can’t ignore another Gould, the Judd engined, factory GR59J DB4, driven by Sean Gould nor Will Hall in the Force WH-XTEC and Trevor Willis, the current champion, in his OMS 28. They will all be looking to qualify for Top Twelve Run Off places too.

The Sports and Racing Car Built up to 1971 Class – M

This class is full of beautiful classic racing and sports cars, the Chevron B19 of Amanda and Richard George, Mike Broome and his Alexis Mk17 F3 and the Brabham BT35 of Christopher Bentley-Jones. The class win is likely to come from the George camp or Mike Broome but we are all winners watching these gorgeous cars compete.

The Sports and Racing Car Built up to 1985 Class – N

Roger Deans in his Lola T142 has Fyrth Crosse in the Dempster Ensign LNF3 are the only two entrants in this class. Both of these cars are beautiful. The class winner, too difficult to call, the power of the Lola against the lightness of the Ensign!

The SBD HSA Speed Championship – Class A2 Saloons and Sports Cars

There is a quite a strong entry in this class. Chris Berrisford in the Subaru Impreza is the likely winner. He has Gurston experience and a very quick car.

Copyright: Akina Media

The SBD HSA Speed Championship – Class A2.1 Mazda MX5s

The Mazda MX5 class has a small entry, just three cars and four drivers. The Mazda shared by father and son, Alan and Nicholas Mugglestone is quick. They both have plentry of experience too.

The SBD HSA Speed Championship – Class B2 Roadgoing Specialist Cars

There are just two entrants, in just one car. The Westfield is shared by Simon Price and Paul Evans.

The SBD HSA Speed Championship – Class C Modified Saloons and Sports Cars

There are five entrants in four cars. The Ford Puma of Richard Worth and the Renault Clio of Robin Lee and Geoff Lancaster should be in with a great chance of beating the BMW E30 of James Rushworth. But they will have to drive well.

The SBD HSA Speed Championship – Class F Supersports / Sports Libre Cars

There is just one entry, Paul Batey in a Rawlison S-F Stiletto.

The SBD HSA Speed Championship – Class I and J Racing Cars

With four entrants in three cars in this class. There are two Formula Ford cars and one Jedi Mk2. Can the 919cc Jedi overcome the Van Diemen RF84 of Laurance Marks and the Royale RP24 shared by Nick Alnold and Graham Cheery?

The Porsche Club’s National Hill Climb Championship Class 2 – Standard Production Cars

This class should be interesting this year. Last year there was an all 911 GT3 line-up. This year we have three 911 and two Caymans. Look out for Robert Lancaster-Gaye in his 911 GT3, he has Gurston experience which should help him. But he’ll have to look out for Duncan Andrews in the Cayman and David Dyson in his 911.

The Porsche Club’s National Hill Climb Championship Class 1 – Modified Cars

Class 1 has the super fast 911 RSR with Paul Howells at the wheel. It will be interesting whether the 911 GT3 of Peter Turnbull can overcome the RSR.

We will also have two Top Twelve Run-offs these will at the end of each timed run.

Another exciting weekend of at Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb – Don’t Miss It!

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 24th and Sunday 25th August
Times: Saturday Practice from 0830 until 1500 approx. Sunday 0830 Final Practice then timed runs from approx 1030, then first timed runs followed by First Top Twelve Run-Off, then lunch and final timed runs from 13:00 Second Top Twelve Run-Off. Times are estimated.
Admission: £10 for adults Sunday (£6 on Saturday), accompanied under 14s free, free paddock entry, free parking. Animals are not permitted on site..

 

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