Gurston Down Motorsport Hillclimb

Gurston Down
Location Broad Chalke, Wiltshire, England
Time zone GMT
Major Events British Hill Climb Championship
Hill Length 0.601 miles (1,058 yd)
Hill Record 25.42 (Martin Groves, 2007, British Hill Climb Championship)

The Gurston Down Motorsport Hillclimb is a hillclimb in Broad Chalke, Wiltshire, England, organised by the South Western Centre of the British Automobile Racing Club. The first practice meeting was held on June 25, 1967, when Patsy Burt, driving a McLaren-Oldsmobile set a time of 39.90 sec.[1] The first competition event was held on July 23, 1967.

The track hosts two rounds a year of the British Hill Climb Championship. The farmland the course traverses is also used for pheasant shoots and the course itself has found a dual use as a gravity racing venue. The course measures 1058 yards (967 metres), and rises a total of 140 feet (43 metres), although the first section of the track is downhill, a feature unique in British hillclimbing,[2] but not unknown elsewhere in Europe.

The course was designed in 1965 by Tony Marsh, who was still competing the course in the premier over 2000cc racing car class in 2007. In July 2009, the third round of the Gurston Down Speed Hillclimb Championships was dedicated to Marsh's memory following his death in May.[3]

The outright hill record is held by Martin Groves, who completed the course in 25.42 seconds on August 26, 2007.

Contents

Gurston Down Hill Climb past winners

Year Driver Vehicle Time Notes
1971 D. Hepworth Hepworth FF 35.06 sec [4] Aug 30.
1972 Richard Thwaites McLaren M10B 5.0-litre 32.85 sec [5]
1973 Mike MacDowel Brabham BT36X-Repco 5-litre 30.50 sec R [6]
1991 Round 5 : Martyn Griffiths Pilbeam DFR 27.64 sec R
2005 Round 9 : Martin Groves Gould-NME GR55B 3.5-litre 26.57 sec [7] May 29.
Round 10 : Martin Groves Gould-NME GR55B 3.5-litre 26.27 sec
2008 Round 7 : Trevor Willis 31.05 sec May 25.
Round 8 : Martin Groves Gould 26.50 sec
Round 27 : Martin Groves Gould 27.41 sec Aug 24.
Round 28 : Jos Goodyear 26.47 sec

Key: R = Course Record.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Motor, July 15, 1967; Autosport, April 20, 2006, Page 93.
  2. ^ Loton Park contains a downhill section, but away from the start.
  3. ^ http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/4497690.MOTOR_SPORT__A_Major_Minor_day/
  4. ^ Motor, September 11, 1971, Page 40: First ever British Hill Climb Championship round at Gurston Down.
  5. ^ Autosport, July 27, 1972, Page 39.
  6. ^ Autosport, August 30, 1973, Page 29.
  7. ^ Autosport, June 2, 2005, Page 109.

See also

External links