Gurston Down Hill Climb Event.

[Chevy Rick]

Today JJ and myself had an invite to a practice day at Gurston Farm situated on the chalk downs between Shaftsbury and Salisbury. A great day to get out on the Road King, the invite came from our local speed shop Read Performance, two brothers Neil and Mark Read maintain several performance motors that were at this event ( Evo and a Jedi) many more race cars took part from a Fiat X19, TR6, A/H, many bike engine single seater machines like the Jedi in looks, Lotus make and different models by the score, one single seater really caught my eye powered by a single cylinder JAP engine ( J.A.Preswick).
No bikes came to practice today, but on a race day both two and four wheeled machines take part, I can also recommend the cafe on site good selection of fresh cooked food that can be eaten with a good view of the track, loads of viewing positions if you want to bring a picknick from the start to the finish of the track. With all safety being observed and in place, this for me was a very laid back sport for me as a spectator and with that an enjoyable day out in the country side.

Gurston Down Hill Climb Event.

Gurston Down Hill Climb Event.

Gurston Down Hill Climb Event.

Gurston Down Hill Climb Event.

[Chevy Rick]

Gurston Down Hill Climb Event.

Gurston Down Hill Climb Event.

Gurston Down Hill Climb Event.

Gurston Down Hill Climb Event.

Gurston Down Hill Climb Event.

Gurston Down Hill Climb Event.

Gurston Down Hill Climb Event.

[Manky Monkey]

Amazing how many auto events go on right under your nose that you might never know about ain't it. Looks like an interesting day Rick.

[Chevy Rick]

Yes Andy from down on the public road you can't hear or see any indication of a motoring event, the big sign is way up the farm track, all you see at the bottom of the lane is Gurston Farm, you drive down through the farm and all the action takes place beyond this.

[BikerGran]

I love Gurston cos it's like motor sport used to be - you can wander round the paddock and talk to the competitors. 

[Tony oily bike]

Ridden there a few time in my NHCA (National Hillclimb Association) days.  

As with all hillclimbs, its a friendly atmosphere where spectators can chat with competitors, and if you want to compete, its pretty easy, just have a chat with the competitors and they'll guide you to the right folk to talk to.

The unique thing about Gurston Down is its the only hillclimb that goes down hill from the start (could have phrased that better but I guess you get the drift).

When they run a speed weekend for cars and bikes, there will be two lots of regs/insurances that will be running.
Controlling bodies are the RAC MSA (RAC Motor Sports Association) for the cars, and the ACU (Auto Cycle Union) for the bikes.

Chances are that because it was only a practice at the weekend, the event was only licensed etc for the cars, hence no bikes.


Like the little Renault Alpine in the photo..........


Some hillclimb links

Gurston Down
http://www.gurstondown.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurston_Down

National Hillclimb Association (bikes)
http://www.nhca.co.uk/

Shelsley Walsh
http://www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelsley_Walsh_Speed_Hill_Climb

Loton Park
 http://www.hdlcc.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loton_Park_Hill_Climb

Prescott Hillclimb
http://www.prescott-hillclimb.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prescott_hillclimb

[Tony oily bike]

I love Gurston cos it's like motor sport used to be - you can wander round the paddock and talk to the competitors.  

Pretty much the same at motorcycle sprint meetings too.......  


Both the clubs below run sprints for basically any form of two wheeler, new / ancient / road legal /outright competition / young riders (I think fromage / pensioners, and as a bit of a bonus, most meetings are un-silenced !


If you're asking "what's a Sprint?", I'll try and explain....

Straight-line against-the-clock motorcycle competition has been running in the UK since at least 1905, (a few years before that new-fangled drag racing stuff came to our shores from the USofA back in the '60's), and is still going strong.
So what's the difference? - Well, the timing at a sprint begins when you break the timing beam (the same as a hillclimb), so the time that's recorded is a reflection of how quick the machine is (and how well the rider does his/her stuff), but doesn't have the 'reaction time' component of drag racing.

Sprints are not limited to 1/4 mile either, they may be 1/8, or twisty (like a hill climb but without the hill!!), or a flying kilo (at the end of a 1/4 mile).
Sprints can be single lane or twin lane, but the timing is triggered by the machine/rider, not the official/ Christmas tree.

In the golden era of sprints they used to run along seafronts like Blackpool and Ramsgate but as time has moved on, the only seafront Sprint remaining is Brighton.

So what types of bikes will you see / can you enter? - Well just about anything that passes scruitineering Tech Inspection. So from Monkey Bikes to Turbo Busas, historic drag bikes to road going iron, pump gas to nitro, normally aspirated to blown, kinda what ever floats ya boat.
Rider's have to wear suitable clothing as per ACU requirements if the event is running under an ACU licence, and can start from the age of 11.


Hope that helps.


http://www.barc.net/index.php?option=com_eventlist&view=eventlist&Itemid=10

http://www.sprinting.org.uk/

http://www.vmccsprint.co.uk/vintage_classic_modern_motorcycle_sprint_racing/Welcome.html

http://www.acu.org.uk/News/Drag-Hill-Climb-Sprint/


For regs etc relating to Sprints
http://www.acu.org.uk/Resource/ACU-Handbook.aspx  and go to page 381

For regs etc relating to Hillclimbs
http://www.acu.org.uk/Resource/ACU-Handbook.aspx  go tp page 366

Some old shots
http://www.ramsgatehistory.com/sprint_album/index.html