Prescott Speed Hill Climb’s Mid-Summer meeting (June10/11) attracted a bumper field of competitors on two, three and four wheels. They made the most of the scorching summer weather to produce close fought battles in many of the classes at Gloucestershire’s iconic motor sport venue.
Fastest time of the day on the Saturday of the event, organised by the Bugatti Owners’ Club, went to the OMS 28 single seater of Chris Green as he sought points in the Midlands Speed Championship. He finished nearly a second ahead of the Empire Evo of Paul Jones.
Competitors in that Championship did not take part in Sunday’s event, and it was the turn of Simon Rogers to set the best time of the day in his Caterham 7, ahead of another sportscar, the Westfield Sei of John Bradshaw.
The bikes competing in the National Hillclimb Association championship had a top 10 run off at the end of each day, featuring the ten quickest machines from that day’s action. Paul Jeffery took the honours on both days beating another KTM, ridden by Paul Jarrett by just a quarter of a second on Saturday and heading home the Team GV KTM of Tommy Hodges by three tenths of a second on Sunday.
The popular Paul Matty Sportscars Lotus Hillclimb Championship attracts a wide array of race cars and road going sportscars produced by the Norfolk based manufacturer and Saturday saw a 1-2-3 for the Lotus 69 single seater. Top honours went to Anthony Wallen in his Formula 3 version just ahead of the Formula 2 car of Malcolm Thorne while David Hampton finished in third place in his Formula Atlantic specification machine. Anthony Wallen completed the double on Sunday with David Hampton taking second and Iain Stallard finishing in third place in his Lotus 61.
Among the various classes competing in the Northampton Motorsport Caterham and Lotus Seven Club Speed Championship fastest time each day went to the 998cc motorcycle engine powered Caterham 7 of Simon Rogers.
The Bristol MX5 Challenge produced a double victory for Aaron Sharp including victory on Sunday by just two hundredths of a second from Ben Marshall.
The Autocar Young Drivers were in action on Saturday only with Gus Stapleton taking victory in his Vauxhall Corsa while on Sunday, Steve Baxter took the honours in the Throne Wines MAC Speed Challenge in his Peugeot.
Among the various classes of the Bugatti Owners’ Club Members and All Comers Handicap, there were class wins for the distinctive Buckler Ballamay Special of Jeremy Rivers Fletcher, Terry Clifford in his BMW M2 Competition and Howard Harman in his MG TC.
Competitors in the New Barn RS Interclub Speed Challenge were in action on Sunday with victory in the Expert category going to the Mazda Eunos of David Runciman while Toby Ward took the novice honours in his Toyota GT86.
Looking ahead, June 25th sees the venue play host to Prescott Bike Fest while the next speed hill climb action comes at the Members Meeting on July 8th.
