On the weekend of July 31st / August 1st, Britain’s fastest climbers will compete for honors at a Woolbridge Motor Club event on the grounds of the beautiful Wiscombe Park estate in Honiton.
This year’s championship is well balanced, currently led by 2019 and current champion Wallace Menzies in his Gould GR59M with 142 points. However, he’s just five points ahead of 2015 champion Alex Summers in his DJ Firestorm. These two fast leaders are closely shadowed by Sean Gould in his Gould GR59J with 100 points.
Sean’s father, David, is the designer of Sean and Wallace’s cars. In fact, Gould cars have been the dominant force in British hill climbing since 1998, claiming 19 titles with different drivers – only Trevor Willis in his OMS disrupted this run with his three British titles.
For those unfamiliar with this branch of motorsport, imagine Lewis Hamilton driving his Mercedes F1 car up a narrow country road with sharp hairpin turns against the clock – that’s speed hill climbing. The top single-seater racing cars will be as powerful as Hamilton’s racing cars – some cars use former F1 engines.
Motorsport fans can expect a spectacular show in speed hill climbing from the best and fastest drivers in Great Britain. The last time the 2019 British Championship took place in Wiscombe, Wallace Menzies set a new hill record for the 1000-yard course with 33.13 seconds.
There is a good chance this one will be beaten. Wallace, Alex and Sean have set new hill records at most of the locations they have visited this year. It’s a positive omen.
There will be a very varied submission of around 150 cars that will take part in the rounds of the Wiscombe Park Tillicoultry Quarries Championship, the Triple M / Pirelli HSA Speed Championship and the Downton MC DEWS Championship.
The audience for this event is reduced by 50% so the demand for tickets is likely to be high. Please visit the Wiscombe Park website www.wiscombepark.co.uk to purchase tickets for the event and stay up to date with all the news.
John Simpson – Ford Escort Mk2 – 3rd in the Wiscombe Park Championship
– Credit: Nigel Cole
James Hudson – Golf GTi – 2nd in the Wiscombe Park Championship
– Credit: Nigel Cole
Rod Eyles – Alfa Romeo 4C – currently leading Wiscombe Park Championship
– Credit: Nigel Cole
Sean Gould – Gould GR59J
– Credit: Nigel Cole
Alex Summers – DJ Firestorm
– Credit: Nigel Cole
