MOTOR SPORT: Combe event tops off motor bonanza (From Swindon Advertiser)

MOTOR SPORT: Combe event tops off motor bonanza

11:50am Friday 22nd May 2009 in Sport

THERE is a feast of motorsport to enjoy over the weekend, writes CHRIS JAMES.

For the armchair viewer some of the most prestigious races on the calendar take place with the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500, along with the British Superbike Championships from Donington Park.

For those looking for something a little more local the Castle Combe Circuit plays host to the nine-race British Sportscar Race Meeting on Monday while the British Hillclimb Championships visits Gurston Down at Broadchalke near Salisbury on Sunday.

Ben Norton from Bratton will be trying to maintain his unbeaten record this season in the 12-lap Castle Combe FF1600 Championship race in his Spectrum 011.

Cricklade’s David Tansley competes with his Class A Van Diemen RF99, Swindon’s Oliver Bull with a Class B Swift SC92 and Tom Margetson of Cirencester races his Reynard FF89 in the pre ‘90 Class C, where he is currently second in the class points standings.

Former Swindon Rallycross champion Barry Squibb is another driver who has a 100 per cent winning rate so far this season in the Combe Saloon Car Championship with his Mitsubishi Evo 9 RS.

He will be joined on the grid by Freshbrook’s Wayne Osborne and Seend’s Julian Ellison with the Swindon Volvo Racing S40.

Yatton Keynell’s Jason Cooper leads the overall championship with his Class D Ford Fiesta, one point ahead of reigning champion William di Claudio of Bromham with his Class C Peugeot 106 GT.

The fastest race of the day is the 15-lap Castle Combe Special GT Championship where Scott Hughes from Calne competes with his Radical Clubsport.

Many of the drivers from the Circuit’s Saloon Car and Special GT Championships will also line up in the 10-lap Castle Combe Racing Club Open Sports & Saloon race.

MG’s are much in evidence with rounds of the Moss-Europe MGCC BCV8 Championship, the Lenham Cars MG Midget Challenge with surveying Devon & Cornwall race and the mixed car grid that makes up the Zero Exhausts MGCC Thoroughbred Sportscar Championship race.

The Morgan Car Company are celebrating their Centenary this year, with founder Henry Morgan having served an aprenticeship at the GWR Works in Swindon before starting the car company in 1909. The 20-minute Power Torque Morgan Challenge race sees Tim Clark from Purton having his first race at the track in his Morgan Plus 8.

Monday’s programme starts at 8.40am with racing getting under way from 1pm.

Admission prices are £15 for adults, £7.50 for OAPs, £2.50 for paddock transfer, while accompanied children under 16 are admitted free.

Meanwhile, over 150 of the country’s top hillclimb competitors and cars, motorcycles, sidecars and trikes assemble once again at Gurston Down Speed Hillclimb over the weekend for rounds nine and 10 of the British Championship.

The sidecar pairing of Mark and Simon Foster of Swindon are among a strong Wiltshire entry on their Foster BMW outfit.

Saturday is for practice only with Sunday's action beginning at 8.30 am. Admission on Sunday is £10 for adults, accompanied under 14s free, and free parking.