Lord Pembroke to make hillclimb competition debut at Gurston Down Midsummer Speed Fest

The Spire FM Midsummer Speed Fest surges into action on Saturday and Sunday June 21st and 22nd with two packed days of competition at Gurston Down Speed Hillclimb, Broad Chalke, near Salisbury, the country’s most copiously-awarded speed venue.

And on Sunday June 22nd we will see the Gurston Down competition debut of one of the venue’s better known local drivers, Will Pembroke, known in more formal circles as the 18th Earl of Pembroke.

Having previously driven at Gurston in his Bugatti Veyron during visits associated with the Classic and Supercars Show held at his Wilton House home, Lord Pembroke will compete against the clock for the first time on the hill in the Chairman’s Invitation class in a 2.0 Honda S2000, a track day car he has run at Goodwood, Silverstone, Spa, Castle Coombe.

Although the occasion will mark his competition debut at Gurston, Lord Pembroke is an experienced race driver with five seasons in the Fun Cup Championship behind him, including three outings at the 25hr Fun Cup race at the renowned Spa circuit in Belgium. He has also raced in a Saker and a D-Type Jaguar at Le Mans in the Legends race.

How will his Gurston times compare with the most recent guest in this class, touring car ace Matt Neal, who drove a Honda Jazz with a very similar engine?

Other highlights over the Midsummer Speed Fest weekend include on the Saturday a mouth-watering collection of Porsches contesting the Baylis & Harding Porsche Club Speed Championship, plus a full programme of competition prepared production cars, sports racing cars and single seater racing cars. Sunday will feature a delectable class of Ferraris contending the Pirelli Ferrari Hillclimb Challenge preceding the usual big field of production-based racers, sports racing and racing cars.

And as well as the four-wheeled competitors, the country’s top riders (and passengers…) from the National Hillclimb Association will be wowing the crowds on (sometimes one…) two and three wheels on both days too!

You can’t get closer to the action that at Gurston Down Speed Hillclimb, and with excellent catering and refreshment outlets on site everything is in place for a great value, exciting weekend of motorsport!