Jonathan Wright: 2020 Wiscombe Park Tillicoultry Quarries Champion

Motorsport, like all sports, has been forced to adapt to the “new normal” because of Covid-19.

Wiscombe Park rose to that enormous challenge, and provided a season of motorsport squeezed into a frantic six-week period.

They followed very strict Government and Motorsport UK guidelines, and all events had to be held behind closed doors which meant, sadly, no spectators were allowed.

Each meeting was limited to 110 cars and 50 bikes / sidecars.

It was a very unusual experience seeing the usually packed spectator areas empty, and all marshals and support teams socially distanced and wearing masks and gloves.

The fact that there has been motorsport at all in the South West in 2020 has been made possible thanks to the incredible efforts of a large number of people behind the scenes – Wiscombe Park, the various SW motor clubs, marshals, and other support teams – and, of course, the competitors themselves. On the track though, it was business as usual with fierce competition for a number of championships. As well as its own Wiscombe Championship, the venue also hosted rounds of other championships including the Association of South West Motor Clubs, Downton Motor Club, Torbay MC and Bristol MC. Motorbikes were represented by the members of the National Hill Climb Association (NHCA).

Wiscombe is considered to be one of the best and most challenging hillclimb venues in the UK and has been hosting events since 1958. A hill that all drivers and riders enjoy pitting their skill and machinery against. Wiscombe annually hosts rounds of the British Championship.

Speed hill climbing is one of the oldest forms of motorsport. By 1903, there were 26 hillclimb courses in the UK, which were one mile in length. The sport is open to all forms of vehicle – cars, bikes, sidecars and trikes.

In the Wiscombe Park Tillicoultry Quarries Hillclimb Championship, victory went to Wellington driver Jonathan Wright in his Mark 1 VW Golf GTi who was crowned Champion – congratulations. His brother Anthony Wright – Audi A3 – pushed him hard, and finished runner up by just 0.190 points.

There has been great Wiscombe sibling rivalry between Jonathan and Anthony in recent years. Jonathan – also a previous winner of the Wiscombe Young Drivers Award – first lifted the Championship trophy in 2009 – driving the same Golf GTi as in 2020. Anthony was Wiscombe Champion in 2016. The Wright family have certainly etched their name in Wiscombe Park history.

The Association of South West Motor Clubs (ASWMC) Hillclimb Championship was won by Torbay Motor Club’s Shaun Tuckey in his modified Ford Ka.

A well known personality in South West hillclimbing, Saltash driver Derek Kessell, clinched the Downton Wiscombe Park Challenge Championship in his Maguire Mini Cooper S. Derek has been using the same car for 32 years!

Another popular Wiscombe regular, Taunton’s Ben Bonfield, was crowned ASWMC Sprint Champion. During the 2020 season, Ben set two new ASWMC Class records at Wiscombe in his Jedi Mk4 GSXR which he shares with his father Tony.

The Wiscombe Park Team are now busy making preparations for the 2021 season. The dates for next year’s events are now out, but of course, these may be subject to changes depending on the prevailing regulations at the time. Hopefully, by the time of the first event in April, spectators will be welcomed back to the venue – fingers crossed!

For further information and event news, please visit the Wiscombe Park website www.wiscombepark.co.uk and social media channels.

Wiscombe Park Tillicoultry Quarries Hillclimb Championship 2020

1. Jonathan Wright – VW Golf GTi - 74.310 pts

2. Anthony Wright – Audi A3 - 74.120 pts

3. Jon Langmead – Lotus 135R - 73.325 pts

4. Rodney Eyles – Alfa Romeo 4C - 72.110 pts

5. Steve Hill – Lotus 7 - 70.730 pts

6. Matt Vann – Audi TT - 69.695 pts

7. Ed Hollier – Pilbeam MP62 - 68.590 pts

8. Ben Bonfield – Jedi Mk GSXR - 68.200 pts

9. James Hudson – VW Golf GTi - 67.575 pts

10. Andrew Short – OMS CF07 - 66.250 pts