Fleetwood in fast lane (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Fleetwood in fast lane

Adam Fleetwood, who dominated the 2004 British Hillclimb Championship in his 3.5-litre V8 Gould single-seater, heads the cast at the start of the Prescott season this weekend.

But for the 25-year-old ace from Great Bolas in Shropshire, who holds the outright Prescott hill record, it may be his last visit to the Bugatti Owners' Club hill.

It's likely that Adam will be seeking a new challenge on the race circuits before the summer is over and, if the Hillclimb Championship is in the bag by September, he may have bid farewell to the hills by the time the series returns to Prescott in its closing stages.

Fleetwood scored zero points at the first round of the Nicholson McLaren-backed series at Loton Park in Shropshire on April 10. A maximum score went to hard-driving Willem Toet, getting his best-ever start to the season.

The meeting format demands that top drivers first qualify - in the class runs on Sunday morning - for the first points-scoring run-off just before the lunch-break, and the battle is then repeated in the afternoon. Several new big racing cars are due to come to the line, including former double champion Graeme Wight Jnr (Aberdeen) at the wheel of his new GWR Predator.

Police officer Chris Merrick scored a personal best at Loton Park first time out in the Gould-Judd racer that he shares with Salisbury's Karl Davison. Chris finished seventh and sixth in the two run-offs and will be out to add to his score at Prescott. Cheltenham's Alastair Crawford joins the fray with his recently-acquired Gould single-seater.

In a strong local entry there are several family pairings, including brothers Ashley and Chris ward (Edge), John and Caroline Ryder (Cirencester), Terry and Tricia Davis (Cheltenham), Richard and Gill Marshall (Bishop's Cleeve) and Peter and Steven Brown (Painswick). In the 1600cc racing cars, watch for rapid local men Phil Cooke (Cirencester) and Tony Hunt (Tirley).

The weekend also features well-supported rounds of the Michelin Porsche Club GB Championship and the Ferrari owners Club Hillclimb championship. Practice starts at 9.30am on Saturday and competitive runs at 10am on Sunday.

Prescott is five miles north-east of Cheltenham off the main A435 Evesham road, between the villages of Gotherington and Gretton. Adult admission is £10 on Saturday and £15 on Sunday. Accompanied children under 14 are admitted free and car parking is free.