Closer look – English race circuits.
Cycle tracks and seaside promenades legally hosted the earliest motorcycle racing in England. Brooklands opened in 1907 and soon motorcyclists began racing at gymkhanas, on fields, park paths and roads, leading to the creation of racing circuits.
The circuit was formed inanatural hollow– which some describe as an amphitheatre – in the land near West Kingsdown, Kent, owned by Brands (hence the name) Farm. The site was used for military training then cycle racing/practicing, before hosting its first recorded race in 1926. But no engines were involved, as cyclists and runners competed over a four-mile circuit.
Within a few years, motorcyclists began casually racing over the quarter-of-a-mile, rough kidney-shaped course in the bowl, then more structured grasstrack racing was run jointly by the Bermondsey, Owls, Sidcup and West Kingsdown clubs from 1932 until the Second World War.
Used for military vehicle storageduring the conflict – and consequently subject to bombing raids– much work was needed before grasstrack racing resumedover a one mile circuit under the auspices of the newly formed Brands Hatch Stadium Ltd, and a committee comprising representatives from the Gravesend Eagles, Greenwich and
Rochester clubs. Over the winter of 1949/50, a consortium invested £17,000 applying tarmac to the circuit, whichwas thought bymany an ideal venue for motorcycle and car racing.
In April 1950, both factions enjoyed their first meetings onwhat was correctly described as Britain’s first post SecondWorld War, purpose-built racing circuit.
Motorcycle meeting entrants for the opener included Vincent Davey (later head of Gus Kuhn), Jack Surtees crewedbyCharlie Rous (later a well known sprinter, editor of MCNand one time proprietor of a funeral vehicle hire business), Alf Hagon, Bernie Ecclestone (yes, the Bernie Ecclestone) and young John Surtees, officially competing in his first road race meeting (John had naughtily crewed for his father from the age of 14 – and was rumbled!).
Two years later, the undisputed ‘King of Brands’ Derek Minter made his debut on the Kent circuit. Aswell as racing, Derek spent many, many hours testingNortons for the renowned racing engineer Steve Lancefield at Brands.
Over the years, the circuit has been altered, facilities added and today is run by Jonathan Palmer’s Motorsport Vision (MSV) group, offering two main circuits; the 1.198mile
Indy and 2.433 mile GP Circuit. And with more thananod to its past history, its famous Paddock Hill Bend, Druids, Clearways etc are accompanied by sections named after famous two- and four-wheel competitors including DerekMinter, MikeHailwood, Jack and John Surtees, Barry Sheene, GrahamHill, StirlingMoss, Jack Brabhamand more.
Cadwell Park
Situated betweenHorncastle and Louth in Lincolnshire, Cadwell Park was established as a three-quarter-of-a-mile racing circuit in 1934 by theWilkinson family, using existing gravel drives and dirt tracks. After a 1937 event was lost to the rain and resultantmud, a series of improvements were started, involving coursewidening, concrete to some corners and tarmac surfaces elsewhere.
Theoriginal track, with its Hall Bends, Mountain and Barn corner, was lengthened
to 1.3miles in 1953 and again to 2.25miles for the 1961 season. Some bendswere named after the course owningWilkinson family, including Charlie’s andMansfield.
In 2004MSV bought Cadwell Park and in commonwith their practice on buying other circuits started a series of improvements.
Cadwell is considered toonarrow for some levels of car racing but still hosts club motorsport and remains a favourite among motorcycle racers and spectators. It now offers three circuits: the 2.173 mile Full Circuit, 1.481mile Club Circuit and the 1.139 mile WoodlandCircuit. Virtually everyone who is anyone in motorcycle racinghas raced at Cadwell Park, including 15 times world champion Giacomo Agostini, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read, Bill Ivy, John ‘Mooneyes’ Cooper, and many well known locals such as sidecar ace Jackie Beeton, the Chattertons and
Dickie Dale.
Crystal Palace
Racing began in 1899 at this South East London venue, when a group of private enthusiasts challenged eachother to speed duels. The first motorcycle raceswereheld in 1902 using the establishedbanked cycle track and, thanks to its natural steep, sloping grounds, hill climbs were also run. As motorcycle racing oncycle tracks became ever faster, thepursuit lost favour, due to the dangers.
On May 21, 1927, over 10,000 spectators, attractedby anentry list including Brooklands habitué IanRiddoch, 1926 IoM TT Lightweight TTvictor Paddy Johnston and lightweight two-stroke specialist Tommy
Meeten, watched the first day’s racing on the Palace paths. Although speedswere slow, the racing was exciting thanks to the sharp, twistingnature of the coursewhich literally comprised the footpaths around the grounds and the hazardswere… interesting! One entrant raced throughaholly bush and others ducked to avoid being beheadedby lowbranches over the track, onto which spectators strolled.
Following concern raised in the motorcycle press and theHouse of Commons, FredMockford and Cecil Smith of London Motor Sports Ltdmade efforts to improve rider and spectator safety, applied tarmac to the loose surface on some bends and, where possible, widened the ultranarrow course, as outfits couldn’t overtake. The PathCircuit soon attracted its specialists including local lad Harold Daniell (later Norton works racer and winner of three IoMTTs) who was a lap recordholder, Gus Kuhn, Jack Surtees and Fay Taylour. The last motorcycle Path Raceswere held in 1933.
Mockford and Smith opened a dirt track (speedway) circuit in 1928 and established the Crystal Palace (Glaziers) Speedway Team. For some years, the Glaziers were captained by Triss Sharp, while leading riders included Ron Johnston, the Frogley brothers (Roger andArthur), Fay Taylour, Eva Asquith and Dot Cowley. Interest wanedby the mid-1930s and ever-increasing costs forcedMockford and Smith to relocate the team to NewCross.
Midget car racing suffered a similar fate, then the track hosted second division speedway from1938 to the Second WorldWar.
TheCrystal Palace itself (ex 1851Great
Exhibition) burneddownonNovember 30, 1936; just three days later work began building the twomile, 30 foot wide Crystal Palace Road Circuit. The firstmotorcycle meeting – the Coronation GP– was held on May 15, 1937, the start of three seasons of close competition attracting many including local stars Harold Daniell, Jack Surtees, Noel Pope and Jock West. After its wartime role, the site had to be cleared and decommissioned, preventing any motorcycle racing until 1953, nowon a reduced-length course.
Another local lad, John Surtees, was the Palace’s first post Second World War specialist but somany riders enjoyed huge success at this SouthLondon circuit includingMikeHailwood, Phil Read, Bob McIntyre, Pip Harris, Bill Boddice, Derek Minter and Paul Smart, who posted a ‘forever’ lap record, riding a Triumph Trident in1971, of 84.53mph. The circuit closed to motorcycle
racing after the BMCRC (Bemsee) August Bank Holiday Monday meeting in 1972 with DavidNixon (Boyer Trident) leading home GrahamSharp andDave Potter (bothGus Kuhn Commandos) in the final race. Car club events continued for another two years at the Palace, whichwas expanding its National Sports Centre. From 1999 the Sevenoaks& DMChave held annual car sprints at the venue, with the 2020 meeting cancelled due to theCovid-19 situation.
Longridge
This short circuit built in theTootle Heights quarry near Longridge, Preston, Lancashire is unique in that it is the only racing track in the world built inaquarry – unless you know differently. The 0.43-mile track comprised anarrowoval withahairpin at either end and esses between the start/finish line and the first hairpin. Owing to its location, the hairpinswerenamed the Weighbridge and Quarry Corner while the back 0.2 mile (approximately) straight wasQuarry Straight.
Car racing startedaLongridge in 1973 and Geoff Duke was a celebrity attendee at the firstmotorcycle races a year later organised by the Fleetwood andDMCCwho attracted an entry of over 120, includingEricCheers and SteveWynne (SportsMotorcycles). Surprisingly for such a short circuit with two sharp hairpins, speedsweren’t that slow, with the ultimate fastest lap down to car racer Kim Mather (BRMF1 car) of 65.6mph.
After the 1978 season, the organising motorcycle and car clubs were left without a venue when the site was sold. Annoying for all involved with this short-lived, unique circuit.
Mallory Park
Historically, the site dates back 2000 years, give or take, as a Roman road passes through and the KirkbyMoats date back to AngloSaxon times. During the Second World War, the Mallory Park estatewas a satellite landing ground (RAF Kirkby Mallory) but, unlike most airfield circuits, none of the landing stripusedby the RAFbecame part of the later racing track. After the war, its pony trotting trackwas createdwith a later plan in 1953 to holdhorse racing at the venue and the hall was demolished c1952. From1949-54, the pony trotting track was used for motorcycle grasstrack racing, organising clubs included the famous LeicesterQueryMCC.
CliveWormleighton (knownby some as the ‘father of Mallory Park’) bought the estate in 1955 and oversaw the building of the tarmac racing circuit, and although therehave been track modifications, most of Wormleighton’s circuit remains inuse today.
On April 26, 1956, the circuit was opened and as part of the day’s events Bob Gerard (hence Gerard’s, the long sweeping bend at the end of the start/finish straight), CooperBristol F2 car and Maurice Cann (MotoGuzzi) ‘paraded’ with gusto – confirmed by Gerard’s best lapof 81mph. The Leicester QueryClub organised the first motorcycle event drawing a crowd of 20,000, who witnessed George Salter (Norton) set the first lap recordof 84.08mph.
The compact circuit, initially 1.35 miles, and known to many (except some local residents…) as ‘the friendly circuit,’ nowoffers four tracks, ineffect the main oval with extra sections such as Charlies, Shaws Hairpinand Edwina’s as appropriate. Thus today there is the option of the onemileOval, 1.35mile Car, 1.39mileMotorcycle Short and 1.410 mile Superbike Circuits. Mallory has had its ups and downs and in the early 1980s looked certain to close, then Edwina Overend (competition secretary for the Midlands Centre of British Racing Drivers’ Club) ‘persuaded’ racing driver and businessman Chris Meek to buy the estate. For twodecades, the Overend family successfully ran the track and associated interests until in 2005 it was acquired by the British Automobile RacingClub.
Like Cadwell, Mallory has played host to the who’s who of motorcycle racing but for those over 60s amongus, one race stands out… In summer 1971, MooneyesCooper pittedhis BSARocket 3 against Giacomo Agostini, astride the 500cc GPMVAgusta, in TheRace of the Year. While the field trailed, Cooper (already four times winner of the event) slugged it out with Ago. Theultra neat Italian was pushed to the limit as Derbyshire’s Cooper power slid his Rocket 3 to victory by ⁄s of a second. Together, both have signed huge numbers of autographs and chatted to countless fans reliving this gladiatorial epic. Truly the stuff of dreams.
Oulton Park
TodayOulton Park (Little Budworth, Cheshire) offers three circuits – 1.66 mile Fosters, 2.26mile Islandand 2.692mile International – but was initially built in 1953 as a 1½ mile circuit on Sir Phillip GreyEgerton’s family estate, whichhad beenused in the Second WorldWar by US Army units in preparation for the Normandy Landings.
Its first event was a closed to clubmembers
only (at the RAC’s insistence) car race on August 8, 1953, and twomonthstw later almost 40,000 spectators attended the fififirst motorcycle races run in conjunction with car competition, the Wirral Hundredand MidCheshireClubs ran the motorcycle races. Final winnerswere 250cc Maurice Cann (Moto-Guzzi), 350cc Phil Carter (AJS), 500cc Denis Parkinson (Norton) and sidecars, Cyril Smith (Norton).
Like Mallory Park, theOulton Park estate has a longhistory stretching back toRoman times but as the bizarre, funny and downright silly has always appealed tome, here’s one such tale…
Decades ago, demolition contractor, after dinner speaker and television personality Derek ‘Blaster’ Bates was removing tree stumps fromapatch near anOultonPark Circuit bend. The first tree stump was drilled, packed with explosives, detonated and removed. Moments later, a dishevelled couple ranoff. Later, Bates and his colleague discovered the lady’s knickers in thebrook by the bend – hence KnickerbrookCorner! Or so Blaster’s regular retelling of the incident claimed…
Starting in1954, when lengthened to 2.23 miles and then 2.761 a year later, Oulton Park has been improved and later safety measures including the chicane near Knickerbrook added. In common with Brands, Cadwell and Mallory, Oulton Park has beenone of England’s leadingmotorcycle racing circuits, and has attractedmany great car events too. Through its life it has experiencedmany owners, includingGrovewoodSecurities (Motor Circuit Development Ltd) until bought in2004 byMSV.
Again, the who’s who of motorcycle racing who have competedon thisCheshire track include Mike Hailwood, Dave Aldana, Roger Marshall, AlanShepherd, Barry Sheene, DerekMinter, Gary Nixon, John Hartle… And likemost circuits – and to underline the dangers of motor andmotorcycle sport – it haswitnessed tragedies including the loss of the superlative Scottish rider Bob McIntyre, who died inhospital a few days after crashing in atrocious conditions there in 1962.
Weston-super-Mare
Think of this Somerset seaside town and motorcyclists think of the beach races – now in their 38th year – but from the pioneer days it has hosted speed trials, gymkhanas and hill climbs in common with other British coastal towns, includingNew Brighton. And likeNew Brighton in the Wirral, it has beena motorcycle road race venue. Although in the case of Weston-super-Mare, just the once.
Despite misinformation publishedby the localWeston Gazette stating the meetingwas scheduled for October 2, 1949, a larger than expected crowd of 7000 lined the promenade for a day’s racing on Saturday, October 1. The 62 entries includedmany aces competing in the heats and finals.
Future double works champion Bill Lomas travelled fromDerbyshire armed with three machines to win the 250cc, 350cc and500cc main class finals: 246cc Royal-Enfield, 348cc Velocette and 498cc Royal Enfield-JAP. In the 250, Bill was pursuedbyMaurice Cann (248cc Moto-Guzzi) and LenBayliss (250cc Ellbee – based on a 1930s TriumphTiger 70), while again Bayliss (350cc Ellbee) and Les Archer (348cc Velocette) chased Bill home in the 350 class then futureworks 350cc Champion Bob Foster (Triumph) andPhil Heath (Norton) had to give way to the REJAP in the blue riband 500cc final. Other names on the promenade included local shop owner Jack Difazio (499cc BSA), Franz Pados (348cc Douglas – a Hungarian who rode NSUs in the 1930s) and Wilmot Evans (348cc AJS).
Each race permitted just six starters, who sped down the promenade, turned right at the hairpinonto the pavement for the return trip, and again a right-hand hairpinonto the promenade. Overtakingwas impossible on the two hairpins and much of the path was rough.
Therewere – and still are– many great English racing circuits omitted fromthese two features and the list is lengthened if we visit Wales, sail the Irish Sea or gonorth of the border. So Scarborough, Welwyn Garden City, Jurby, Turnbury, Aberdare Park, Bangor Castle and many more are left for another day.