Defunct motor sport events
Discussion
I found by chance today info about the Brighton Hillclimb in Stanmer Park - only happened once, in 1948, it's about 2 miles from home and just about in sight from the office window but I've never heard of it before. I wasn't born then and didn't live here til '89 so it's not like I missed the opportunity to go, just surprised I've not heard of it.
John Cooper, Stirling Moss and Roy Salvadori were there.
Anyone else know of obscure events that have sunk without trace?
John Cooper, Stirling Moss and Roy Salvadori were there.
Anyone else know of obscure events that have sunk without trace?
The Gt Auclum National Speed Hill Climb was held in Burghfield Common, just round the corner from where I used to live. It was an annual event,the first one was in 1939, then it restarted in 1947 with the last one in 1974. Probably the same championship as the Brighton one. Lots of the big names competed, including Stirling Moss.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Auclum_Nationa...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Auclum_Nationa...
Edited by Old Merc on Friday 11th December 17:09
Edited by Old Merc on Friday 11th December 17:10
nicanary said:
What you need is a book named Motorsport Explorer by Julian Hunt. It contains details of virtually all motor sport venues in the UK and even a brief location guide for each. Chapters for England are by county so you'll be able to locate all the stuff in your area.
I've just bought a copy for myself for Christmas - thanks for the heads up! Another good source is Classic Motorsport Routes
https://amzn.to/3oIHYCi
it has numerous routes both in the UK and worldwide from the Rest and Be Thankful Hillclimb to Reims Gueux F1
https://amzn.to/3oIHYCi
it has numerous routes both in the UK and worldwide from the Rest and Be Thankful Hillclimb to Reims Gueux F1
Yes Motorsport Explorer's your guide.
There were many courses used once only in the pre-1925 era when public roads were used and great lengths had to be gone to in misleading the police as the events were illegal. One such was Aston Hill after which Lionel Martin named his cars.
Twenty years on and there was great enthusiasm for sprints/hillclimbs in the immediate post-war period many of which did not last long despite being part of the RAC's Hillclimb Championship. Our local Club used Tewin Water, Westbrook Hay and Harleyford Manor which are no longer used.
There were many courses used once only in the pre-1925 era when public roads were used and great lengths had to be gone to in misleading the police as the events were illegal. One such was Aston Hill after which Lionel Martin named his cars.
Twenty years on and there was great enthusiasm for sprints/hillclimbs in the immediate post-war period many of which did not last long despite being part of the RAC's Hillclimb Championship. Our local Club used Tewin Water, Westbrook Hay and Harleyford Manor which are no longer used.
Probably not forgotten, but I was unfortunately born a couple years to late for the Birmingham Superprix. Would love it to happen again, there was a rumour of it being reborn for the Formula E a few years back but nothing came of it.
Sutton Park stage of the British rally was one that again slightly before my time.
Sutton Park stage of the British rally was one that again slightly before my time.
The Lombard RAC Rally, of the 1970s and 1980s style.
Special stages on Day 1 - Chatsworth and Sutton Park.
Tuning in to Rally Report to see William Woollard or Tony Mason in a rally jacket reporting from the depths of the Kielder Forest whilst Group B monsters hooned past. Marvellous.
Yes, I know we still have Wales Rally GB, but it's not really the same.
Special stages on Day 1 - Chatsworth and Sutton Park.
Tuning in to Rally Report to see William Woollard or Tony Mason in a rally jacket reporting from the depths of the Kielder Forest whilst Group B monsters hooned past. Marvellous.
Yes, I know we still have Wales Rally GB, but it's not really the same.
feef said:
Another good source is Classic Motorsport Routes
https://amzn.to/3oIHYCi
it has numerous routes both in the UK and worldwide from the Rest and Be Thankful Hillclimb to Reims Gueux F1
I like the idea of going to more old tracks when I go Foreign, quite a lot to see at Reims still.https://amzn.to/3oIHYCi
it has numerous routes both in the UK and worldwide from the Rest and Be Thankful Hillclimb to Reims Gueux F1
PurpleTurtle said:
The Lombard RAC Rally, of the 1970s and 1980s style.
Special stages on Day 1 - Chatsworth and Sutton Park.
Tuning in to Rally Report to see William Woollard or Tony Mason in a rally jacket reporting from the depths of the Kielder Forest whilst Group B monsters hooned past. Marvellous.
Yes, I know we still have Wales Rally GB, but it's not really the same.
^^this^^Special stages on Day 1 - Chatsworth and Sutton Park.
Tuning in to Rally Report to see William Woollard or Tony Mason in a rally jacket reporting from the depths of the Kielder Forest whilst Group B monsters hooned past. Marvellous.
Yes, I know we still have Wales Rally GB, but it's not really the same.
Nostalgia I know but 4 days and nights, N York forests, Keilder, Scottish borders, Lake District, snow and ice, following the rally around the country (or at least my half of it) sleeping in the car, BDA engines and Stratos etc, in the dark at 3.00am......
Motorsport Explorer is compulsory reading - who knew that my home county of Yorkshire has had eight race circuits ( not all permanent venues , but used for pukka racing and not 'just' speed events)?
The book has one fault - no index. But Julian Hunt kindly let me have one after I reviewed his book - if anybody needs a copy of the index , just pm me your email and I will sort
The book has one fault - no index. But Julian Hunt kindly let me have one after I reviewed his book - if anybody needs a copy of the index , just pm me your email and I will sort
PurpleTurtle said:
The Lombard RAC Rally...........
Definitely! The biggest spectator event in the country, I think about a million people went to watch.One reason it wouldn't work now is the traffic would be too bad getting between stages - even in the 80s IIRC Malcom Wilson in a 6R4 got stopped by plod for driving up the grass central reservation on the A1 to avoid being late for a stage
Reading PTs post sends a shiver down my back, remembering queueing in and out of muddy fields to park, walking through stages on the stage track listening for marshals whistles and jumping back behind the trees before the car arrived.
Happy days
We used to have a club rally on a local disused airfield in the 1980s. You could just turn up and watch for free. No crowd control and most people watched from the outside of the most dangerous corners. Every time a car lost control, people would just run for their lives, have a good laugh about it and go back to the same spot to watch the next car through. Nuts. There used to be a 6R4 entrant which would always win against the Mk2 Escorts, TR7 V8s and Hillman Imps. The 6R4 used to pop down to the local fish and chip shop during the lunch break. You could hear it for miles.
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