Hi All,
I've a bit of a thing for unused race tracks. Usually they're old RAF bases steeped with heritage coupled with motorsport. Not really in this case though... it was built on an old quarry.
Rockingham Speedway, whilst a fantastic venue, never really took off in the way they hoped, I don't think they ever filled every seat. That said, it was a firm favourite for the British Touring Car Championship and Formula 3 race series. Motorsport and such activity ceased in 2018 and it's now a vehicle storage site, soon to be development into a logistics hub. There are security patrols and cameras all over hence the view is mainly from the side lines. The grandstands are surprisingly high!
Here's what Wiki reckons;
"Rockingham Motor Speedway is a former racing motorsport venue in the United Kingdom, that hosted corporate driving days, driver training, conferencing and exhibitions, vehicle manufacturing events, track days, testing, driving experiences and motor racing. It claims to be Europe's fastest racing circuit, and was the first banked oval constructed in Britain since the closure of Brooklands in 1939. The venue hosted its last day of racing in November 2018 after being sold by its owners and will be redeveloped to become a logistics hub for the car industry.
Construction of Rockingham started late in 1999, with the opening meeting planned for May 2001. Rockingham Motor Speedway was constructed on a British Steel works brown field site as a banked oval with the intention of bringing the American oval racing across the Atlantic for the first time. The opportunity was taken to use the infield for further circuits. After almost ten years of planning and 23 months of construction work, Rockingham opened for business on Monday 15 January 2001. It was formally opened by the Queen on 26 May 2001. After the sale of the venue, Rockingham held a "super send off" to mark its final day as a racing circuit on 24 November 2018. Much of the site will become a logistics hub for automotive logistic companies"
Flickr Album - https://www.flickr.com/photos/137354851@N05/albums/72157714288680158
I've a bit of a thing for unused race tracks. Usually they're old RAF bases steeped with heritage coupled with motorsport. Not really in this case though... it was built on an old quarry.
Rockingham Speedway, whilst a fantastic venue, never really took off in the way they hoped, I don't think they ever filled every seat. That said, it was a firm favourite for the British Touring Car Championship and Formula 3 race series. Motorsport and such activity ceased in 2018 and it's now a vehicle storage site, soon to be development into a logistics hub. There are security patrols and cameras all over hence the view is mainly from the side lines. The grandstands are surprisingly high!
Here's what Wiki reckons;
"Rockingham Motor Speedway is a former racing motorsport venue in the United Kingdom, that hosted corporate driving days, driver training, conferencing and exhibitions, vehicle manufacturing events, track days, testing, driving experiences and motor racing. It claims to be Europe's fastest racing circuit, and was the first banked oval constructed in Britain since the closure of Brooklands in 1939. The venue hosted its last day of racing in November 2018 after being sold by its owners and will be redeveloped to become a logistics hub for the car industry.
Construction of Rockingham started late in 1999, with the opening meeting planned for May 2001. Rockingham Motor Speedway was constructed on a British Steel works brown field site as a banked oval with the intention of bringing the American oval racing across the Atlantic for the first time. The opportunity was taken to use the infield for further circuits. After almost ten years of planning and 23 months of construction work, Rockingham opened for business on Monday 15 January 2001. It was formally opened by the Queen on 26 May 2001. After the sale of the venue, Rockingham held a "super send off" to mark its final day as a racing circuit on 24 November 2018. Much of the site will become a logistics hub for automotive logistic companies"
Flickr Album - https://www.flickr.com/photos/137354851@N05/albums/72157714288680158
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