The Sevenoaks and District Car Club’s efforts to uphold the heritage of London’s Crystal Palace as a venue for motorsport continued in style at the end of May when the organization played host to the fourth annual Motorsport at the Palace event. A huge entry of more than 200 cars assembled for two days of competition on the roads and pathways of the famous park in South London that once echoed to the sounds of racing engines on a regular basis from the 1930s until 1972, when the track ran its final race.
Entries ranging from modern day sprint specials to 500-cc Formula Three cars and pre-war racers filled the capacity entry that left the hosts turning away potential competitors due to the popularity of the weekend. Measuring approximately 800 yards, the track used for the sprint—supported by London car dealer Ancaster—featured numerous sections of the former circuit layout from both the pre- and post-war eras.
A large crowd assembled across both days to watch the action, many walking to the park from their London homes. Alongside the track action, Motorsport at the Palace also featured a strong paddock of display cars and vehicles, all assembled in the shadow of the famous Crystal Palace television transmitter that dominates the skyline from the site of the old Crystal Palace itself.
Built for the Great Exhibition in London in 1851, and originally located in Hyde Park, the Crystal Palace was then relocated shortly afterward to its present site, where it stood until destroyed by fire in the 1930s. Motorcycle Speedway and Pathway racing took place at the Crystal Palace Park before car racing started in 1937, when Pat Fairfield won the opening event. After the war, racing resumed on a freshly designed circuit in the early 1950s, providing great action for the next two decades for those city dwellers who could see the world’s finest racers driving, literally, just yards from their homes. Jochen Rindt famously became the first driver to lap the track at over 100 mph in a Formula Two car during 1970, while Mike Hailwood went down in history as the circuit’s outright lap record holder. Gerry Marshall, driving a Lister Jaguar, won the track’s last race before closure in 1972.
Motorsport at the Palace has enjoyed great success since it appeared on the race schedules in 2010. It has now also gained security for the next two years at least with the news that Ancaster has agreed to a title sponsorship package that is set to continue until at least 2015.
By James Beckett
