Swindon Rallycross

RichWard · 10 Nov 2007, 16:59 (Ref:2064480)

Anyone have any pics or info about this track? I have only ever seen 2 races from 1988 that took place there. If anyone has an old programme from an event there, does it have a track plan? If so it would be great to see. I found the track (whats left of it) on google earth but it doesn't show much apart from the run from the start to the first turn. Thanks in advance.

sjones · 10 Nov 2007, 17:49 (Ref:2064528)

http://www.motorsportmad.com/view/18...-1988--swindon

There's a video.

RichWard · 10 Nov 2007, 18:13 (Ref:2064544)

Thanks, but thats the one I've seen before.

schanche · 10 Nov 2007, 21:17 (Ref:2064644)

I used to love this circuit a long trek for us from kent but well worth it,
I always thought it suited the metros but Welch had some eventful runs there in the Astra will try to dig out some pics!.It was like it was held in the middle off a farmers field or yard lol, on what looked like a dissused airfield great little track though from the start it had a long sweeping right hander down hill with the Astra just about hangin on Brilliant!

Matti Alamaki · 10 Nov 2007, 21:34 (Ref:2064653)

Looks like a super, fast, flowing track, can it ressurected?

chris cake · 11 Nov 2007, 08:05 (Ref:2064799)

Only drove or went there come to that once when i did Production Rallycross !
Remember it well as i followed Lawrie Angel Home in the final to win my class first time there in my old MK2 VW Golf 1.8 Oh happy Days

That was the very last Rallycross ever held there Date 17th May 1992 !! I think.
Ran by the Phoenix Motor Club and the land was owned by the local dairy farmer Peter ?

Had some great corners ! turn 1 proper was very fast and was off camber as was the following strait it was all concrete that had seen better days back in WW2 ! If i remember correctly had a good amount of chalk too! As you see it had a lot of corners ! I think it was something like 10-14 !! you was always changing direction .
Best use of a washing line i have ever seen ! Those who went there know what i mean

I think it was closed due to a footpath over the land which was found by some rambler club who had great joy in insisting on walking across the track half way though a meeting !! These people only walk our fields to be bloody nosey!!!!
Oh and a noise problem !!! The bombers flying low over head from RAF Lyneham didnt seam matter as i remember only petrol engines were the devil !!!

schanche · 11 Nov 2007, 09:23 (Ref:2064818)

Just a thought! I think this is the circuit that put an end to Mr Green & White mini spares rallycross carrer seem to remember a big roll and that was enough for Ian! Im sure someone can confirm?

chris cake · 11 Nov 2007, 11:35 (Ref:2064872)

Quote:

Originally Posted by schanche

Just a thought! I think this is the circuit that put an end to Mr Green & White mini spares rallycross carrer seem to remember a big roll and that was enough for Ian! Im sure someone can confirm?

I could be wrong but didnt Sandy do his neck in Ireland?

schanche · 11 Nov 2007, 22:45 (Ref:2065245)

could be right although I seem to remember the mini having big off there also,

mel tyres · 11 Nov 2007, 23:10 (Ref:2065261)

Hi im sure he had the accident at nutts corner.Bring back the chimney corner hotel and a round of golf !!!! on the friday before the racing. Us welsh boys left the golf course as if a herd of cows had run through it HOLES EVERYWHERE.

lancaster · 13 Nov 2007, 18:03 (Ref:2066708)

Regarding the mini accident at Swindon, you might be thinking about an earlier generation of minis - specifically the Plastic Padding team of Nick Garner and Bruce Male.

I remember a car wrecking incident when Nick's mini mounted the rear of a Beetle and rolled into a box of bits !!

I also thought Swindon was a great little circuit from my feeble attempts at Production Rallycross. I don't even think there was a toilet at the location !!

chris cake · 13 Nov 2007, 20:18 (Ref:2066804)

[QUOTE=lancaster]

I also thought Swindon was a great little circuit from my feeble attempts at Production Rallycross.

So what did you drive? Did i race against you?

lancaster · 14 Nov 2007, 09:09 (Ref:2067135)

Chris,
Now you've got me going through the archives. It would appear that we possibly were at the same meetings.

I competed in 91 and half of 92 in the up to 1600's in a Mk1 Astra.

You are listed in the 1600 - 2000 group on a set of championship results I have dug up.

I got some old reg's here as well and the entry price was £45 in 1992 and the PRDC visited Swindon on no less than 3 times in a 13 round championship (May 17, Aug 2 and Oct 4).

Those were the days .......!

Chessmsport · 14 Nov 2007, 16:58 (Ref:2067432)

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancaster

Chris,
Ithe entry price was £45 in 1992....Those were the days .......!

This may explain why I cant afford to race these days............Dont think my wages have increased by that much.

lancaster · 14 Nov 2007, 20:24 (Ref:2067549)

Fuelled by a bout of nostalgia... I have looked at the Multimap and Google Earth images and located what is left of the track from the air.

The older picture still has a shadow of the concrete so I have traced out in a black line on the older image where I think the track went. Perhaps someone could confirm this.

Cheers...

Mad Mark Watson · 15 Nov 2007, 19:25 (Ref:2068294)

I remember Swindon very quick track in the sports hey day.

I remember going in the 205 formula C car and leading the super final till my throttle jammed and went off at a mammoth speed not fun at all.
Spannering that dau for me was Russ SPink no less!

Upside Down Bug · 15 Nov 2007, 19:44 (Ref:2068307)

I remember one visit there in production days when the guys went in convoy, but ended up in a carnival procession in the town!

mel tyres · 15 Nov 2007, 22:11 (Ref:2068419)

Hey mark some things dont change !!!!!!!!!!

Mad Mark Watson · 16 Nov 2007, 08:59 (Ref:2068661)

and of course those roundabouts!!! where there six joined together in a circle?

chunder · 16 Nov 2007, 09:28 (Ref:2068695)

No mate there is one in Hemel Hempstead aswell, its called the Magic Roundabout! Think there are five mini roundabouts round one big island, total bedlam, must ahve been designed by the same genius that gave the world teh M4 bus lane! Pillock!

RichWard · 18 Nov 2007, 18:28 (Ref:2070315)

I think that layout looks pretty close lancaster. However, from what I can see in the videos, I'm sure the other part of the concrete section was used. I hope you don't mind me editing your layout, but I think it was more like this.

lancaster · 19 Nov 2007, 10:33 (Ref:2070738)

Looking at the video again, I think you have got it just about right there RichWard. What a good mix of concrete and loose there was a Swindon. Better than some of the circuits today where the loose is not that loose and there is too little of what there is. Mondello is a case in point now that the narrow section has been outlawed!

Anyhow, you have started something here, a bit off topic I know but can anyone with longer memories work out where the track went at Long Marston (or Avon Park or Shakespeare Raceway or whatever it is called today !!)

madcowie2007 · 21 Nov 2007, 02:54 (Ref:2072194)

Hmmm, interesting. Never heard of that track. But I suspect Richard has as his dad use to rallycross before the WAR!!! I mean not too long ago

Madcowie
p.s Didnt say which war!!!

chunder · 21 Nov 2007, 08:21 (Ref:2072277)

There is a plan for the track I think in eitehr the drive it book or the 1980 Mantovani yearbook?

But still not sure where it fits in there, cna see the drag strip thogh!!

silver bullet · 21 Nov 2007, 10:33 (Ref:2072355)

Here is a track diagram of the Swindon Circuit scanned from a 1991 program. (click image for larger version)

Click image for larger version

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There are diagrams of other circuits in the Bill Mantovani book but they are a bit small to scan. IIRC there were some in one of the Rallycross trust magazines a few years back. I'll see if I can dig them out.
What surprised me was, the amount of tracks that used to host rallycross. I wonder how many others are gone forever, and how many could be resurrected.

Still Here
Croft
Lydden Hill
Pembrey
Knockhill
Blyton

Gone Forever
Swindon
Long Marston
Brands Hatch
Longridge

???????
Anglesey
Wildtracks
Langbaurgh
Cadwell Park
Northampton
Oulton Park
Talbeny
Llandow
Mallory Park