Crystal Palace to host motorsport event in 2008

[davewilson]

If the plans of the UK’s Sevenoaoks & District Motor Club are successful motorsport will return to Crystal Palace, the world's oldest motor-racing venue, in 2008.

The SDMC is working with the London Development Agency on a plan to allow the club to run an annual speed event in the South London park.

Crystal Palace hosted its first motorsport event in 1899 and events ran sporadically over subsequent years on both short ovals and courses made up of pathways around the park until a permanent road racing circuit opened in 1937. A new 1.39-mile circuit road course was opened in 1953 and was active until 1972 after which it was closed as it was deemed too expensive to bring the track up to modern safety standards.

SDMC ran a series of sprints at Crystal Palace between 1997 and 2000 before building work and uncertainty over the future use of the park brought them to an end. It had been hoped that the sprint event would return in May 2007 but due to issues with the original track surface on the terrace straight the event has had to be postponed until 2008.

Sevenoaks & District Motor Club's secretary Andy Elcomb, who was involved in the organisation of the late 1990s events, said, "We are pleased and excited to bring this important venue back to British motorsport and if our plans come to fruition we hope that we can build on the good reputation gained from the previous events."

The Stig