GOODWOOD
The HRDC annual Track Day at Goodwood offers an opportunity to embrace what is regarded as the spiritual home of historic racing. Virtually unchanged since this iconic circuit’s heydays of the 1950s – ‘60s, this super-fast track is rightly considered to be a true ‘Step Back in Time’. Not to be missed by any competitor wishing to get their car under the watchful eye of the Goodwood Competition Department for possible selection to the Revival meeting in September – this Track Day is an HRDC calendar date that should not be missed!
DONINGTON
Donington Park circuit was originally built in the estate grounds of Donington Hall in 1931, making it the oldest motor racing circuit in the country. Pre-WW2, it hosted a multitude of races including four Grand Prix events, notable by the appearance of the famed ‘Silver Arrows’ of Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz, prior to the cancelation of the 1939 event at the start of the second World War.
Requisitioned during WW2 by the British Army as a supply depot, the circuit fell into disrepair after the war. It was not until the property was acquired by the late Tom Wheatcroft that motor racing returned to this Leicestershire circuit, reopening in 1977. Wheatcroft’s dream of his home circuit retuning as a Grand Prix venue was realised when Donington Park hosted the European Grand Prix in 1993, but ultimately, this proved to be a one-off event.
After the passing of Tom Wheatcroft, the circuit’s future became uncertain with a failed attempt of a venture to return it to Grand Prix status, resulting in a rescue of the venue by Tom’s son, Kevin who restored the track and reopened it in autumn 2010, before undertaking major upgrades in the following five years. At the end of 2010, it was announced that Donington would become home to an annual historic motorsport event, the Donington Historic Festival, an event originally conceived and staged by Julius Thurgood in 2005 under his ‘Top Hat Racing’ banner.
In 2017, the circuit changed hands, when Jonathan Palmer added this illustrious circuit to his Motor Sport Vision circuit portfolio. Under Palmer’s exacting eye for detail, the circuit has seen major upgrades, culminating in the purchase of the original Donington Hall and its 28 acres estate. MSV is currently developing the Grade II* listed Hall into a 40-bedroom hotel, with the adjacent Hastings House becoming the ‘Donington Hall Motorhouse’, a stabling facility for supercars, classic road and racing cars and motorcycles,
The HRDC has long been an integral part of the Donington Historic Festival, providing feature races at this fabled circuit with a full portfolio of HRDC races. Undoubtedly one of the true highlights of all historic competitors’ season, participating at the Donington Historic Festival is not one to be missed!
BRANDS HATCH
First used in pre-war times as a dirt track motorcycle circuit, and by April 1950, Brands Hatch had developed into a major British motor racing venue, eventually hosting twelve rounds of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986. Innovation has always been the driving force of this circuit and Brands Hatch can rightfully boast staging inaugural races for F500, televised Rallycross, the famed Guards 1000 endurance event, the F1 ‘Race of Champions’ plus F5000 and European Touring Car Championship events, not least in staging the first-ever Formula Ford race.
Brands Hatch offers two circuit layouts: the shorter ‘Indy’ layout is located entirely within a natural amphitheatre offering spectators spectacular panoramic views of the action on this demanding circuit while the famed longer ‘Grand Prix’ layout is a ‘must do’ on competitors’ bucket lists due to the limited number of events that it is restricted to for environmental reasons.
In 2024 the HRDC visits this iconic venue on two occasions:
The HRDC ‘Gerry Marshall Trophy’ for Gp.1 Touring Cars will be running on the Grand Prix circuit in May at the Masters Historic Festival, while the HRDC ‘Jack Sears Trophy’ for 1958-1966 Touring Cars stages a feature race at the ‘Festival Italia’ event on the shorter, but ever-so demanding Indy circuit in August.
No competitor’s ‘bucket list’ will ever be complete without racing at this iconic circuit!
SNETTERTON
Snetterton in Norfolk, like many circuits created in the 1950s, is a celebrated race venue on the site of a WW2 airfield. From 1980 to 1994, the circuit’s biggest event was the ‘Willhire 24-Hours’ for production sports and saloon cars and it was also the venue for the first round of the new European Formula 2 Championship in 1967.
Acquired by Jonathan Palmer’s Motor Sport Vision enterprise in 2004, this circuit was redeveloped in 2011 with the new ‘300’ being its longest configuration. The HRDC has enjoyed many memorable races at this challenging historic venue and will participate on the full ‘300’ circuit with a full programme of feature races embracing all four HRDC Series, returning to support the newly revised ‘Snetterton Historic’ meeting in June.
Without doubt, Snetterton is a circuit that will guarantee a great racing experience!
CASTLE COMBE
The HRDC returns to Castle Combe which, like Goodwood, is one of the last remaining, virtually unchanged circuits that started in the early 1950s. The circuit is both a challenging and immensely rewarding one to race an historic car – as it was back in the day! Fast and flowing, its characteristics are similar to both Goodwood and Thruxton – all three being virtually unchanged since being converted to racing from WW2 airfield perimeter roads.
The HRDC will field all four of its Series at the coveted ‘Autumn Classic’ meeting in September where the ‘Jack Sears Trophy, ‘Dunlop Allstars’, ‘Classic Alfa Challenge’ and the ‘Gerry Marshall Trophy’ will be featured at this iconic meeting.
Make sure you get this ‘must do’ date in the diary!
SILVERSTONE GP
This is the ‘Big One’, the full Grand Prix circuit! The Silverstone circuit is built on the site of a former RAF bomber station, which was operational between 1943 and 1946. The airfield’s three runways, formatted in classic a classic WW2 triangle lie within the outline of the present track. Unlike historic circuits that remain largely unchanged, this is not the case with Silverstone, which has seen many changes and developments as the circuit operators have needed to comply with the ever-changing requirements of hosting the British Grand Prix. That said, the thrill of being able to complete on the same circuit (with the exception of one corner) that today’s Grand Prix drivers have to contest is a sure-fire ‘bucket-list’ event that all historic racers wish to complete. The HRDC annually completes its season here on this awesome circuit in October. A fitting way to complete a great season of historic racing with the HRDC!
