New sprint bid for Crystal Palace

Racing cars will return to the famous Crystal Palace circuit in May 2010 if organisers can secure the funding for work on the track surface and safety barriers.

Providing backing can be found, Sevenoaks and District Motor Club will organise a sprint event on the weekend of May 30/31, with both historic and modern racing cars, including classes for alternative fuel and electric vehicles.

The club last ran a series of speed events at the venue in the late 1990s, using sections of the original race track, but those events stopped in 2000 to make way for a London Borough of Bromley millennium project. Then in 2006 the club was approached by the London Development Agency to once again run motor sport in the park.

“The plans are all in place and we are ready to go; we now need to raise the funds to pay for repair work to the track surface and the building of safety barriers,” said a spokesman for the club.

One section of the proposed track needs surface repairs, although the entire 1.39-mile track, which opened in April 1937 and closed for racing in September 1972, is no longer available.

The plan is to make the event a family day out in the heart of South London, taking the park back to its 35-year racing heritage while supporting local charities.

The track, built in the gardens of the now vanished Crystal Palace, was popular for its proximity to London and hosted major race meetings including rounds of the European F2 Championship.