Mallory Park
Mallory Park is situated in the village of Kirkby Mallory, just off the A47, between Leicester and Hinckley. With the full car circuit measuring only 1.35 miles (2.173 km) it is amongst the shortest permanent race circuits in the UK. However, chicanes introduced to reduce speeds in motorcycle events mean that the Superbike Circuit is slightly longer, at 1.41 miles (2.269 km).
A Brief history
The circuit started life as a pony trotting circuit in the late 1940s, which defined the outline of the oval track still in use today. After the financial collapse of the equestrian club responsible for the circuit, the track was hired by various motorcycle clubs for grass track motorcycle and motorcycle sidecar racing. The circuit was converted to a metalled, road racing venue following the purchase of the site by Clive Wormleighton in 1955.
Throughout the Sixties and Seventies, the circuit hosted almost every major British car and bike championship. Famously, the Bay City Rollers played a concert during a BBC-organised 'Fun Day' on May 18th, 1975, on a stage specifically constructed in the middle of the lake. [1]
Today the circuit is used for a host of different events, most notably track day's, both public and corporate, and has for the last 25 years been the home of the UK's largest operator of track days, everyman racing.
The circuit has a number of formations, founded on a basic one-mile oval, with the majority of configurations including the northerly extension to the tight, 180° Shaw's Hairpin. At the other end of the circuit lies the long right-hand Gerard's Bend. Gerard's is about a third of a mile long and turns through nearly 200°. It was named after local racing hero Bob Gerard, who opened the newly reconstructed circuit on 25 April 1956. Unusually, there are a number of large lakes occupying approximately half of the circuit infield. Despite its short length and Shaw's Hairpin, the tightest corner of any UK track, Mallory is a fast circuit. To reduce speeds for motorcycle racing a pair of chicanes have been introduced, together with a revised exit to Gerard's. Edwina's was added toward the end of the straight following Gerard's, named after former managing director of the circuit Edwina Overend, and the Bus Stop Chicane on the descent to the sweeping left kink, the Devil's Elbow, a blind, downhill, off camber left-hander before the start–finish line on Kirkby Straight. In 2003 a new complex was added toward the end of Gerard's curve. This sequence of bends was designed to reduce speeds on entry to Edwina's, and to prevent motorcycles from colliding as they jockey for position into the chicane.
Facts & Figures
Circuit Address
Mallory Park (Motorsport) LTDMallory Park Circuit
Kirkby Mallory
Leicestershire
LE9 7QE
Tel: 01455 842931
Fax: 01455 848289
Official Website;
