Author Description

Oulton Park is on a journey. From its humble beginnings the circuit has thrived past any of the original shareholders' expectations. For any racing enthusiast there is a special atmosphere at Oulton Park and it's this I wanted to recreate. What was it like to see the latest Formula designs driven by the World Champions on your doorstep? How did drivers and riders cope with the twists and turns of a competitive track that has been compared with the Nurburgring? Local racers and riders remember racing with their heroes, it wasn't so much about the winning, (although that was good), but the honour of participation and for some, attempting to keep up. What must it have been like to have 50,000 people watching every turn you make? This book explores the fact that tragedy had to take place for the circuit to have been created and Oulton's beginning was reflective of the post-war attitude toward engineering development and dangerous sports. The era of development, (1960's) opened with new pit facilities and the new design of the E-type Jaguar, and Norton's were still the bike of choice. By the end we were watching F5000's, new track management and dominant Japanese bikes. Oulton has got lost on its journey from time to time but somehow always finds its niche again. I've enjoyed many things about Oulton, especially talking to other enthusiasts who don't recall Oulton's fact and figures but the fun they had, their memories either good or bad and the hope for the future. People should visit their local race track at least once, it's an experience like no other based right here in the North West. This track is a part of the people and I hope the book reflects that.