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Post by administrator on Sept 21, 2009 21:34:49 GMT 1
Does anyone know about a track at Earls Barton (it may have briefly been used for speedway?). This would have been sometime between the late 1940s to the mid-1960s. Is it mentioned in 'Homes of British Speedway'?
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Post by haflinger121 on Sept 21, 2009 23:58:23 GMT 1
Your wish is my command, oh administrator! Homes of British Speedway (Bamford & Jarvis, Tempus 2001) says that the greyhound stadium was used for grass track racing (bikes) in 1947, with a speedway track of only 280 yds constructed later. Although mainly used as a training track, midgets were apparently raced there in 1951. I don't think I'm going to lose any money betting that this would have to be Dave Hughes and co. once more.
The Canadian based ex-pat and former stock car racer Rick Young, once told me that he'd watched some form of hot rods and bangers at the track as recently as the early 1970's, but he couldn't remember whose cars they were, who promoted, any of the drivers involved, or find a programme he said he still had from the venue.
I was frankly sceptical that I would not have heard of any track running anybody's hot rods in the 1970's, but stranger things have happened. That was why he wanted to show me the programme as proof. It all just seemed a bit unlikely, especially as the stadium was last used for any speedway training in 1957.
Today, the site is apparently a cricket ground, but still retains the stand from the original venue. You can find photos of the venue - with stand - as it was in 1978 in another invaluable Jarvis/Bamford collaboration, Track Photography II, Assorted Homes of British & World Speedway (2001).
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Post by administrator on Sept 22, 2009 9:11:03 GMT 1
All that I can recall about Earls Barton is that they made several attempts about 1947 and 1948 to enter speedway's National League Division Three but their application was turned down.
It was intresting to see that midget cars raced there in the 1950s. Again, a new one for me - but it would almost certainly be Dave Hughes inspired. His group was based in that area and no other midget promotions were active at that time.
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Post by weewillie on Sept 22, 2009 18:13:33 GMT 1
Earls Barton is in Northamptonshire. Dave Hughes and quite a few of the Skirrow drivers came from around Northampton so its okay to assume that if midgets did race at Earls Barton they were the drivers for the meeting. The probable drivers would have included Hughes, Wilf Davies and Arch Hanscomb.
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Post by tungate on Oct 6, 2009 20:00:48 GMT 1
When Brafield Flying Foxes were having difficulties in the Southern Area League Paddy Mills moved his team into Earls Barton but he was not able to run there as licensing was not forthcoming. This was in the days of "The Lords Day Observation Society" who stopped Sunday Admission being paid. Quite a change from today, but then football always did as they liked and were allowed to
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Post by davidkipling1 on Dec 4, 2009 20:01:52 GMT 1
Thanks to Russ Thomas, who was track "deejay" and announcer for many years at Brafield Stadium, I have some info and photos of the creation of the track --- including real manual work with spades! I have given it on the EARLY DAYS page of my website www.oldstox.comDavid Kipling BC, Canada
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Post by davidkipling1 on Dec 4, 2009 20:05:46 GMT 1
Sorry that my fingers started typing before my brain registered "Earls Barton" -- that's because several EB people were involved at Brafield (about 10 miles away), including the 1957 stock-car world champion Aubrey Leighton. I shall ask around friends and family who live there, re: the dog track.
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Post by johnnyreb114 on Mar 22, 2012 18:21:19 GMT 1
Sorry about resurrecting an old thread but I am very new to this site and have been busy looking through several things. I am not sure if it was at the same place as the greyhound stadium but I can confirm that there was definitely banger/ hot rod events staged at Earls Barton during the early 70's. It was run by the Midland Hot Rod Club and the first meeting was held on the 26th June 1971 (strangely a Saturday)
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Post by kiwikid34 on Mar 22, 2012 23:44:40 GMT 1
Sorry about resurrecting an old thread but I am very new to this site and have been busy looking through several things. I am not sure if it was at the same place as the greyhound stadium but I can confirm that there was definitely banger/ hot rod events staged at Earls Barton during the early 70's. It was run by the Midland Hot Rod Club and the first meeting was held on the 26th June 1971 (strangely a Saturday) I think the second message on this thread gives some insight into the Earls Barton Stadium. If the venue where the Midland Hot Rod Club ran their meetings also had a greyhound track it could have been the same place. Does any member have the answer? The link is from Speedway Researcher which shows two seasons for speedway at Earls Barton although there are no records given in regard to results for those years. www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/earlsbarton.html
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Post by haflinger121 on Mar 24, 2012 12:55:24 GMT 1
We are running the risk of going a bit OT here, as none of what I have to add concerns midgets! However, as so little is known about Earls Barton generally, I figure pretty much any info may be welcome. Firstly, may I recommend this page from my good friend Simon Lewis' website - you might find it interesting. www.simonlewis.com/earls-barton.htmlNext, having regard to johnnyreb's posting: Sorry, but the opening meeting was not June 26th 1971. Although programmes from this track are mega-rare, I have finally managed to acquire one and, coincidentally, it is for June 26th '71! The programme notes complain about the wet weather they've endured at several previous meetings, so this clearly isn't the opener. What's more, it is nothing to do with the Midland Hot Rod Club either. A type of 'hot rods' did run at this meeting, but it was some kind of low budget non-contact class and a look at the entry list proves there were no MHRC drivers involved. This is not to say that MHRC Hot Rods didn't race there on some other occasion, of course. I'd be pleased to see any proof of that, or indeed, anything else to do with racing at this obscure venue. Attachments:
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Post by haflinger121 on Mar 24, 2012 12:56:32 GMT 1
Entry list for "Hot Mini Rods". Attachments:
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derek
Junior Member
Posts: 82
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Post by derek on Mar 26, 2012 9:36:13 GMT 1
I am not absolutly sure about the date, but around 1964 a group of midget car drivers put on a demo at Wolverhampton Speedway. This was the same crowd that also drove at Long Newnton in the Cotswolds. If I remember correctly John Hyam wrote an article in Speedwat Star and News about their intentions for the year. I believe one of the tracks mentioned was Earls Barton. I'm afraid thats all I can recall, all we need to do is track down John's article!
Derek Bridgett Newcastle-under-Lyme
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Post by administrator on Aug 24, 2014 23:43:03 GMT 1
Sorry about resurrecting an old thread but I am very new to this site and have been busy looking through several things. I am not sure if it was at the same place as the greyhound stadium but I can confirm that there was definitely banger/ hot rod events staged at Earls Barton during the early 70's. It was run by the Midland Hot Rod Club and the first meeting was held on the 26th June 1971 (strangely a Saturday) This Lnk gives a little insight into the stadium, but it is solely speedway racing. I am sure more information will come to light. www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/Earls%20Barton.htm
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Post by administrator on Jan 5, 2016 19:40:24 GMT 1
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