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MALLORY PARK

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The Racing Circuit and how it began

"Mallory Park" is situated in the rural countryside of Leicestershire and sited in the grounds of a 200 acre ancient estate once owned by the Noel family . The track itself, lies within a natural basin making it an ideal viewing venue . Construction work first began in the 1940`s with the aim of creating a "Pony Trotting" track, and so the "Kirkby Mallory Racing Association" a subsidiary of the "Pony Turf Club" was set up to undertake the work. Marsh ground was drained and a area of Kirkby Wood cleared to accommodate the track. The bulk of the mature trees in the wood however were felled earlier under the instruction of the "War Agricultural Committee" as a contribution towards the war effort, this decision was to later ease construction work in this area.

The 1660 yd oval grass track was nearing completion towards 1948 / 9, The Judges Box had been erected and starting gates in position, all was ready to go, then without warning the parent company went into liquidation. This action was to force the "Kirkby Mallory Racing Association" together with "The Shirley Race Course" and other associated companies, to cease trading. So it was after several years of hard work the project to put on Pony Trotting events at Kirkby Mallory was to be abandoned. However the story does not end there, The Leicester Query Club then entered into negotiation with the Liquidators with the object of staging motorcycle scrambling events . This proved quite successful and continued for several years, the highlights of which were the holding of the National Grass Track Racing Championships, the first being held September 1951.
                 In 1955 the estate came into the possession of Mr. Clive Wormleighton, a prosperous local builder . Work at once commenced on re -designing the circuit, the first major project was to construct a hard road racing surface in place of the existing turf. The second, was to extend the track by adding an hair pin bend at the Northerly end of the circuit . The track now measured 1.35 miles and was ready for opening on the 25th of April 1956, a lap of honour being performed by the motor racing ace Bob Gerrard . The official opening before a crowd of 20,000 was a month later on the 13th of May, when 248 riders put on a display of motor cycle racing with George Salt setting up the highest lapping speed of 84.08 mph on a Norton. From then on Mallory Park was to stage a mix of car and motorcycle racing events . Memorable meetings to follow were, Bob McIntyre`s win in the first "Race of the Year"competition in 1959 and in the following year Mike Hailwood, setting up a new lap record of 89 mph to win the second prestigious "Race of the Year "event .
            Further facilities were to follow, a new clubhouse was built on the site of the old hall . The brook that moranderd inside the oval track was dammed with a sluice gate at its exit point on the South side which was then used to control the level of the newly formed lakes . Unfortunately all these improvements were not achieved without a price, wooded areas, tracts of rhododendrons and formal gardens were to be cleared in the process.
            In 1962 Clive Wormleighton sold Mallory Park to Grovewood Securities, a leisure company which already owned Olton Park, Snetterton and the Brans Hatch racing circuits. Under their expertise Mallory Park Circuit Ltd. continued to prosper attracting crowds of up to 50,000 for the more popular events like the post TT International Motor Cycle meetings, when in 1962 Mike Hailwood clocked up the winning speed of 91.70 mph . In1964 the Daily Mail sponsored both the "Race of the Year "and the "Sidecar Race of the Year" racing spectaculars . Mallory Park was now firmly established as the leading motor cycle circuit of the midlands.
            Other attractions were to be introduced, the Derby Speedboat club held regular events on the large lake, the British Racing Sports Car Club regularly organised race meetings, and for diversity there were the"Radio 1 Fun Days". In 1970 the Mallory Park circuit was incorporated into the World Cycling Championship route, which formed part of a round trip that took in several local villages . The main indoor events being held at the Saffron Lane Sports Stadium in Leicester.
                But being limited to only 30 meetings a year and with attendances now steadily falling, Mallory Park , on the 31st. of October 1982 gave notice that it was due to close.The prospect for any future racing looked bleak . Then in February 1983, Titan Properties Ltd. a Leeds based company agreed to buy the estate from Grovewood Securities, so ensuring the continuation of motor sport at Kirkby Mallory.

	MALLORY   PARK     Looking south with "Kirkby Straight " in the foreground note the lake in the centre of the circuit . Picture taken 1966.
Programs of a bygone era

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