cjhill Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 Hi guys. My Dad used to attend nearly every meeting at this track until its closure in 1972. He said it provided a great atmosphere and fantastic racing. Unfortunately I was never able to witness any racing at this track as it closed 14 years before I was born, i can only imagine what it was like by looking at pictures and reading up on it. I recently bought an interesting documentary on George Polley which in fact was filmed way back in 1990 from the site of the old Cross in Hand Raceway.. Seeing the documentary really inspired me to go and take a look at what’s left of the track in 2007 as had I been around in those days it would have been my local track I'm afraid to say that the woodland that surrounds it is gradually eating it up. Only the curb that seemingly once separated the racetrack from the infield is what makes the racetrack recognizable to this day. The track was built on a slope which I'm sure would have made the racing even more interesting. The top half is still very much intact whereas the bottom half and the first turn are now unrecognizable. When I was in there I just stopped for a moment and looked around me and tried my hardest to imagine what it must have been like here back in its heyday. When you are standing there though in a peaceful wood, nothing to be heard except the trees and the bushes swaying around me it is impossible to imagine that this was once one of Spedeworths' most popular venues. What was once a sparkling venue full of all the glorious sights and sounds of oval racing it now lies in wooded valley slowly sinking into the earth. Here are some pictures I took.... Imagine we are racing in a clockwise direction... Looking down the back straight with turn 3 off in the distance. The most intact part of the raceway today, middle of turns 3 and 4 looking back down the hill towards the back straight Looking up the hill round the last turn. Looking back from turn 3 and 4 down the back straight. Sadly this is all that remains of what was once the first turn, looking uphill as if the home straight is round the corner. I only took this one of the home straight as its pretty unrecognizable (a bit like that last pic) However if you want to see the rest of the pics then go here Comments welcome... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikard Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 Kinda sad reading your story, nice pics, and good read, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyH 148 Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Nice pics! I see from your other photos that there is even less of the Firenza left since we went and had a look round in the mid 90's. You get a strange sort of feeling walking round the track and can kind of feel the atmosphere still. I bet the brambles from the back of the old Little Chef are very thick now we got snagged on quite a few when trying to get through onto the old approach road and that was 10 years ago now! Cheers Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biffo Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Nice photos, it`s still there then. I can remember it in it`s heyday. Spedeworth built it from scratch but never got their investment back as it was closed after about seven seasons by the council on noise and traffic grounds after a long battle. The straights aren`t very long but the concrete surface gave plenty of grip and racing always seemed pretty fast. The Wooded hillside along the top straight was a natural grandstand and of course the uphill bend and the downhill bend was something else. Most memorable meeting I saw was when a South African team came over in their cars and raced against a team of Superstox about 1971/2. I think the Cross in Hand Round was the only one in which they beat us in the series. Happy days.. Biffo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biffo Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Most memorable meeting I saw was when a South African team came over in their cars and raced against a team of Superstox about 1971/2. ------------------------------------------------------- Found this slightly fuzzy pic of Superstox Biffo Sweeney racing against South African Piet de Klerk at the Mahem Stadium in South Africa in 1971. I think the S.A. cars were mostly Volvo powered. [attachmentid=14450] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboss Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Bit before my time unfortunately but Have been there and had a look around, was a cracking track by alla ccounts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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