Friday, October 05, 2012

Crystal Palace Car Race 1962

The Crystal Palace car racing circuit was in use from the 1920s until the early 1970s.  This programme from June 1962 (found inevitably on Deptford market) was for a day of races including the Formula One Crystal Palace Trophy and the Formula 2 Anerely Trophy. The event was organised by the British Automobile Racing Club, with the support of London County Council Parks Department. 


From the programme, a map of the mark with the racing circuit shown going around the 'National Recreation Centre under construction'.


Here's some film of the track in use in 1964:




2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Horrifically dangerous by any modern standards. Not a single straw bale anywhere, trees on the edge of the track etc.

Deptford Pudding said...

I went a couple of times, it was exciting, cheap and local. There were motorcycle races as well, with some spectacular crashes. Later I took part in a cycle race around the track, by far the hardest race I ever did. I was used to road racing and found the track very difficult.