PETER MCFADYEN
Features
- Photographic record of races from club level to international
- High quality, mostly unpublished photographs in colour and B/W
- Oulton is universally popular with drivers
- Period of adaptation after demise of non-championship F1 races
- Established stars as well as up-and-coming, future world champions - Covers personalities and paddock scenes as well as on-track action - Burgeoning interest in one-make and historic racing
- Coverage of highly popular vintage (VSCC) race meetings
- Shows major change in circuit layout in 1974
- A third volume covering 1979-1983 could follow!
Description
By 1973, non-championship Formula 1 races were history and Oulton Parks feature races, the Gold Cup and traditional Good Friday meeting, turned to Formula 5000 and eventually to National F1 and F2 categories. The races attracted top national and international drivers such as Redman, Gethin, Purley, Guy Edwards and Teddy Pilette, and the racing remained as entertaining and the cars as spectacular as ever. Occasionally, the stars did come back to Oulton, the Tour of Britain bringing Graham Hill, James Hunt and rallyings Roger Clark and Billy Coleman. World champions-to-be Alan Jones, Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell honed their skills in Formula Ford, F3 and F5000, while club racing thrived. 100 superb pictures, many previously unpublished, recall this period of consolidation at the beautiful Cheshire circuit.
Synopsis
In the 1970s, Formula 5000 was more than filling the gap left by contemporary F1 cars, and the major races at the popular Cheshire circuit of Oulton Park the Gold Cup and the traditional Good Friday meetings were as spectacular and exciting as ever. New events such as the Avon Tour of Britain brought occasional visits from established stars such as James Hunt and Graham Hill competing alongside Roger Clark, Billy Coleman and other great names from the world of rallying. Meanwhile, in Formula Ford and F3 the stars of the future were to be seen. World champions to be, Alan Jones, Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet raced regularly at Oulton, as did future F1 team owners Eddie Jordan and Tom Walkinshaw. Stir into the mix saloons, single seaters and sports cars vying for glory in a growing number of national championships and one-off club races, and you have the recipe that kept Oulton Park at the forefront of British motor racing. The new, shorter Foster's circuit, introduced in 1975, meant more laps per race and more action for the spectators. The pictures in this book capture the era perfectly and bring it back to life. With 100 colour and B+W photos, many previously unpublished.
