Mallory Park

Mallory Park (Motorsports) Ltd
Mallory Park Circuit
Kirkby Mallory
Leicester
LE9 7QE

Tel: 01455 842931    Fax: 01455 848289

Circuit length: 1.35 miles, Oval: 1 mile

Track History

Used for grass track racing by the Leicester Query Motorcycle Club from September 1949, the estate was purchased in 1955 by Clive Wormleighton who paved the circuit with tarmac. The circuit featured three variations - the full circuit, the Mallory Oval, and a modified oval with a slightly less curved Lakes Esses leading to a sharp right and left known as the Castrol Chicane. This variant wasn't used after the 1960s.

The circuit was sold to Grovewood Securities in July 1962, part of the group which owned Brands Hatch, and after considerable investment they put the circuit up for sale in the early 1980s. Chris Meek, a racing driver and Leeds based businessman, purchased the circuit in 1982.

By the end of 2002, the British ACU (motorcycle club) decided that the entry speed into the Esses was becoming too high, and employed Tom Barnard to design a chicane to lower the entry speed. The high ground to the left of the Stebbe Straight limited what could be done. A 90 degree left hander was built, followed by a 115 degree right hander, with the earth which was moved being used to create spectator banking. Work was started on the 2nd January 2003, and lasted for about a month - the modification is shown to the left. It was named Edwina's, after circuit promoter Edwina Overend.

However, motorbikes often collided on the entry to Edwina's as they tried to line up for it, so a search for a solution was launched in 2003 by BARC. Two solutions were suggested, the first by Tom Barnard, the second by Parsons Brinkerhoff. Both are shown below.

The first solution was based on the Stebbe Straight, and aimed to slow the bikes and reduce them to single file. The second solution was situated on the exit of Gerrards, but as it opens out on the entry, the race speed for motorbikes wasn't greatly reduced.