Oval Track Classic
Motor racing author and broadcaster Richard John Neil teamed up with Short Circuit / YBA Publications to produce a magazine dedicated to the history and heritage of short oval motor racing. Unfortunately only four issues were produced by Short Circuit / YBA Publicationsas we were no longer to be involved with future issues.
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All four issues published
Issue #4
1-2-1 with Tom Laffey: They say, ‘It’s the quiet ones you have to watch,’ and the epitome of this was the Midland based Irishman, Tom Laffey. Despite his professionalism and successes it’s no surprise that Laffey failed to get the acclaim he deserved. His peak period on the ovals was during Hot Rods heady days of the 70’s when spectators were plentiful …
1976 Hot Rod British Championship: We felt this piece slotted in neatly with Trevor Hill’s superb feature on Tom Laffey. It’s a closer look at one of the key Hot Rod championship meetings of the year that was largely remembered as a long, hot Summer and George Polley’s year!
Collectors Corner: This edition’s Collectors Corner can also claim to double up as a lost circuit feature. London’s Wembley Stadium staged but two meetings – both in 1974…!
Racing Back To The Future: Our first proper look at BriSCA Heritage F1 focuses, rather appropriately on what is dubbed ‘England’s Classic Resort’…
Small, but Perfectly Formed!: It’s not just the owners of full size classics that are preserving the sport’s heritage. Dean Cox tells us about 1/32nd and 1/12th scale retro racers!
John Grainger: Motor racing is a family sport and it was great to hear from Jack Grainger who originally contacted the editor to ask if we had any pictures of his granddad, Johnny Grainger. Jack was duly persuaded to put together an interview feature for us…
Classic/Historic Dates 2010
Six of One…: It’s always nice to include something different in these pages and thanks again to Des Penny we are able to do just that with a look at the Supercar Stox which were running at Aycliffe in the early 1980s..
… Half a dozen of another: Saturday evenings in 1991 were best spent at Aldershot stadium watching a typically good meeting with Superstox and Stock Saloon racing…
Readers Letters: Send us your views on the classic scene….
Extra Laps…: Extra Laps is dedicated to follow up information on articles in previous issues.
Issue #3
Oval and Out!: The ramblings of Oval Track Classic’s editor looking at this very issue and anything else of a nostalgic nature – just so long as there is an oval track connection.
Brian Jones: BriSCA Heritage has been neglected in our magazine so far so we decided to rectify that with a look at the man who has built one of the most beautiful cars in the formula and who was a champion himself back in the early 1970s…
Geoff and Mick Dixon: Father and son team Geoff and Mick Dixon have two classic Hot Rods. One of them is very classic indeed. Oh, and they have a classic Super Rod as well…
Belle Vue 1955: Colour photographs are hard enough to get hold of from the 1960s but when Des Penny got in touch and told us about this reel of pictures from 1955 we were intrigued…
Tennant ‘the Saint’ Douglas\; Tennant ‘the Saint’ Douglas was one of the top Superstox drivers in the formative years of Spedeworth Scotland during the mid sixties through to the early seventies.
Brian Bearman; A look at one of the largely unsung heroes of Spedeworth Superstox racing – Brian Bearman. A talented driver and without doubt this has to be one of the best loved Superstox cars to grace the Spedeworth circuits from the early seventies well into the 1990s…
Classic Racing on DvD: Archive photos are hard enough to find but when someone comes along with some moving pictures of racing in days gone by it’s time to have a closer look…
Postcard from America: ‘Postcard from…’ returns as 1970s Midget designer, builder and racer Paul Daly talks to us from his home in America…
Classic/Historic Dates 2010: Some fixtures that have been released early but ARE subject to change
Six of One – : Back in 1982 Cowdenbeath was still under the Spedeworth Scotland banner. Des Penny takes us back nearly 30 years!
Half a Dozen of another…: Oval Track Classic’s editor ventured to Wimbledon in September armed with his trusty camera to have a look at the Historic Stock Saloons from some different angles.
London’s White City Stadium: One of all too many lost stadia in London. Richard John Neil looks back at west London’s White City stadium – one that perhaps had more history than most. A shame therefore that short oval racing had but a brief stay…
David Oates – Part 1: Hampshire’s David Oates is one of many drivers who cut his teeth on the short ovals before moving onto the big circuits. He’s raced a variety of cars and formulae over the years. Here we get the chance to see if anything has changed in his life since the 80’s!”
Extra Laps…: Extra Laps is dedicated to follow up information on articles in previous issues.
Issue #2
HOT ROD GOLDEN YEARS – 1972 September ’72 – The turning point
HISTORIC STOCK SALOON BUILD – following the build of a 1965 Vauxhall Velox PB
SIX OF ONE – Roger Fennings, HALF A DOZEN OF ANOTHER – Some archive Banger material from 1973
COLLECTORS CORNER – Greenford Programmes from the 1920’s and 1930’s
EXTRA LAPS – Dedicated to follow up information on articles in previous issues.
JOE JOHNSTON – Scottish Saloon Stock Car driver in the 1970’s
NEIL EDWIN – Classic Hot Rod driver SPENCE MORGAN – One of the West Country’s greatest Hot Rodders from the sport’s ‘golden age’
OVAL LEGENDS GO OUT RACING – We take a look at one of Angmering Raceway’s Classic Stock Car teams
CLASSIC MODIFIEDS – A completely new and unique formula
LOST TRACKS – Aghadowey
GORDON DE LAND
Oval Legends Go Out Racing (Classic Stock Saloons)
Issue #1
Six of one… looking at Superstox, Stock Car and Hot Rod star Dave Willis
Half a Dozen of Another… The Warwick family
Postcard from Australia - Graham Kircher
Featurette on 70s Danish hot rod racer Søren Meder
Lost circuits – New Brighton
Remembering the fan clubs with Alan Humphrey
The Sweeney! – 70s Bangers on the box
1968 GP Midget restoration
Classic Hot Rods – Kevin Hunt’s History
Historic Stock Saloons – history and profiles
Classic Oval Racing Dates – the complete 2009 Calendar
Layhams Farm retrospective
Collector’s Corner with Graham Brown
