Built into the natural contours of the Cheshire countryside,
Oulton Park's combination of stunning scenery and spectacular
racing make it one of the most picturesque and best-loved circuits
for spectators and competitors alike. Over more than 60 years it
has gathered a reputation as the country's toughest test for both
car and driver.
The venue remains just as popular as ever with fans thanks to
the superb views of the circuit available from the spectator
banking. Crowds of up to 35,000 regularly visit the circuit for the
annual round of the British Touring Car Championship. As well as
the BTCC, the Cheshire track hosts two rounds of the Bennetts
British Superbike Championship and the ever popular British F3/GT
event.
The circuit also holds the Gold Cup meeting, which is now run as
a historic event by the HSCC and where some of the finest racing
cars from the past 70 years of the sport roll back time and take to
the track over the August Bank Holiday weekend. In recent years,
the calendar has expanded to include the Tunerfest North car show
and the end of year fireworks and rally spectacular, while national
level events for cars and bikes remain hugely characterful and
varied.
Oulton Park is situated next to Little Budworth and is best
accessed from the A54 and the A59.
This superb park was once the grounds of Oulton Hall, which
burned down in 1926. The land was used throughout the war years as
an army staging camp - General Patton was based here in the run-up
to the Normandy landings, and his PT instructor, the Heavyweight
Champion of the World, Joe Louis, gave exhibition bouts in the
valley at Deer Leap.
The Mid-Cheshire Car Club developed the track, building it into
the natural contours of the picturesque land and, when a crowd of
40,000 attended a meeting there in 1953, its future as a race
circuit was assured.
International racing followed and a tradition was started with
the Gold Cup event, which in its heyday regularly attracted F1
teams and drivers. The Gold Cup quickly became known as a real test
of man and machine. Stirling Moss won the Cup five times, the first
in a Maserati 250F delivered that morning from the factory in '54,
the last in '61 in the four-wheel drive Ferguson. It was an
all-wheel drive F1 car's only victory. Sir Stirling delighted fans
by revisiting the Gold Cup in 2010, demonstrating the Ferguson as
well as taking part in one of the races in an OSCA sports car and
the meeting continues to bring in famous faces from the past.
The circuit continues to flourish under MSV's guidance and
remains one of Europe's most revered racetracks.
