Arena Essex Raceway
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arena Essex Raceway is a stock car and speedway racing track located near Purfleet, Essex.[1] The Lakeside Shopping Centre was built alongside the venue.
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[edit] The stadium
The Arena-Essex Raceway Complex was the idea of local businessman and racing driver, Chick Woodroffe. It was built in the remains of an old cement works overspill site. The new circuit was a quarter mile long with the first stock car race meeting held on 1 May 1978.[2]
[edit] Firecracker
By far the most popular event at arena essex raceway is firecracker. This is an event only held at arena essex. Firecracker is a banger racing only meeting with 6 heats, 2 consolations, 1 final and 1 destruction derby. The reason the meeting is so special is that only unusual, rare, expensive or just plain silly cars are allowed to enter. There is also a firework display at the end of the meeting. This event normally attracts a croud of around ten thousand.
[edit] Speedway
Speedway was introduced in 1984. They were founded (as the Arena-Essex Hammers) by promoter Wally Mawdsley and stock car promoter Chick Woodroffe. The team were nicknamed the Hammers after the West Ham Hammers team that closed twelve years earlier.[3] The speedway team was renamed the Lakeside Hammers in 2007. The Hammers compete in the Elite League.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN 0-7524-2210-3
- ^ Arena Essex Histrory. Arena Essex. Retrieved on 2007-11-14.
- ^ Jacobs, Norman (2001). Speedway in London. ISBN 0-7524-2221-9
