Fondly nicknamed the 'mini-Nürburgring', Cadwell Park celebrated
its 85th anniversary in 2019. It remains as closely-held in the
hearts of many motorsport fans as it ever has. Located 10 miles
north of Horncastle and five miles south of Louth, the Lincolnshire
circuit is especially popular with bikers nationwide.
Cadwell Park's twisty and undulating nature, winding through
open park and woodland, has marked it out as one of the best
circuits in the country. Once discovered, it is often a firm
favourite amongst many who visit, whether as a spectator or
participant.
The circuit is also one of the most popular destinations on the
Bennetts British Superbike calendar, with the infamous 'Mountain'
section, which riders usually tackle airborne, providing a
particular challenge. Fans descend on the venue in their thousands
for the annual visit from the world's leading domestic superbike
category, and is one of Lincolnshire's biggest sporting events of
the year.
As the circuit's reputation continues to build, there are an
increasing number of club car events taking place at the circuit
including the Historic Sports Car Club's Wolds Trophy and the
popular Vintage Sports Car Club Festival, along with vintage and
classic motorcycle events and spectacular rallies.
Set in the rolling Lincolnshire countryside, Cadwell Park was
established when land owner Mansfield Wilkinson's sons raced
motorcycles around the park. Charles Wilkinson formed the Louth and
District Motorcycle Club in 1932 and staged the first race
meeting on the track in 1934. Early years saw solo bikes run
anticlockwise around the circuit, while sidecars raced
clockwise.
The length of the track almost doubled to 1.3 miles in 1953,
when the ascendant 500cc motorcycle-engined F3 class was invited to
race in a traditional bike meeting. Reg Spreckley thus became the
track's first car race winner in his Cooper. Some 30,000 spectators
were said to have watched the meeting.
The original track, with its fearsome and photogenic Mountain
feature, grew to its current 2.25-mile layout in 1962, allowing it
to hold international motorcycling events, and also hosted the
British F3 series the following May. Esteemed motorcycle racer
Giacomo Agostini made his first visit to Cadwell Park in 1969,
while in the same year, James Hunt and Ronnie Peterson enjoyed a
famous F3 battle, with the pair finishing side-by-side. Other
notable events included World of Sport Rallycross and Formula 1
Stock Car racing that used a specially designed anti-clockwise
circuit at Coppice and Mansfield corners.
Modern day Cadwell Park has three configurations - the rarely
used Woodlands circuit, the short Club circuit, and the splendid,
daunting Full circuit. The circuit has always posed a challenge for
drivers and riders, with the legendary Ayrton Senna among those to
have been caught out at the Mountain!
These days, its car racing exploits are confined to club
meetings but they are invariably superb as the track's
swooping nature provides fantastic racing, and the challenge has
proven irresistible to drivers and riders alike.
Cadwell Park remains a firm favourite with motorcycle fans, who
flock to the Lincolnshire venue every August to see their heroes in
the Bennetts British Superbike Championship. The most popular spot
is still the Mountain, where the competitors' airborne leaps echo
those of legends including Barry Sheene, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read
and Derek Chatterton.
