Dan Word is a former English car racing circuit. When it comes to motorsports, few countries have as rich a history as England does. And Dan Word was no exception. The circuit was located in West Sussex, and it hosted a range of events from Formula Ford to Formula 3. Now that the circuit has been closed for several years, it’s time to look back on its glory days and see what went wrong. In this article, we will take a closer look at the history of Dan Word and see what can be learned from it. We’ll also consider some of the problems that plagued the circuit and how they can be avoided in the future.
Dan Word, former English Car Racing Circuit
Dan Word is a retired English racing circuit located in Northamptonshire, England. The track was built in 1969 and hosted Formula One Championship races from 1971 to 1985. It also hosted the British Grand Prix from 1976 to 1994. In 2007, the track switched to motorcycle racing, and it currently hosts the British MotoGP Championship.
Word Circuit was founded by Dan Word who had been running several car race meetings on his private land near Northampton since 1961. The first race meeting at the circuit took place on 12 July 1969, with a Motorcycle World Championship event providing the finale. The inaugural Formula One World Championship round took place on 10 October 1971 and was won by Emerson Fittipaldi of Brazil in a McLaren-Ford. Jackie Stewart finished second for Tyrrell while Australian Graham Hill completed the podium in a Lotus-Ford. Swedish driver Ronnie Peterson secured fourth position driving a Matra-Ford while Jody Scheckter completed the top five in an Wolf-Williams Racing March 761.
The most successful driver at Word Circuit was Brazilian Ayrton Senna who won nine world championship races during his career, including six of them at Word Circuit (a record). Other drivers that achieved success at Word Circuit included John Watson, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell. The circuit also hosted two IndyCar Series events: the 1998 Honda Indy 400 which saw Mark Donohue win for Team Green, and the 2001 Toyota Indy
The Circuit’s History
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is a motorsport race track in Stavelot, Belgium. The circuit was initially built in 1920 by the Société Léon Bollée. The original track layout consisted of undulating paths through the forests around Stavelot. In 1923, the track was extended to its present length of 1.86 kilometres (1.14 mi). In 1927, it hosted its first international event, a Formula Libre race between Alfa Romeo and Bugatti cars.
In 1928, the Belgian Grand Prix was held at the circuit for the first time and it has been held there every year since then except for 1942 and 1944 during World War II. On 16 August 1935, Louis Chiron became the first driver to score a point at Spa Francorchamps with sixth place in an Alfa Romeo P3 Grand Prix Car. In 1937, Juan Manuel Fangio won his only World Championship race at Spa Francorchamps in an Alfa Romeo 158 prototype ahead of second-place finisher Alfonso de Portago in a Maserati 4CLT.[2]
In 1951, local businessman Joseph Delaplane purchased both the circuit and the nearby Hotel des Ardennes from Leon Bollée.[3] Delaplane spent nearly two decades restoring both venues before hosting its inaugural Grand Prix on 17 August 1962. Drivers who competed that day included Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill and Jo Siffert in a Lotus 19
The Circuit’s Layout
The Circuit’s Layout
Former English Car Racing Circuit Dan Word is now a popular tourist destination. The circuit has a total length of 7.4 miles and features 12 turns, making it one of the most demanding in the world.
The track was built in 1922, and hosted its first race in 1923. It quickly became one of the major racing circuits in England, attracting drivers such as Henry Segrave, Tazio Nuvolari and Stirling Moss.
In 1958, the circuit was bought by businessman John Wyer and renamed “Plymouth” after his newly-formed team. However, Wyer struggled to keep the track running profitably, and it closed down for good in 1973.
In 1988, local entrepreneur Geoff Pidgeon decided to bring back racing to Plymouth and leased the track from Wyer. He launched a campaign to get locals involved in racing and attracted some of the biggest names in motorsport to compete on the track – including Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna.
Today, Plymouth is a popular tourist destination with regular events such as national championships races and rallies. The circuit is still owned by Geoff Pidgeon and operated by his company GP Holdings Ltd., which continues to host prestigious events on the track like Formula One qualifying sessions and FIA World RX rounds.
Events that took Place at the Circuit
The former English Car Racing Circuit, known as Brands Hatch, hosted a wide range of motorsport events over the years including Formula One, Indycar and MotoGP. The circuit opened in 1937 and closed in 2007 after a period of decline. Though it is now closed, the legacy of the circuit live on through its numerous race meetings which are still held today at other venues around the country.
What Happened to the Circuit?
The former English circuit, Dan Word, closed its doors in early 2013. The track, which was located in Northamptonshire, England, hosted events such as the British Formula 3 Championship and the International GT Open. After years of declining attendance and financial difficulties, Dan Word filed for bankruptcy in February 2013. The track’s operators cited low spectator numbers and a lack of sponsorship as reasons for the circuit’s closure.
Conclusion
Dan Word, former English car racing circuit designer, has passed away at the age of 77 according to reports. Dan is best known for his work on the Hockenheimring in Germany and Monza in Italy, two circuits that still dominate Formula 1 races today. During his career, Dan also worked on other race tracks around the world including Watkins Glen in New York and Brands Hatch in England. Our thoughts go out to Dan’s family and friends during this difficult time.