The Aycliffe Project

The Beginning
Coming Soon

The End
NOW ONLINE!!!

The timeline below has been put together by many people - and I have a debt of thanks to you all. A special thanks go to Ron and Cissy Dean who gave it the 'once over' a few months back, and to Lesley Tate for making contact with the Deanes. I think it finally charts enough of Aycliffe's history to make it public. However, there are still a number of questions and - I'm sure - gaps, particularly around the origins of Stock Car Racing on the site. Could it be that stock cars made their first appearance in 1954, the first year of racing in the UK? Any help with this or any other questions or omissions would be greatfully received...

DOCUMENT ARCHIVE
Some of the evidence found to put together the history of the stadium

The origins of the stadium through greyhounds and then speedway
Thanks to Paul Jenkins

The politics of 1965 which led to the North East tracks joining the BoC (pre-BriSCA)
From SCRN, October 1965

Aycliffe finally gets a BoC license.
From SCRN, July 1966

Report on planned improvements.
From Stock Car, October 1967

News of the first ever Ladies Race and the potential closure of the stadium - is this the first 'Last Aycliffe Programme Ever'?
From the Aycliffe Programme, 31st October 1971

An early report of impending development
From Stock Car, November 1972

The Clubhouse disappears
From Stockcar Supporter, May 1975

AYCLIFFE TIMELINE

1948: There is evidence that the site is in use as a greyhound stadium. The perimeter of the greyhound track is used for a speedway demonstration.

1952: Track built, using ash from Darlington Power Station. Used for speedway training.

1954: Is this when the first meeting was really run???

1955: First Aycliffe Presentation Evening takes place (one year before what was thought to be the first meeting!)

7th October 1956: This has previously been the accepted date of the first Aycliffe meeting, run by Gerry Scalli and Dave Watts outside of the BriSCA organisation. Jim Wilkinson, Tom Geldard, Dixie Dean all race at the "opening meeting".

1957: Jimmy Wilkinson takes the reigns as promotor following a short spell of promotion by Jerry Hawkins.

1964: Three Aycliffe drivers take over from Jimmy Wilkinson - Tony Neal, Ron 'Dixie' Dean, and Tom Geldard.

1966: The three driver / promotors bring Aycliffe into the BriSCA organisation. July 10th is the first licensed meeting.

1967: Improvements are planned to the stadium over the closed season, but planning permission for seats in the grandstand are turned down by the Council.

1971: The first Aycliffe F1 Ladies Race - is this the first anywhere?

1971: As the closed season approaches, developers are expected to move in to close the track down. A Save Our Stadium campaign was launched and with the help of ver 4000 fans a temporary reprieve was won.

1972: Again, the threat of closure hangs over the stadium as the season ends. This becomes an annual tradition until it finally succumbs to the developers in 1989.

1974: The promotors have to agree to a temporary occupancy and a seven week surrender period for the stadium site.

1975: The Clubhouse is demolished to make more pit space.

1975: The promotion attracts major tobacco sponsorship from Players No. 6 for all meeting finals and the end of season North East Driver's Championship.

1975: Tony Neal emigrates, leaving Tom, Ron and Cissy to run Aycliffe, Ron takes role of Promoter, while Tom concentrates on maintenance of track and equipment.

1976: Regular F2 racing begins at Aycliffe.

1980: The site is handed over to the Aycliffe Development Corporation who state that it is the last site in the area earmarked for development. The NESCDA step up a campaign against possible closure.

1985: F2 pits put together over the 84 / 85 winter by the Geldards.

1985: Track resurfaced.

1985: Saloon Stox introduced, using the same regulations as those racing in Scotland.

1985: BriSCA F1 Semi Final. Won by Stu Smith #1.

December 18th 1985: The Deanes retire from promoting. Jimmy Wilkinson returns to the helm

1987: Jimmy Wilkinson enters a short parnership with Vince Moodie.

1987: BriSCA F1 European Championship. Won by Ian Smith #367.

1989: BriSCA F1 Semi Final. Won by Nigel Whorton #422.

19th November 1989: Last ever meeting. Aycliffe closes for good.