Oulton Park in the late 1960s was one of the last circuits to play host to non-championship Formula 1 races. Set in beautiful Cheshire parkland, it has always been a favorite with drivers who relish its challenging curves and with spectators who could watch their heroes compete on a true road circuit. Drivers such as Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, Surtees, Rindt and Brabham came to Oulton for the Gold Cup and spectators could see and even meet them in the open paddock atmosphere of the time. Major sports & GT races such as the RAC TT were also on the Oulton Park calendar with Lola T70s, GT40s, Ferraris, Lotii and, of course, Chevrons in the hands of Hulme, Redman, Bonnier and other top drivers. Club race meetings provided variety and plenty of action with the VSCC’s Seaman Trophies meeting for vintage and historic racers being the highlight of the season for many racegoers.
A lifelong motor racing enthusiast, Peter McFadyen was Autosport magazine’s regular photographer and later reporter at Oulton Park from the late sixties through to the 1980s. Since then, he has been Competition Secretary of the Lotus Drivers Club and, for a time, edited their magazine Chicane. He is currently Press Officer of the Classic Sports Car Club and races his own Lotus Elan. By profession he is a physical chemist and, for a day job, manages a scientific instrument supply company from his base in Worcestershire, England.
Vintage Racecar, November 2006
“The accompanying photographs and layout are nicely done and give the book a personal, scrapbook feel. This is a great little period piece on an interesting slice of British motorsport.”