Welcome to Thursday Trivia where we offer up a historical automotive trivia question and you try and solve it before seeing the answer after the jump. It’s like a history test, with cars!
This week’s question: What was the World’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit, and when did it open?
If you think you know the answer, make the jump and see if you’re right!
Motor racing goes back almost as far as does the automobile. In fact, I’m sure that the first two automobile drivers to meet most likely set off to determine which one was the fastest. That initial contest probably didn’t exceed a walking pace but as cars became more capable, and drivers more adept, the urge to race grew. Those earliest contests took place on dry lake beds, and expansive beaches – any place that was flat and long enough to allow contestants room to build up some chuff.
Racing in this manner was not geographically convenient for most so contests moved to city streets and country lanes, however most of those had yet to be improved from their horse and buggy days so they weren’t the best solution either. That led enterprising racers to repurpose horse racing tracks for auto contests. Circuits like Aspendale Raceway in Victoria, Australia, the Milwaukee Mile here in the States, and the Crystal Palace in London were so conscripted in the first decade of the 20th Century.
There was however, no track specifically designed and built for auto racing until one was so constructed after Great Britain passed the Motor Car Act of 1903 which set a national speed limit of 20 miles per hour on public roads.
From the Brooklands Museum:

Brooklands – the world’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit, constructed at Weybridge, Surrey in 1907 – was more than a great sporting arena. Brooklands was the birthplace of British motorsport and aviation, home of Concorde and the site of many engineering and technological achievements throughout eight decades of the 20th century.

The Brooklands track was a 100-foot wide, 2.75-mile long, banked oval built out of concrete. A dotted centerline – called the “Fifty-Foot Line” delineated the inside and outside lanes, the latter it is said allowing drivers to traverse the banked corners without the need of the steering wheel. Not just a motor racing track, Brooklands also served as Britain’s largest Aerodrome at the time, and in 1912 Thomas Sopwith – yes, the Camel guy – opened his flight school there. Over time a number of other notable British aircraft manufacturers also located at the Aerodrome.
Racing at the track ceased in 1939 as it was given over entirely to aircraft production in support of the war effort. Seeing its vital nature to that effort, Brooklands was a target of German bombing runs and several parts of the track were damaged as a result. Auto racing never returned after hostilities ended, but unlike many other historic tracks that are no more – I’m looking at you Riverside Raceway – there is a museum on the site, and some of the original track still remaining. A £7million Brooklands Aircraft Factory and Race Track Revival Project was announced earlier this year to help ensure that future generations also may share in this important piece of racing and airplane history.
Image: Wikipedia