Three Sisters circuit has closed, did you race there?

[steve-e]

http://www.wigantoday.net/news/shock-as ... -1-8523074

It's all a bit more complicated than it seems if you read the article. Something in me says it's a lot simpler than the journos are making it sound - I worked at a company for a long time that went through a name change after 30 years to try to get itself going again. Don't know if its the same scene buy heyho, sad to see a circuit close.

I didn't race there so can't really comment, did you? How was it?

[Welsh Daph]

Classic and Vintage clubs raced there quite a bit,as it was affordable for both.

[ianw]

It was a bit of a crazy curcuit, so twisty. Great for Karts but I suppose fun for outfits.
We did a few practise day's there, cheap. Forgotten Era raced there in the early 90's. That's where I first met Herve Touchet, Kermit on here.
Great for Supermoto.
Sad when any circuit goes but I have a feeling they will bounce back

[G JONES]

Yes - we raced there - was good training ground - lots of direction changes - it used to get sneered at as "mickey Mouse" circuit - but it served it's purpose very well - reasonable cost too - we could do with a few more like it to rein in the cost of going racing - the "big circuits" are very nice - but putting the costs up beyond the reach of a lot...
I did read that it was only the Kart business that was gone - and the circuit would be ok - time will tell - lets hope the "developers" don't notice...

[Sideslip]

I had my last ever race at Three Sisters in September 2000.
It was a Vintage club 2 day meeting and I was riding an ex Bill Ivy Cotton Telstar.
Halfway through my 2nd race on the Saturday, I had a bit of an 'epiphany moment' and realised my racing days were over. Came back to the paddock and told my mates I'd retired.
"What's wrong with the bike?" they asked.
"Nothing.....I've retired from racing"
And I've never ridden since.

[andystone]

Raced there with Brian Jones mid 90s , it is a Mickey Mouse track , but it was cheap and cheerful, good entertainment , and there was allways a good race crowd on race days

[Fritz]

If it is true then it is another sad loss for many reasons.

It was built on reclaimed land that used to be known as the Wigan Alps (3 slag heaps also known as the 'Sisters')

It was used as a motorcycle racing venue with many local clubs running each and every weekend of the year,
eg ,The Vintage club, Fleetwood motor club, Bolton and District, Auto66, Derbt Pheonix, The Waterloo motor club, Preston and District, Shaw and District Motor club. It was around this time some meetings were host to Junior class racing that included Steve Patrickson and later Casey Stoner.
Others to cut their teeth were the likes of Neil Hodgson who got his first win at 3 sisters as well as Carl Fogarty, Steve Linsdell and Ian Newton, in the sidecar class Gary Knight rode there and later went on to be European Sidecar champion.

In the early days with the blessing of the Manager of the time Ray Hyde the original race school was instigated by Kath Reid (Preston and Dist) and Colin Pennington (Waterloo club), they got some help from Honda UK. Lead rider was Mike (Spike) Edwards who was the man to beat at that time on most circuits around the country But they never really got the full blessing from the ACU for trying to encourage 14-16 years old to bring them in to the sport .
The ACU later stole the idea leaving Colin and Kath wondering what might have been.
Around about the same time Ray Hyde was unceremoniously sacked as Manager and Aintree Race circuit management took over the running of the site which led to more car based use of the circuit and Karting (The Karting had been brought in by Ray Hyde some time before ). At the same time facilities were improved and circuit improvements /extensions were made hence the need to Jack up the prices from basic entries to a bar of chocolate.

It was sad really coz when it first opened at most race meeting you would get a very good number of spectators mainly due to Wigan council making sure the events were advertised, and the people would turn up. Then after Aintree took over this was not a priority and the spectators drifted away and something to do with a price hike on the gate and a series of thefts from the car park.
Obviously Aintree circuit club only wanted well subscribed events to take preference so needless to say those who were struggling to make up full grids soon got the bullit never to return.
Karting always did OK as far as I could see and became the earner at the expense of Motorcycle clubs who had so called traditional dates which they had held for years.

From a passengers point of view it one of the hardest circuits to work ( other than Oulton Park ) and get spot on every lap, and my most enjoyable moment was getting to have a go at driving Sean Dawsons very first F2 with his Father Derek in the chair.

They say they are looking for a new management team to take over,,,,,we will have to wait and see.

Regards,

Fritz,,,

[Phil Davies]

Rode there several times on my 16" BHR 'three wheeler'.
When I first went there and saw the track, my first thought was "how the f**k am I going to get the Vin around here". What transpired was the best 'how to drive your outfit properly for speed' lesson I could ever wish for.
To get round quickly it demanded you really took time to properly understand what was going on 'down below' (oooh er missus!) - fanbloodytastic.
That experience served as a very valuable knowledge gain that subsequently got played out many times at much faster (and consequently more dangerous) circuits without injury, all to my advantage.
Each visit was an increase in 'knowledge gain' for me and eargerly looked forward to (even if if was bloody hard work).
Hope it can bounce back.

[ralph95]

And dont forget Scooter racing as well East Midlands Scooter Association ran race meeting's there in the 80's and 90's.
I for one will be sad to see it go