Report - Arena Essex Raceway - Thurrock

[Tomdye1]

Well, after a disappointing trip to the Off Road Adventure Park in Wickford we decided to stop in here on the way home. being keen oval racing fans, we knew our way around the site pretty well before arriving so thought it would be pretty easy to access (wrong)

The last race meeting was held here on November 4th so the site hasn't been left long at all. A few of the features of the track have also been removed for use at another local track (catch fencing, pit gate and speakers) but apart from that everything seems exactly as it was left.

There isn't a lot to see here if you're not an oval racing fan but if you want to see the track and have one last track walk then I guess its worth the visit.

 

[mockney reject]

Such a shame to see this place closed

 

[Shaun]

nice report never knew a place like this left abandoned in the uk

 

[Andrew32]

was this a track that top gear used in the past?

 

[musley]

Great pics! Thanks for those.

 

[obscurity]

I love how you've removed someone from photo no.8 but failed to remove their legs

 

[johnboy50]

Such a shame to lose a facility like this (I'm an oval race fan too), but if Wimbledon and Coventry can't survive, then Arena was doomed for the same reasons. Nice photos there.

 

[mookster]

was this a track that top gear used in the past?

Yes Top Gear used it for the motorhome racing thing they did.

It was also featured on a really old episode of Brainiac where they drove a banger and a mini stock car into a safe.

 

[The Stig]

And shame that's another speedway track is going to disappear

 

[GinjaNinja]

A great post by Tomdye1
Every March I visited here for around 20 years for the Hot Rod jumble

I love how you've removed someone from photo no.8 but failed to remove their legs

You can just see the outline of the upper body, a bit like the 'Predator' but he has only turned on half the stealth mode

 

[Cortinalights]

Interesting shots, I remember Arena Essex Speedway team when they were in the Elite league around 15 years ago. So guess the stock cars/hot rods raced round the outside bit, was that the speedway track inside that? Why did it close?

 

[jj north]

Sold off for housing unfortunately. Won't be long till it's completely gone

 

[Yorrick]

Why did it close?

"dwindling support" From this article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-45044933

 

[derelictth92]

Ah man somones beaten me to it as a banger boy myself I was really looking forward to this one well done bud

 

[seaside_rambler]

Interesting report, had a few trips here watching my brother in law in his hot rod