We found an abandoned race track in the middle of London

[@cosmo9882]

Someone should map it and stick it in a racing sim.

[@C.I...]

There is a version for Grand Prix Legends, I think!

[@cosmo9882]

@@C.I... thank you I'm going to check it out 👍😎👍

[@Gassit]

@@C.I... There are versions for Grand Prix Legends, GT Legends, GTR 2, rFactor, rFactor 2 and Assetto Corsa that I know of. It may be available for others too

[@johnjarvis8185]

A sound engineer needs firing somewhere.

[@cosmo9882]

@@Gassit I have 3 of those thank you, I think they are probably patches( I don't normally do patches but I can make am exception for that). Thank you 👍😎👍

[@johnmcandrew5550]

“Should we explore more relics of the car world?” I thought that’s why you kept Jeremy, James and Richard around.

[@reaperoflostsouls4323]

Who do you think own this channel?

[@RK-zf1jm]

relics yes but still more entertaining than pretty much all tv presenters

[@reaperoflostsouls4323]

@@RK-zf1jm "I thought that’s why you kept Jeremy, James and Richard around." I don't know who he thinks owns Drive Tribe. but it's very hard to sack your own Bosses/Owners.

[@bencodykirk]

Damn, you beat me to it! Everyone should 'Like' John's comment if you, also, thought of Jeremy, James and Richard when Mike asked if they should "explore more relics of the car world?".

[@lestmak]

I thought Jeremy, James and Richard are the relics of the car world 😂

[@pukeko]

Warning for headphone users at 5:25

[@caprise-music6722]

A Llama your karma-bar is fully restored! Good work

[@rdouthwaite]

If only I'd read the comments first, RIP my hearing.

[@TheDougwoods]

@@seanjamescameron sad but true 😅 I don't know why it was so muffled in the rest of the video

[@captainzoll3303]

anyone want to get a couple of austin seven roadsters and ask the council to do a trackday around it for the sake of "history"?

[@callumhardy5098]

Captain Zoll Yea I’ll join

[@matteosiefert846]

I'm in!

[@commander993]

Absolutely!

[@jonokiller]

that RC track is perfect!

[@RogSan1892]

They do an event each summer

[@iansteel1447]

I used to go there in the 60's to watch the racing through the fence.

[@Paul-Genge]

There is another disused racetrack in a public park within London. Battersea Park, where Formula E season finale took place.

[@sadikurrahman4833]

You know this year, they’re visiting london again but his time at excel London

[@RatelHBadger]

That's what I thought this was going to be about

[@TheWelder624]

Brooklands!!!

[@neillambton4065]

Maybe they should regenerate Crystal Palace race circuit for the Formula E series, at least it will be quiet.

[@splitenz1770]

I was a race marshall here in the late sixties. Wonderful track but had plenty of tree hazards infield. Watched James Hunt in F3 and Roger Williamson in his Ford Anglia. A sad loss when it closed. Thanks for bringing back very warm memories.

[@splitenz1770]

My Marshall post was at North Tower. Two incidents I remember clearly are 1. James Hunt losing his F3 and hitting a tree on the inside of the track. Unfortunately he rolled back onto the circuit and collected another car. I believe later there was an altercation in the pits. 2. Roger Williamson losing his Anglia into the Aramco on the outside and wiping our a BBC outside broadcast camera poking its lens our between the Aramco. Both Williamson and the camera operator were fine thank god

[@seth6526]

It's such a shame that tracks have to give in to the locals' complaints about noise. The track was there long before they were even born and they chose to live there.

[@nicbrownable]

Electric vehicles get a lot of shade from noise loving motorsport fans, but they are going to make it possible to run events on urban circuits once again.

[@goofyleo3869]

No shit!! You moved next to a RACE TRACK and THEN complain about the noise. Fuck'in socialists....

[@alexbizkit79]

@@goofyleo3869 Yeah! stupid sociali... wait, what?

[@aidaspida70]

@@goofyleo3869 It's the rich one's fault who bribe the council, the anarcho-capitalists not the socialists.

[@magnetiktrax]

Cyrstal Palace was built in 1850 and was basically far out in the countryside at that time. Cities spread and accommodations have to be made for noise. I mean really, do you expect some company to start up Battersea Power Station again despite being surrounded by houses because it was built before the people in the neighbourhood were born? Cities change, get over it.

[@grandassassin24]

"We found..." they still hold sanctioned events there.

[@another3997]

He clearly stated as much in the video. But it's not a permanent race track any more. Just about anywhere can be made in to a temporary racetrack, but it isn't the same as revisiting a purpose built, but now defunct and largely forgotten racing circuit that still hosts a race every now and then. Like a lot of people, I didn't know of it's racing history. There are actually quite a few forgotten circuits in the UK. I'm sure Rockingham raceway will quickly fade from the public's memory. 10 years from now someone will 'discover' it again and make a KZbin video.

[@grandassassin24]

@@another3997 yeah I know, just remarking on the bait/uninformed nature of the title of the video, but they gotta get the clicks you know.

[@kidaisey]

it’s 2020 if you expect someone to not click bait you’re missing a brain cell

[@quas392]

My granddad used to race there! It was one of his favourites. Thank you so much for making this video.

[@nigelclark1823]

I can remember watching the racing with my older sister, we walked up from Sydenham, and the atmosphere and noise was fantastic. Thank you for your stirring those memories.

[@DemonAsh40]

My Dad grew up on Sydenham Hill and remembers when the races happened, he actually enjoyed being able to hear the cars racing round. On the day of the very last race, he was 11 years old, old enough to remember it well

[@buses7675]

Surely if you did one complete lap then that is the 2019 record lap as it is the only lap!

[@oli0808]

Lap records are set under racing conditions only I think.

[@Croham78]

The film good but it omits the fact the main start/straight has been grassed over so a proper lap is impossible without work.

[@klaseronen7535]

Crystal Palace has always reminded me of a track in Helsinki, Eläintarha ("Zoo"), where they raced for example sportscar races (Ferraris, D-type Jaguars etc.), Formula Junior and Formula 3 until 1963, when the Swedish driver Örjan Atterberg lost his life on the start-finish line in an F3 race. What is also similar to Crystal Palace is that the Eläintarha track went right behind the Olympic Stadium...

[@leonardo3689]

This is too cool! Old school tracks and vintage f1 pics tickle my neck. Please more content like this!

[@rb5stevenumber903]

My mum and dad took me there in the 50s to watch the racing, was a great track and some good racing went on there. I do remember the wooden fencing there for spectator safety. Lol and there was still a lot of the ruins left from the old crystal palace, great place to explore when I was a young boy and I always remember the smell of Castrol R put in these racing cars, better than any perfume.

[@markopolo9559]

I raced at the RC track a few times in the past. I had no idea it used to be a track, very interesting to watch!

[@billwrinkle9662]

Exploring relics of the car world? Nothing I find more fascinating than that, so yes please.

[@plymouthmechanic3423]

Yes, please more of these abandoned places! Those races with those (now) classic Ford Escorts would be epic to watch at that track. Could James May do more of these video's?

[@danfoard76]

Type in Motorsport at Crystal Palace and one of the events that comes up is a black and white race from the early 70's that features mk1 escorts and stuff vs a Camaro.

[@poetryplace]

Now this brings back such memories. As a kid, on race days, I'd sneak onto the race track through the park and spend hours watching the racing. In my day car racing had pretty much finished at the Palace but motorcycle racing was still going strong, I can still hear the scream of engines and the smell of Castro R, such memories.

[@SteveAttwood]

I have lived adjacent to the park since the early 60's and remember the racing well, you could actually smell the exhaust from my house and clutch and it was quite loud but as a child it was amazing. I remember being taken in to the pits by my Dad where you see the legends actually working on their own cars! They were so approachable and genuinely friendly toward a star struck child... Happy days! Great video... !

[@Jamie_kemp]

0:14 That looks like a good jump! 😂

[@nichopaulu8395]

Literally the greatest. Mike Fernie, you are a legend. I wouldn’t have known otherwise.

[@stenovitz]

I rediscovered Crystal Palace Race Circuit via simracing soon 25 years ago via early mod for GPL. But could have rediscovered if I didn't turn pages of a splendid motorsports book too careless as a boy in early 80ies, but presume it was due to it was foreign language (English) of which I still wasn't familiar to. The latest mod versions for AC, rF1, GTR2 are all splendid for tight simracing in smaller grand touring cars. I reeealy need a time machine to to back there, just came from watching a race the year I was born - definitely born in the wrong time frame! Thanks for sharing. Greets from DK❤

[@AudreyH48]

Love these types of videos! It's really cool seeing abandoned circuits for sure. Please do more.

[@mikedrivetribe8314]

I'll start searching! Thanks!

[@ladymopar2024]

We do need to explore more abandoned race tracks thank you this is right up my alley

[@PescaraProductions]

It's kind of criminal that a video like this had to be made on Crystal Palace, but it's barely known about at all today to anyone under the age of 40. While it could be argued that it was never going to survive the changes it would have had to go through regarding modern racing safety improvements, it was still a big part of British motorsport history. This should have been the place that Formula E was brought to, and it would have been a serious PR if it had been considered, but sadly London has never been kind to Motorsport.

[@Steve-nq8jc]

I used to spend a lot of my time as a kid in the 80s in that park. I used to love tearing my little bike around the place thinking I was a racing car driver, specially the top part near the lake, band stand and fishing lake.

[@mikedrivetribe8314]

That top section is epic, must have been mega in a little Formula 2 car.

[@smeghead7698]

The park was a magical place, years ago.

[@timonr2537]

Yes I would love to see some more abandoned tracks. Great video 😃👍

[@Brodaty_Brodacz]

i was there like 12 years ago but now i know the history of this place Thanks Tribe .

[@insanebilly]

Some of the saloon Car races that are on KZbin are some of the best races you will see.

[@miawallace2785]

Gerry Marshall in a DTV Firenza..... Nuff Said Geez

[@David-yx5vx]

In Germany near Stuttgart there’s an abandoned racetrack which is now a public road. It’s Called „Solitude Racetrack“ and I think it even hosted some F1 races in the 60s. Was mainly a motorcycle racetrack tho because it wasn’t all too wide. And nowadays there’s every two years a „Solitude Revival“ event, where the public roads, which were part the race track, get closed down and for example Porsche and Mercedes take out their old cars and racecars for a spin around the track and you’re able to watch them. Pretty amazing. Oh, and edit: it’s also named after the nearby castle Solitude.

[@terryjacob8169]

The Solitude circuit was absolutely brilliant. You're right, it did hold F1 races in trhe early 1960's, but was mainly used for motorcycle racing.

[@apeture9]

You may probably be unaware that since at least 2010 the Seven Oaks & District Motor club have run sprint events there at an event called "Motorsport at the Palace". They were invited by Bromley Council to stage such an event. The event can be found on facebook and of course on KZbin, even the last race was televised in I think 1974. So discovering a race circuit is certainly no surprise to me. If you are nearby go to the event this year on the 24th&25th May 2020. I have been to every event so far and have enjoyed it each time.

[@Dino.808]

I used to race in that RC track when I was a kid. I never knew the great racing history of the place, this video was brilliant.

[@MickyD-si3vs]

WOW, thanks! I lived close by as a young child (around 1973). I would 'explore' there including the dinosaurs models, and at 6.53 I fished in the lake behind you. Being not long abandoned it was great. They did have an exhibition race there when I saw the crowd protection - stacked sandbags at the corner where spectators gathered. Ah, Thanks again :)

[@javezkeith2537]

Never knew Crystal Palace racing track existed. Great film 🎥🙂

[@gaffnaldo1]

Vids with imagination make the best content. Might want to actually fix the sound on this, its badly done

[@ghomerhust]

i just got done doing a new video in adobe, and i made doubly sure the sound was even all the way through. this one jumps around quite a bit, especially towards the middle/end

[@zybch]

@@ghomerhust Thing is, its not at all difficult, mostly automated. What annoyed me more was the fake film dirt plastered over the B&W photos.

[@gaffnaldo1]

@@zybch i never noticed the fake dirt. Interesting

[@gaffnaldo1]

@@ghomerhust were you involved in the editing of this particular video? or do you have a level of expertise in this field?

[@Brian3989]

Also why add dirty speckles to old images.

[@grotline]

I used to compete in cycle races on parts of this circuit in the mid to late 70’s, it was also the first circuit I attended at the ripe old age of 2 weeks old as my dad was racing a BSA Bantam there in 1963

[@andrewdavies1312]

Better than the videos of Hammond advertising the Ford pick up

[@gplipp6489]

Cool. Who would have known yet a select group. Thank you and yes. More please!

[@useroutlaw]

Yea please. More exploring abandoned race tracks

[@Gassit]

Try this channel called Circuits of the Past kzbin.info/door/PLRIRd9Nko05hGh33cLjaA

[@Jdmess9]

We all love those people that move next to an historic track and then complain about the noise

[@GLK-London]

Remember watching racing there. awesome memories of the noise and speed!

[@STREET24000]

You guys should come here to Vancouver B.C. And check out the old C.A.R.T. circuit. There was two layouts of the track the first which was in service from 1990-1997 which went under GM Place and the second layout from 1999-2004 where they went flying down Quebec street.

[@williammagrath7675]

Amazing story and very well told

[@richjackman9681]

Love the video. Seeing the track shut hurts my heart.

[@jeffshellow4069]

I talk a lot of shit about yt videos and vidiots but THIS is the type of worthwhile content that makes all those crap posts bearable - ty

[@fzs27]

More videos like this, please. Something to add to my bucket-list. Informative, well presented, and by encouraging us to use our imagination, you can start to get a sense of the history, and the Legends that raced there.

[@davidpreston8414]

I've learnt something new today . Thank you .

[@nickshipway8199]

If you're ever down in Cornwall, you should stop at the old airfield at Davidstow and have a look at what was the Davidstow circuit for a few years in the 50's.

[@martingothberg3593]

I love videos like this, please keep them coming

[@johnpbh]

Oh please do. Didn't know about that one at all. Great bit of history. Thanks.

[@richardwintle1020]

Yes please. Road courses, speedways, street circuits - you name it, I'll watch. :)

[@TheStumpyFingers]

I used to spend my weekend watching the racing, it is something that I still miss.

[@tomtomnichtnavi1431]

Nice bit of history. I would love to see more videos like that in the future!

[@Moto_Medics]

0:42 why does the jag have pc disc trays comin from the doors???

[@gixerloon]

Glad to hear it is still used for race events occasionally, and not carved up in the name of progress unlike places like Brooklands.

[@angelsone-five7912]

Yes, let`s have some more relics. I unashamedly live in the past and that is my interest. Crystal Palace circuit was a great place and a lot wider than it is now. At least it wasn`t all dug up as the start/finish was.

[@SupercarsinGreece]

Nice track! Lovely I-Pace too!

[@shannono8397]

Great video...I want to rollerskate that now, had no idea about it's history. It must have been impressive to be there for a race, glad they keep some racing there!

[@Demon_Derek]

I live not far Crystal Palace park. I've walked around that track dozens of times and should therefore be the current lap time holder.

[@PrograError]

you need a sprint to set that record mate, or you will have to walk...

[@Demon_Derek]

@@PrograError It was a joke mate.

[@PrograError]

@@Demon_Derek r/woosh then

[@helir00]

Laid out and made are two different things, for me and many others Brooklands was the first properly built race track in 1907. (On British soil)

[@mrbigstuff6149]

It used to be great going here watching the solos ( motorcycles) and (combinations) sidecars as a kid. Just so easy to reach if you lived in Sarth Lunnon. Close to the track too, absolutely thrilling.

[@richardmolnar7552]

You should come up to the north and do a piece on the old & currently Aintree Race Circuit. It was recently shut due to safety concerns but Drivetribe and its followers could get enough support to make the changes required to keep the circuit going.

[@simmadpaul2880]

Thanks to sim racing and gifted modders you can race at Crystal Palace once again in the virtual world. More videos like this please.

[@bxtl57]

Yes! Love pieces on old sporting grounds in general, but especially race courses.

[@MikkaPower]

Would really like to see the old part of Nordschleife.

[@tedt7991]

Südschleife , it can still be restored

[@Trendyflute]

@@tedt7991 Well, parts of it can...parts of it have a Grand Prix track on top now.

[@RedLP5000S]

Or even old Monza.

[@G40s_WW]

@@Trendyflute actually most of the Südschleife is around the Gran Prix Course

[@johnsaunders410]

I used to go there in the 1950's. I saw Sterling Moss in Cooper Climax sports cars and John Surtees riding bikes. In my late teens I marshalled for BRMCC and rode Velocette road bikes round the circuit, believe me Ramp Bend was lethal with a concrete wall and trees. It was very dangerous with few run offs. Two friends of mine crashed their kneeler sidecar outfit into the sleepers at the exit from the Glade. They ended up some distance away with the bike on the track. Very nostalgic. When a child I got there on the 137 bus from Streatham!

[@EricTheBiker]

Even if it is kind of a Jaguar Commercial, it‘s the best track walk of Crystal Palace I‘ve seen so far on YT. Nice!

[@ericpisch2732]

Most people who drive a Tesla and iPace back to back will realise how bad the iPace is

[@jameslatham3521]

That was awesome. When I was in London we drove by that park. They told us about the glass house and statues and stuff but didn’t mention it was a historic racing circuit.

[@60march]

I remember it well. Even saw Jim Clark race there although I was about 4 at the time. There is a great video of a 60's saloon car race featuring Mike Crabtree and Gerry Marshall on KZbin.

[@kings3803]

Yes please. Love to see old car stuff

[@kendramcnie8391]

There are still races here, well on part of the track. Motorsport at the Palace. (They have a website) Sprints and a small car show. Plus its still used as a meeting place for classic mini run outs

[@stewartdouglass2774]

My old boss used to Race his mini there. There are a few videos of racing in the 60's and 70's on you tube.

[@paulwebb4146]

I used to go there all the time when I stayed with my grandparents during the school summer holidays as they lived cross the road from Crystal Palace park. James Hunt was coming up through the ranks back then and racing in F3 and had already got his nickname of "Hunt the Shunt" by then. Watched Graham Hill race there a couple of time in F2 along with Gerry Marshall in saloon cars. They kept to track limits back then as there was no runoff before hitting the railway sleepers for crash barriers.

[@nicklowe536]

Have a look at Longridge the track has amazing history. First a quary then a circuit and now a caravan park

[@alanwallington7990]

Remember it well. I lived just down the road in Penge. I used to enjoy the motorbikes. I beleive it was Peter Butler, from Boyer of Bromley, on a Triumph that closed this circuit. 1970?

[@douglasmitchinson1936]

Marshalled there a couple of times. Seem to remember F2 cars and special saloons with Dave Brodie's Run Baby Run. Walked some of it a few years ago, narrow to say the least!

[@peterthepilot4413]

Fabulous, I remember the saloon car series that were filmed there and seeing my heroes there. Who remembers Dave Brodie?

[@chunkybuster7203]

Do l, he had Run baby Run on his Escort's screen, so we we all bought sunstrips with it on!

[@TheDi3el]

Yes, more of this content! Brilliant!

[@benday1218]

it's more than a couple of miles from central London!

[@richard9444]

7 miles to be exact

[@ethanlittle776]

I live here. Every year there is a car show where the palace used to be and they still do races of cars on half of the course

[@fifocrew3040]

Yes please. More abandoned tracks please.

[@BiglumpADV]

A tour of where Brooklands once stood and a visit to it's remaining banked curve would be good

[@rel6294]

we need more this kind of content, i think drivetribe should visit pescara circuit, nurburgring sudschleife and the original layout of circuit de charade!

[@joshuuaaaa440]

Motorsport at the palace was a wicked event some great crashes and great viewing spots , well worth a visit

[@RAPIDNISMO]

james needs to visit there with his massive scalextric set from his childhood toy series.

[@lwaves]

When the video started I was thinking RC cars but Scalextric and James will do nicely.

[@RAPIDNISMO]

James actually did a TV series where he went through child hood toys, he created a scalextric track at an abandoned F1 track,

[@lwaves]

Yes, I know. :-)

[@dainsmart6237]

Tie bim to track

[@pugmanick]

Don't forget all the Touring car racing that was held there. Gerry Marshall and other greats had some fantastic races at the Palace.

[@RustyBonnet]

I live about 10 minutes from there. Love walking around the park. I used to skateboard down the back straight in the late 70's. It's needs some investment as parts of the old facades are crumbling as is the sports centre.

[@RustyBonnet]

@Richard Torok I wonder if you used to buy your kit from our skate board shop in catford?

[@RustyBonnet]

@Richard Torok yep. That was my dad's shop. I had kryptonics on both my decks. Those where the days 😁

[@79vbcommodore]

great video. yes more just like this please.

[@lammie1381]

You need to take a trip around the Birmingham GP circuit. Unfortunately Monaco House (the old pits) has just been demolished, but if you look closely in spring at the flowers opposite the former pits, you can still make out the wording Birmingham GP. Bring back street racing to the UK.

[@rogerwhittle2078]

This was 'my local race track', I live about five miles away. Some of my fondest motor racing memories come from Crystal Palace. I'm really not sure they ever held a F1 race here? They certainly always had a F2 race in the programme and we regularly saw all the F! drivers, Clark, Hill, Surtees, Hulme, Brabham, Ginther, Gurney, Ickx, Rindt, Maas, Hailwood and so on. I even saw Moss driving sports racing cars (Lola, Lotus, Elva and so on.) But my favourite was always the Saloon Car racing and saw one of the first races in the UK where the American 'Big Iron' came to thrill us. Imagine a race where the front row of the grid was Dan Gurney in a Chevy II, a Ford Galaxie, and Sir Gwaine Bailey in a Mk 2 Jaguar? Second row was probably more Jags with Jack Sears and other notables (including, I think, Roy Salvadori) Then rows of miscellaneous British saloon cars like Austin A40, A35 (John Sprinzle.) In later years, the Galaxies where surrounded by Minis - 'works' Cooper Car Company Mini Coopers, driver by John Miles and John Love, Christobel Carlisle in her red Mini and many others, all being led round by the flying 'works' MkI Lotus Cortina's driven by none other than Jim Clark and Jochen Rindt. Clear memory of Clark and Rindt, way in the lead, nose to tail, rounding Ramp Bend on three wheels, as the inside rear would lift on the apex. Fabulous. From time to time I walk the dog up there and I can't help thinking how good the racing was then, but another part of me is amazed that it lasted so long. And I'm also amazed at how few actual casualties there were. It is 1.3 miles round and no straight is longer than about three hundred yards, yet the lap record was well over 100 mph! Extraordinary. Great memories.

[@cossieconnoisseur]

I remember Gerry Marshall and Frank Gardiner racing there in a Vauxhall Viva and Camaro respectivley! Amazing days!

[@cossieconnoisseur]

Here you go, kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZLac4uNjMykeas

[@colintitterington144]

Should explore Ulster TT circuit soon between Newtownards and Dundonald 👍 Huge history on that circuit and the greats of the day all raced there👍👍👍

[@eduardobilimoria7929]

Old monza and the very first spa track would be sick!

[@Conan500]

A video on Brooklands would be good. Plenty of history plus a fair chunk of the original track still remains.

[@deathcrashtest64]

You should explore the old Dundrod circuit in Northern Ireland which includes the formidable seven mile straight. That is it's actual road name as well. The old track and roads surrounding it are some seriously great driving roads still.

[@ericsmyth2221]

Great video, more history please

[@aceadman]

Yes. Explore more relics please! 😊👍

[@Danielevans2]

I use to go to school only a few minutes from there and had NO IDEA that was this history!!!

[@aakar1s]

Yes please, more car relics fom the past!!