The future operator of the Donington Park racetrack is due to be announced at the fan rally scheduled for the venue on Sunday March 7.
Owner Kevin Wheatcroft has told his local papers that he has whittled a long-list of 20 – including property developers and one described as “a dreamer” – down to a shortlist of five who are all serious about bringing racing back to the track.
He told the Derby Telegraph: “They have all got the right passion, the right ideas and the right finance to do it. In a year’s time I do not want to be back where we are now.”
And, speaking of his plans for the track’s future, he said: “We want to get racing back here – we owe it to the last 40 years of my dad’s life. This is the oldest road-race circuit in the UK. I do not want to bring its life to an end.
“It would have been quite easy just to put a fence around the whole thing, but that’s not what we wanted to do.”
Wheatcroft also has some illuminating things to say about DVLL boss and former leaseholder Simon Gillett, revealing that he began to fear the project was in trouble after just eight months.
He also said he considers the unfinished and unfunded redevelopment work that has left the circuit undriveable to be an act of “borderline vandalism”.
Read his interviews with the Derby Telegraph and Nottingham Evening Post in full here.
Fans wanting to show their support for Donington’s Park’s future as a racetrack should visit the Save Donington website for details of the March 7 event.
Organised by Oxford teacher and car club member Lee Coombs, it is now set to feature a large-scale car and bike club display, an autojumble and a classic vehicle show. The circuit will also be offering discounted entry to the Grand Prix Exhibition on the day.
Plans are also afoot to collect fan memorabilia into an exhibition demonstrating the strength of support for the circuit and possibly even to set up a supporters’ club for the future.
See the website for full details and please do support the event if you can.