Tom’s Park

In this month’s feature article, we pay tribute to one of Britain’s oldest racing circuits, Donington Park. Founded in 1931 by a motorcycle racer, Donington became the UK’s second permanent race circuit—Brooklands being the first in 1907—and the UK’s first permanent “park” circuit. Donington went on to host its first automobile race in 1933 and its stature grew quickly in the following years to such an extent that by the late ’30s, it was hosting international Grands Prix. Sadly, with the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Donington was requisitioned by the military as a vehicle depot, thus bringing its short but brilliant racing life to a close.

Or at least that is how the story would have ended were it not for the introduction of a crafty, larger-than-life character by the name of Tom Wheatcroft. Wheatcroft was a local boy who grew up not far from Castle Donington, in Leicestershire. As a young teenager, he bicycled to the circuit to watch the likes of Tazio Nuvolari and Bernd Rosemeyer claim the last Donington Grands Prix before the outbreak of war.