Cornish banger racing has been saved as United Downs Raceway with a new 10-year lease

Cornwall’s banger racing community is breathing a sigh of relief as its route has been saved for the future. United Downs Raceway near St Day has signed a new 10-year lease from Cornwall Council, meaning the sport has a bright future in Cornwall.

The good news comes after fears for the future of the track were shared when plans to replace the site with a geothermally powered rum distillery were submitted to Cornwall Council. In 2022, the raceway received a reprieve from the local authority after agreeing a new one-year deal after plans for the distillery were refused the previous autumn. Now the extension is for 10 years.

Race promoter Crispen Rosevear, who has co-promoted racing in Cornwall since 2001, said the new lease meant the future of the sport and the site was secured for at least the next decade and his own expansion plans could now go ahead to develop site further.

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He said: “The stock car racing community is delighted to learn that Cornwall Council has agreed a new 10-year lease for United Downs Raceway, near St Day, which will see the circuit move into an eighth decade of operation .

“We have been working on the new long-term lease for more than a year. Our main wish was to be given a decent amount of time, to open the door to investment in improving the facilities for drivers and race fans.

“We have been invited to address environmental issues and sustainability in a way not previously embraced by the racing community and have already had productive preliminary discussions with the local environmental group. These are exciting times for all involved.”

United Downs Raceway was built in 1962 as a go-kart track and converted to a stock car racetrack seven years later in 1969, with races now held there in each of the next six decades. The Raceway also enjoys the status of being recognized as an Asset of Community Value.

It is one of 21 tracks in the UK and Holland and is an annual meeting on the national and regional circuit. It has hosted world championship events and will host the world championship semi-finals again this summer.

Crispen, of promoters Autospeed, added: “Those exciting times will begin with the next high-profile Stock Cars race date on Sunday 16 June. The National Championship will be played in Cornwall for the first time. outstanding trophy – a scaled-down Stock Car that was intricately created by a jeweller, the late Jon Padget, who estimated the cost of the prize at £2,500 some 30 years ago.

“The day after the race meeting, United Downs Raceway will then transition to a performance space as Wildworks Theater Group puts on a series of shows. They will present ‘The Kneebone Cadillac’ – a runaway summer smash in Cornwall’s last. The humorous piece, written by Carl Grose, praises his memories of being taken to United Downs Raceway as a youngster.

“Stock Car racing has a long history at United Downs Raceway and is extremely well supported. We want United Downs to continue to be a sporting landmark in Cornwall and to have its existence honored by this incredibly funny play is an absolute joy. I assure anyone who attends, they will be thoroughly entertained.”

Cornwall Council has refused to comment on the new lease it has awarded to Autospeed, accusing the General Election of remaining silent. All a spokesman would say was: “Due to pre-election restrictions, we will not be commenting on this at this time.”