Star of Smashing Through was teenage driver Alan Wardropper Some lucky fans even got a two-bob discount. The all conquering Staines Team were a great draw on a Friday night. Alec's home track was Staines, but this photo is in the Brafield pits, on the Earls Barton Breakdown truck. The photo comes from Dave Kipling, via Gary, with the following commentary.Īlec Lecroissette was famous as much for his number (3 1/2) as his car which started life as a Hudson Terraplane from 1936-37 but was shortened in the chassis and reworked at its back with what might be a Ford Model B. Here we see Alec Lecroissette (3 1/2) after a tough race. Here he is in the box on 8th April 1955.Įammon makes his way down to the track to congratulate Alec Lecroissette (3 1/2)
Many thanks to Gary Lecroissette for the fantastic images below and to Terry and Chris for some fine memories of the track.Įammon Andrews was a commentator at Staines. Chris Leach, their chairman, reports that £25 was paid for a building still used as their clubhouse in Hummer Road. When the track at Staines was dismantled in 1965 one of the buildings was sold to Egham and Staines Model Railway Society. Jack ran a bookies in Egham High Street after the demise of Staines. The great Staines track was owned by Jack Walsh who, with fellow bookmaker William Hill, won the 1938 Greyhound Derby with the dog they jointly owned Lone Keel.
Another film that Terry remembers from the same era Once a Jolly Swagman, with Dirk Bogarde and Bill Owen, had footage taken at New Cross. The track was designed with the same dimensions as Wembley, having a four bend distance of 525 yards. He remembers Staines featuring in a Margeret Rutherford film about dog racing. Terry Kates raced dogs at Staines from 1957 until the track closed. Like many other stockcar tracks, Staines was principally used for Greyhound Racing. Speedway and Stock Car World (see below) credits this racing with the sustained period of popularity of the track. Inter-track racing was popular in 19 and the Bulls, led by Ken Freeman for some time, did well. Staines was home to one of the most famous Stockcar Racing League teams The Staines Bulls. The abandoned Staines track was also used as a location in the 1964 film Seance on a Wet Afternoon, looking in a very sad state. The last winner, on 17th June 1960 was Fred Mitchell. The first winner, on Good Friday 1955 was Johnny Brise. These were the first and last years that racing took place at the venue. In 1960 racing at the track featured in a short film Smashing Through made by the Rank Organisation for their Look at Life series. In 1955 racing at Staines was featured in the Paul Carpenter film Stock Car. Alec Lecroissette raced number 3 1/2 before national numbering made life more straightforward for the lap scorer! Gary Lecroissette, son of Alec, was one of the lucky ones who went along to Staines to see his dad race with, and against, the likes of Jock Lloyd, Freddie Funnell, Pat Willis and Doug Wardropper amongst many others. The track at Staines, sadly long gone under the Staines bypass, holds special memories for those who were lucky enough to be around to witness the great action on offer. The first decade of stockcar racing in the UK saw some great characters racing for the entertainment of the fans. Pete's Stock Car Pages - Staines Pete's Stock Car Pages Racing at Staines Racing in the Fifties at Staines Stadium