Croft Motor Racing Circuit
Address: Dalton On Tees North Yorkshire DL2 2PL
Telephone: 01325 721815
Email: info@croftcircuit.co.uk
Website: http://www.croftcircuit.co.uk
Where to take photos at Croft.
17th September 2021
Croft is situated south of Darlington just a short distance from the A1. As with a number of UK race tracks, the runways and perimeter roads of the former bomber base were seen as ideal for motorsport in the post war period.
The development of the track and surrounding area, including a significant number of trees and generous spectator banking, makes it a far cry from the bleak airfield circuit it might have been.
Using the map below we will guide you round the track, each area marked A - H has been linked to return you to the map.
Madeline and I were there in late June for the Sunday of the Ferrari Festival weekend; it was our first time at Croft and my interest was primarily in shooting the Alfa Romeo Championship which had a double header race weekend.
Saturday was damp – as illustrated by Alfa Romer Owners Club magazine editor Guy Swarbrick’s superb shot of the start of the race. Sunday, by contrast, was merely overcast.
Credit Guy Swarbrick
PistonClick contributor Brian Blackett is usually a regular at Croft, and has provided some photos of other meetings to add to our selection from the Ferrari Festival.
I used my 70-200mm lens throughout the day and, aside from a few head on or longer distance shots where the “big” zoom would have been useful, didn’t really need anything more.
I started out at the spectator area opposite the Clervaux Lawn “inside” the track (A) with its view of the Start / Finish line.
You can see the cars coming through the Complex and round the Hairpin.
There’s a very long shot to Tower (that’s what I needed the big zoom for !) – the scene of an expensive contretemps between two of the Ferraris on their first lap.
Access to the area at (A) is via a crossing point opposite the Clervaux Lawn where the marshals will allow you across between races and when safe to do so.
Returning to this side of the track, the cars pass by at full tilt on their way to Tower. An Alfa 3.2 V6 or a Ferrari at full throttle is a great sound at this point !
Madeline stayed on the outside of the track at (B) to get a different angle – a mid range zoom was more than sufficient.
The first of the Ferrari Club Racing Series races was next. Six cars (including one non starter) and 30 minutes of racing wasn’t promising and it was their weekend – still it only takes two to make a race.
The Chicane (C) provides a great spot for action in Touring Cars, but the Ferraris weren’t so spectacular.
Thus far we had no fencing to contend with, but in deference to the Touring Cars, there is some between Clervaux and the Chicane. You can though get right up to it and it is not especially heavy, unlike the F1 / MotoGP grade at Silverstone, so decent shots are achievable.
It makes for an interesting set of corners – this is Hawthorn (D).
Clervaux (E) has the shot up the Start / Finish straight. There is also extensive and high spectator banking at Clervaux and Hawthorn giving an excellent view of the action between the Hairpin and Tower.
With the pandemic restrictions still in place, we weren’t allowed in either the main Pits / Paddock area or Paddock C. We were though allowed to walk through to the Complex and down to Sunny Out.
This also has extensive spectator banking giving views across to the Jim Clark Esses, Barcroft and Sunny. This is the Complex (F).
I walked down to Sunny Out (G). There is fencing which is about 1.7m tall – or in my terms, just too high – good job I had the trusty step!
The fence stops at Sunny Out and there is a good shot of the cars heading into and out of the corner. Again, the longer zoom would have allowed more variety of shots.
Thanks to Brian Blackett and David Harbey for putting together this Circuit Guide, you can see more of their work by following the links below.
Blackett Photography
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