Croft Circuit History

The origins of Croft Circuit date back to the 1940s, when the site near Dalton-on-Tees in North Yorkshire was developed as a Royal Air Force bomber station during the Second World War. Known then as RAF Croft, it opened in 1941 and operated as a satellite airfield, hosting aircraft such as Wellingtons, Halifaxes and Lancasters before being closed for flying in 1946.

After the war, the disused airfield was briefly used for motor racing and rallying by local enthusiasts, with events taking place on the runways and perimeter roads. In 1962, a consortium of motorsport enthusiasts purchased part of the site and began developing a permanent racing circuit, which officially opened in August 1964 as Croft Autodrome, attracting large crowds for its first meetings.

During the late 1960s, Croft became a popular venue for rallycross as well as circuit racing, and by the early 1980s it had established itself as a key northern motorsport venue. After a period of closure to circuit racing in the 1980s, rallycross continued to thrive on the site, helping maintain its motorsport heritage.

The circuit was redeveloped in the 1990s, reopening in its modern form in 1995 and later extended and upgraded in 1997 with new facilities and an updated layout. Since then, Croft has become a regular fixture on the British Touring Car Championship calendar and continues to host major national racing events today.

Want to learn more about our history? Visit our Wikipedia page here