History

Creation

Buckmore Park Kart Circuit was constructed in 1963 after local businessman Cecil Whitehead consulted with the designer of the Rye House Kart Circuit, Doug Jest, the local Rochester Motor Club and Camberley Kart Club to design a 400m kart circuit. Whitehead then approached the Royal School of Military Engineering in nearby Chatham and persuaded them to build the circuit for free as an training exercise on the site of the Buckmore Park Scout Centre.

The exit of Hairpin Two pictured in the 1960s

1963-1985

The circuit was used sporadically for the next 20 years by a combination of the Buckmore Park scouts, the local Rochester Motor Club and other local enthusiasts.

By the mid-1980s though the track had fallen into disrepair due to a lack of financial resources. The track had not had any modifications made to it since it was constructed and it had grass mounds and chalk banks for barriers.

The view from Henry’s Bend in the early 1980s

1985-1989

In 1985, local businessman Bill Sisley acquired the leasehold of the circuit from track founder Cecil Whitehead. Bill was already a highly-experienced kart racer, kart manufacturer and kart shop owner who had been supplying spare parts to the scouts since the mid-1970s.

Sisley quickly got to work turning the circuits fortunes around and, after fully resurfacing and upgrading the circuit in the late 1980s, the track held its first Motorsport UK sanctioned rounds of the Buckmore Park Kart Club in 1989.

Bill Sisley protégé Johnny Herbert driving around the newly resurfaced circuit in 1988.

The view from Conways in 1989

Satellite imagery of the renovated circuit in 1990, including a BMX track

1989-1994

Over the course of the next 5 years, the circuit boomed in popularity, seeing the creation of its first facilities including the original dark green clubhouse in the early 1990s. Around the same time the circuit also introduced hire-karting, becoming one of the first outdoor circuits in the country to do so.

In 1992, the circuit hosted a round of the national championship for the first time and was also visited on two occasions by Princess Diana, Prince Harry and Prince William, all of whom took to the circuit.

Prince William and Prince Harry in 1992

First extension

The circuit was extended for the first time in 1994, seeing the creation of Symes Sweep, the 900 cut-through, Herberts Rise and Club Corner, as well as a remodelling of the second part of the Esses and Cafe Curve. This increased the tracks length from 400m to 600m.

The original hairpin at the far end of the circuit is still marked out today by white lines and the 900 cut through is still used for rolling starts.

The newly extended circuit in 1994

1994-1999

The newly extended circuit went from strength to strength during the mid-1990s and became a stalwart of the UK karting scene. Multiple future Formula One World Champions raced at the circuit during the 1990s including Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

ITVs televised Champions of the Future series visited the circuits on multiple occasions during the 1990s, including in 1996 when Lewis Hamilton wrapped up the Cadet championship with ease. McLaren boss Ron Dennis was in attendance that day and soon after, Hamilton was signed up to McLaren’s young driver programme.

In 1998, Hamilton performed his most famous karting victory at Buckmore Park. Starting last on the grid in the final of the Champions of Future Formula JICA Buckmore round, Hamilton fought his way through the field to take a thrilling victory which can be viewed here.

Second extension

In 1999, the circuit was extended once more, bringing the circuit up to its current 1000m long configuration.

This extension saw the introduction of Pullmans, Paddock, the new dummy grid, Garda and the Senna Chicane, as well as the construction of the new paddock area.

The new section of circuit was notably different to the pre-existing sections in that it contained camber and banking.

John Surtees, Johnny Herbert and Bill Sisley sat on the entry to Garda at the circuits re-opening in 1999

1999-2003

During the turn of the century, the circuit continued to grow in popularity, regularly hosting national championships.

The state-of-the-art clubhouse was built in 2003 at a cost of £1.25 million. The opening of the clubhouse was attended by the likes of Bernie Ecclestone, Sir Stirling Moss and John Surtees.

The opening of the modern day clubhouse in 2003

Satellite imagery of the extended circuit and new clubhouse in 2003

The start of a hire-karting race in 2003 in Buckmore’s Biz Thunderkarts

Proposed third extension

Plans to extend the circuit once again by another 500 metres were drawn up in the early 2000s with the help of 7-time motorcycle world champion and 1964 Formula One World Champion John Surtees. John first visited Buckmore Park in 1998 with his late son Henry and soon became involved in the running of the circuit. To aid the plans to extend the circuit, John purchased 210 acres of land surrounding the circuit.

These plans also included the creation of a bridge across the circuit from the clubhouse to a new grandstand, an expanded car park, a state of the art multi-storey kart shop, a 110m Mini GP circuit, a scrutineering building, a second medical room, a second café, a new toilet block, a learning zone and a motorsport college to be constructed above the pitlane.

An artists impression of the finished circuit

2003-2013

During the 2000s, certain elements of the planned expansion came into fruition.

The new paddock building including a scrutineering bay, kitchen, medical room, café and toilet block was opened in the mid-2000s. At the same time the paddock pit lane entrance and parc ferme were redesigned to incorporate the new building. This was soon followed by the opening of the new Mini GP circuit for 4-11 year olds in the late 2000s along with the construction of the learning zone building.

Sadly however, the 500m circuit extension never came into fruition due to repeated issues including getting permission to clear and build upon the ancient woodland.

2013-2015

2013 saw the 50th anniversary of Buckmore Park. To celebrate the anniversary, the circuit hosted its first ever 24 hour race and organised a special owner driver weekend which was attended by Johnny Herbert and a Sky Sports F1 crew.

In 2014 the Paddock Circuit was created, a temporary circuit for all ages in the owner driver paddock area which was deconstructed and reconstructed every month. Around the same time, the long awaited grandstand on the outside of Symes Sweep was installed.

Buckmore during the late 2000s

A map of the circuit in the mid-2010s

2015-2017

After over 40 years of involvement with the circuit, owner Bill Sisley decided to retire in 2015 with long-time friend John Surtees taking over the ownership of the circuit.

John immediately got to work modernising the circuit, installing tarmac run-off areas and state of the art foam barriers around the circuit, as well as improving the maintenance of the hire-karts.

John unfortunately passed away in 2017, with his daughter Leonora Martell-Surtees and her husband Rich Martell taking over the running of the circuit.

The newly modified circuit in 2016

2017-2020

Under the leadership of Leonora and Rich, the circuit went from strength to strength in the late 2010s which saw the introduction of the now world-famous Buckmore 24 Hour in 2018.

Buckmore’s in-house Pro Series hit record highs in 2019, regularly attracting maximum grids of 38 karts. This season was also broadcast courtesy of Tapes Up Productions, a first of its kind for an in-house hire-karting championship.

2020-2021

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 hit Buckmore hard, especially since it had only recent recovered from the huge investments made in 2015 and 2016.

All but the two most senior members of staff were made redundant and the track had planning permission rejected for a new distribution facility in the paddock area which would have provided much income.

Investment was found however in early 2021 and the track reopened in June.

Buckmore in the present day

2021-present

Since re-opening, Buckmore’s popularity has sky-rocketed, partiy down to the exposure brought to the circuit by YouTubers racing in the Buckmore 24 Hour such as the Sidemen, Super GT, Jimmy Broadbent and Tiametmarduk, as well as Lando Norris with Quadrant. Buckmore is now arguably the most famous karting circuit in the world and we are proud to have it on the EKS calendar.

Further reading: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/the-story-of-kents-kart-circuit-that-may-never-reopen-246732/

Buckmore Park Kart Circuit

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