Kirkistown Circuit

{{Infobox motorsport venue

|Name = Kirkistown Circuit

|Nicknames =

|Time = WET (UTC+0)
WEST (April–October, UTC+1)

|Location = County Down, Northern Ireland

|Coordinates = {{Coord|54|27|21.6|N|5|28|8.4|W|display=inline,title|region:IM_type:landmark}}

|Image = 250px

|Image_caption =

|Capacity =

|FIAGrade =

|Owner = 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland

|Operator =

|Opened = 1953

|Closed =

|Construction_cost=

|Architect =

|Former_names = RAF Kirkistown

|Events =

|Layout1 = Full Circuit (1987–present){{cite web |title=Kirkistown – Racingcircuits |url=https://www.racingcircuits.info/europe/united-kingdom/kirkistown.html |work=Racingcircuits.info |access-date=7 December 2022}}

|Surface = Asphalt

|Length_km = 2.433

|Length_mi = 1.512

|Miles_first = true

|Turns = 9

|Record_time = 0:50.782{{cite web |title=Kirkistown – Cars History (continued) |url=https://kirkistown.com/cars-history-page-2/ |work=Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit |access-date=7 December 2022}}

|Record_driver = Philip Shields

|Record_car = Dallara

|Record_year = 2013

|Record_class = GP2

|Layout2 = Full Circuit (1978–1986)

|Length_km2 = 2.386

|Length_mi2 = 1.480

|Miles_first2 = true

|Turns2 = 9

|Record_time2 =

|Record_driver2 =

|Record_car2 =

|Record_year2 =

|Record_class2 =

|Layout3 = Original Circuit (1953–1977)

|Length_km3 = 2.414

|Length_mi3 = 1.500

|Miles_first3 = true

|Turns3 = 6

|Record_time3 =

|Record_driver3 =

|Record_car3 =

|Record_year3 =

|Record_class3 =

}}

Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit is a permanent motorsport circuit located between the villages of Kirkistown and Portavogie, on the Ards Peninsula of County Down in Northern Ireland.

History

The circuit is owned and operated by the 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland (500 MRCI), who opened the circuit in 1953{{cite web|last1= Lynas |first1= Ian |last2= Young |first2= Richard |title= Circuit History: Kirkistown – The story so far... |url= http://www.kirkistown.com/index.php?pid=22 |work= Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit |publisher= 500MRCI |accessdate= 3 February 2013 }} on the site of the former RAF Kirkistown Royal Air Force airfield. Kirkistown's main circuit runs clockwise, and was laid out using portions of the aerodrome's major east–west runway and northern perimeter roadways. The layout is relatively simple, with four main corners and a {{Convert|1000|yd|m|abbr=on}} main straight. During the 1970s, a right-left chicane was constructed approximately one third of the way along the main straight, to reduce approach speeds to the Maguires Hairpin turn.{{Cite book|last=Hunt |first= Julian |title= Motorsport Explorer |year= 2012 |publisher= Haynes Publishing |location= Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset |isbn= 978 1 84425 634 1 |pages= 385–386 }}

Current use

In its present configuration, Kirkistown's track length is {{convert|1.512|mi|km|abbr=on}}{{cite web |title= Guide to Kirkistown racing circuit |url= http://www.itsmymotorsport.co.uk/Kirkistown_circuit.htm |work= Its My Motorsport |publisher= J. Frankin-Pryce & Its My Ltd |accessdate= 3 February 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111208043112/http://www.itsmymotorsport.co.uk/Kirkistown_circuit.htm |archive-date= 8 December 2011 |url-status= dead }} and it is Northern Ireland's only MSA-licensed permanent race track.{{cite web|title= Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit |url= http://www.discoverireland.com/gb/ireland-things-to-see-and-do/listings/?fid=NITB_1866 |work= Discover Ireland |publisher= Tourism Ireland |accessdate= 3 February 2013 }} In addition to the 500 MRCI's own events and other automobile circuit racing series, Kirkistown also hosts races for karting, rallying, rallycross, motorcycle and supermoto classes. Various duathlon, running and cycling events (in aid of Belfast Tandem Cycling Group) have also been held at Kirkistown, including an officially measured series of 5k and 10k races regarded as one of the fastest and flattest courses in the province.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

References

External links

[http://www.kirkistown.com/index.php Official website]

Category:Motorsport venues in Northern Ireland

Category:Sports venues in County Down

Category:1953 establishments in Northern Ireland

Category:Sports venues completed in 1953