White City

White City Stadium, Chester Road, Old Trafford, Manchester. Like so many stock car stadia of the past, White City began its racing days in the late 1920s staging greyhound and speedway racing.

It's association with stock car racing came via Mike Parker, who had been running meetings featuring his own brand of banger racing at the nearby Salford Stadium. Parker allegedly struck a deal with the stadium owners, the GRA, to advise on the suitability of motorsport activities at their stadia. This opened the door for stock cars at the well appointed White City Stadium, with the first meeting being staged on 15th July 1972.

Initially a rough shale track, the arena's ability to stage big meetings was increased when the track was tarmacked for the 1976 season. Parker was regarded as a wheeler dealer, and was viewed by his fellow promoters as something of a maverick figure. He allegedly enlisted the help of Stu Bamforth and Allan Barker to assist with the laying of the new surface and for a brief period, it looked as though a new partnership was to form. It didn't last, and Parker was left with a now World Final standard track and stadium, whilst Bamforth was left cursing, but at least exacted revenge by winning the World Title at Parker's track in September 1976.

Tragedy was to befall the sport in 1976, with the terrible loss of Brian Wallace (119) in an accident at the June meeting. Brian is very much still fondly remembered to this day, with the annual Trust Fund race in his memory.

The now superfast tarmac circuit was a popular venue for drivers and supporters alike despite seemingly always clashing with a meeting in the midlands. The venue staged it's second and final World Final in 1979, with Frankie Wainman (212) taking the Gold.

Due to the stadium's city centre location, it was perhaps inevitable that the GRA were going to be made an offer they couldn't refuse by developers, and unfortunately this happened with the site being sold in 1981, the final full season of racing at the stadium. The last meeting being held on 1st January 1982, won by Len Wolfenden (190).

The stadium stood derelict for a number of years before being demolished in the late 1980s. White City Retail Park now stands on the site of the old stadium, with the white colonnaded gateway on Chester Rd still standing as a reminder of days gone by.

Mike Parker Promotions also suffered by the loss of White City, his only perceived World Final standard venue, and saw the dates transferred to Crewe, which as good a track as it was, simply wasn't anywhere close to the same standard as White City. With Blackburn and Rochdale also closing to MPP in 1984, the loss of so many venues accelerated the end of his association with BriSCA F1 stock car racing.

Andre Zang