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Motorbikestoday   Track Guide
Rockingham
Britain's newest circuit has a good selection of grippy corners to test your bike's handling
address:
 Rockingham Motor Speedway
Mitchell Road
Corby
NN17 5AF
tel:
  08700 134 044
website:
  www.rockingham.co.uk
e-mail:
  sales@rockingham.co.uk
opening times:
  0900-1700
circuit length:
  1.7 miles (national)

How to get There

from the south:
 Travel north on the M11 and then join the A14 signposted North/Huntingdon. Leave the road at junction 23, the junction with the A1(M) and continue on the A14 (first exit left at roundabout) signposted Corby. Exit the A14 at junction 12 onto the A6116 signposted Corby and continue on the A6116 until you reach the A43. At the roundabout take the second exit right onto the A43 signposted Corby and continue through 1 roundabout signposted Corby. At the second roundabout turn left signposted (A6003)/Oakham and at the next roundabout take the first exit onto the A6116. Take the first right turn into Shelton Road - Rockingham Motor Speedway is located at the end of the road.
from the north:
 Head south on the A1(M)/A1 and leave at the junction with the A43 signposted Kettering.
At the end of the slip road, turn right onto the A43 signposted Kettering and then Continue on the A43 through 2 roundabouts signposted Kettering/Corby. At the third roundabout take second exit signposted (A6003)/Oakham. At the next roundabout take the first exit onto the A6116 and then take the first right turn into Shelton Road - Rockingham Motor Speedway is located at the end of the road.
from the west:
 Go north on the M5 and exit at junction 4A onto the M42 signposted London. Continue on the M42 at junction 3A signposted Solihull/NEC. Exit the M42 at junction 7A onto the M6 signposted London/Coventry, and from the M6 join the A14 signposted Corby. Exit the A14 at junction 7 onto the A43 signposted Corby and at the first roundabout take the first exit left onto A6003 signposted Oakham/Corby. Continue on the A6003 through 2 roundabouts signposted Oakham and at the third roundabout take the second exit onto the A6116 signposted Corby. Continue on the A6116 through 2 roundabouts signposted Stamford/Huntingdon and take the third left turn into Mitchell Road - Rockingham Motor Speedway is located at the end of the road.

Facilities

paddock:
 large and well surfaced
garages:
 plenty, but only for the main oval circuit
fuel:
 unleaded available in the paddock
catering:
 fast food outlets in the paddock

 

History

Rockingham is the UK's first purpose-built motorsport venue to be constructed since Brooklands way back in 1907. It was constructed on the site of the old British Steel works on the outskirts of Corby during the 1990s at a cost in excess of £55 million, and for quite some time there were serious concerns as to whether it would ever be completed. The main tri-oval circuit was built specifically for Champcar-type events, but the infield contains a versatile complex of tarmac that can be combined in various ways to form a further eleven different circuit layouts.

For motorcycle trackdays, the circuit most frequently used is the National Circuit.
Trackday Operators
name
tel:
website
California SuperBike School 01933-224449 www.superbikeschool.co.uk
Hot Trax 01908-330445 www.hottrax.co.uk/
Focused Events 01903-744011 www.focusedevents.com
Track Time Promotions 01386-423555 www.tracktimepromotions.co.uk
100% Bikes 08708-722532 www.100pc.co.uk
Where to Stay
name
tel:
distance from circuit
Medbourne Grange Hotel, Nevill Holt 01858-565249 7 miles
Valley View B&B, Middleton 01536-770874 5 miles
Hilton Hotel, Corby 01536-401020 3 miles
The Raven Hotel, Corby 01536-202313 2 miles
Thatches on the Green Guest House, Weldon 01536-266681 3 miles
Spanhoe Lodge B&B, Laxton 01780-450328 8 miles

A Lap of The National Circuit

No bend names here, just an order.

Leave the paddock area onto the start/finish straight. Revel in the beautifully smooth yet grippy surface. A right angle right hander leads to a short straight followed by a right-left chicane. This is more of a kink and can be taken very fast.

The following right hander is also fast, and the rest of the back end of the circuit is an almost flat out sequence of wide, open right handers with good visibility and a beautifully grippy surface. After the third right hand bend there is a short straight followed by a right angle right hander which goes abruptly uphill. Nothing like Cadwell but a little daunting the first time.

This leads to a short straight followed by another hard right which leads straight into a long left. Then there is another short straight followed by another very long left. Possibly the best chance you’ll ever get to wear out your left knee slider, should you be so inclined.

The next straight is a couple of hundred metres and leads into a hairpin right that puts you back on the start/finish straight. No surprise to learn that highsides are not uncommon here as people try to get back on the power for the straight. Oh, remember that first right hander at the end? It’s sharper than it looks – build up to it rather than exploring the deep and nicely prepared kitty litter…
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