Future looks bright for historic Oliver's Mount circuit as new motorcycle racing season gets under way
Oliver’s Mount is England’s only natural ‘road’ circuit, the challenging, undulating track is just five minutes from the beachfront at Scarborough and many fans have likened it to a ‘miniature TT by the seaside’.
The first event of this season at the Mount is this weekend, June 21 and 22, the Cock O’ The North, writes Jason Sharp.
“It started in September 1946,” says Andy Hayes, who runs the circuit with his wife Wendy and just one other employee.
“The venue was very different – the speeds, the riders, the equipment – but I suppose the spirit of the riders was very similar. In its heyday it used to be part of the British (Superbike) Championship. To win, you had to race at Oliver’s Mount which meant that all the best riders had to be there.”
Famous riders to grace the circuit include Jarno Sarinen, Giacomo Agostini, Barry Sheen, and Mick Grant.
Four-time World Superbike champion, Carl Fogarty, has fond memories of the circuit.
“I made my debut in 1986, in the 250cc race, broke the lap record and took the win. That was before Farm Bends, so it was flat out over the start-finish, and I used every bit of the track – and possibly some of the grass. It was my first true road race, and everyone was telling me I was riding too fast,” he recalls.
“The last time I rode there in 1989, I won all seven races – the Gold Cup, the other two superbike races, two 250cc races and the two 350cc races. It’s an anticlockwise circuit, which I always liked, and I just loved it there.”
Oliver’s Mount is a rider’s circuit and a huge part of the history of motorcycle racing.
But times have moved on, as Hayes explains: “You’re not going to get your British champions racing around Oliver’s Mount anymore because it’s a real road circuit; it doesn’t pay for them to come and actually risk their career getting injured on a road circuit.”
Instead, Oliver’s Mount attracts pro-level road racers such as Lee Johnston, Dean Harrison, and Rob Hodson.
This is because the circuit serves as “a good test bed and development ground for things like the TT,” Hayes says. “It’s a really good place that people can hone their skills, get their experience, and also, on an annual basis, develop the machine.”
Hayes reveals that the circuit also organises sidecar racing events, which is only done so by themselves, the Isle of Man TT and the Southern 100, and since they began running the circuit’s events in July 2019 they have invested heavily in safety improvements.
He said: “In the last seven or eight years, I think there’s been five years where the future of the place has been at risk, largely due to COVID19. But we’ve dug deep, invested more money, worked very hard and kept it alive.”
Hayes says Oliver’s Mount is here to stay.
He added: “We’ve turned a real corner after the Gold Cup in 2022 and ran a full programme of events in 2023 and 2024. We’ve brought supermoto back which hasn’t run at the Mount for about 20 years.”
The future of the Mount looks to be stable, with investment coming in and events well underway.
This would not have been possible if it wasn’t for the support and community of the spectators.
Hayes said: “The dedicated fans are amazing – you can see that every time we’re unfortunate enough to lose a whole day’s racing due to fog, the majority of spectators basically just say keep my money, keep the club going.”
Gestures like this show what a loyal fanbase Oliver’s Mount has created over almost 80 years.
With the increase in events, and hard work behind the scenes, the future of the circuit looks positive to remain a prominent venue for British motorcycle racing and a valuable asset to Scarborough.