Remote-control racing track planned for Bexhill

On Monday (January 11), Rother District Council’s cabinet is set to consider proposals to lease part of St Mary’s Recreation Ground to 1066 Racing – a local RC racing club.

Andrew Coley, 1066 Racing spokesman and World Rallycross commentator, said the club’s plan is to create a venue to get more people involved in the sport. 

Andrew said: “Bexhill has got this wonderful history of motor sport, being the first venue for an international motor race anywhere in the world, but we don’t have any motor racing.

“No one is going to build a Grand Prix circuit in Bexhill-on-Sea, we get that, but it would be nice to have some form of racing in the town.”

He added: “The best thing about it is it will be somewhere for people to practice, so if someone wants to go up there and run a few batteries through their car or meet their friend to use their car, then they can.

“We would hope as well that if somebody local has an electric radio-controlled car they might be inspired to come up, watch the racing one day, and think ‘you know what, I’ll join in’.

“Obviously it’s better to be young and have great reactions – I’m getting beaten by 15-year-olds now – but anybody can do it.

“It doesn’t matter how old you are, it doesn’t matter how fit you are, male or female, differently-abled, it is a really inclusive sport.

“It is a great outlet for people who like cars and like racing, which is environmentally friendly and family friendly.”

If granted the lease, the club plans to seek planning permission to enclose the space with fencing in order to operate the track safely.

Initially the club would only operate during the summer, although in the long term (and if finances allow) the club plans to install astroturfing, which would allow it to operate later in the year than on a grass course.

In winter the club would continue to hold its meets from its current, pre-lockdown, base at the Horntye Park Sports Complex in Hastings.

To demonstrate their plans for the site, 1066 Racing held a showcase racing day at the recreation ground back in August. 

Andrew said the club’s intention with the event was both to drum up some interest and to show nearby residents that the car’s electric engines would not pose a noise nuisance. 

He said: “We had a number of people stop and go: ‘Wow, what’s this? That’s cool’. Three people sat down and spent the whole afternoon watching the cars go around the track. 

“So if we have a few people come and join in that’s great for the club and great for Bexhill to have another activity people can take part in and has a hook into the history of Bexhill with motor racing.” 

The approach appears to be supported by the council, with cabinet members recommended to approve granting the lease. 

If approved by cabinet members, the lease would be provided for five years at a peppercorn rent of £1 per annum, with any costs for maintenance to be covered by the club.

Andrew said he hopes the permanent location will encourage others to develop a passion for RC racing.

He says many of those in the club now are the same people who raced together as teenagers and credits his own career in motor sports to his involvement in RC racing when younger.

He said: “The club itself has been going since 2013, but it is made up primarily of a bunch of guys who used to race together when we were teenagers. 

“There used to be a club at Battle but that was when I was young. I started racing when I was 13 and I’m 44 now.”

He added: “I moved on from radio-controlled cars to be a rally driver and then I was a motor sport instructor for ten years. Now I’m on the television and have been talking about it for ten years and have gone full circle back to radio-controlled cars.

“I’m continuing with the full-sized stuff but I realised its a passion of mine. I love it and anybody can do it.”