50 years of CKC Racing

Last Updated: Wednesday, January 1st 2014 at 3:30 PM

2010 Camberley Kart Club’s 50 Years Racing Anniversary

With this being the 50th year of CKC (Camberley Kart Club) racing, we’ve done some digging and found some newsletters from the 1960’s. As some of you may know, when the club was formed, initially racing took place on army land in Aldershot before moving to Blackbushe.

Two club newsletters were written in the autumn of 1966, regarding the “new” circuit i.e. the one we currently race on.

The first newsletter details the challenges encountered around the planning permission and permits needed for work to commence on the track we use today. It’s an interesting read and demonstrates the commitment from our committee members then to win the battle to get a “new” track for CKC. Click here to read the special newsletter

The second newsletter is a review of the first race day in November 1966 on the new track. This event was covered by the BBC however the footage is unfortunately no longer in the BBC archives. Click here to read the first Blackbushe race review newsletter

In the 1980’s/1990’s when the Make a Wish Foundation used the track for fund raising days (before we were closed down and the Public Enquiry took place) a number of famous people came and took part.

Below is a copy of the Surrey & Hants Star from 1994. Camberley Kart Club hit the front page when the track re-opened after the public enquiry. To see the full size and read the article please click on the picture below.

Surrey & Hants Star

As mentioned above there have been some famous people associated with the club, John Surtees being one of them. Below right is a copy of a letter from John Surtees to the CKC Chairman at the time following Henry Surtees first kart race at Blackbushe. As you may know Henry was tragically killed in a freak accident at a Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch last year.

John Surtees Letter to CKC

John was kind enough to attend Camberley Kart Club’s Trophy presentation and Dinner Dance in February this year to present the awards for 2009 and included a special one in Henry’s memory.

Interesting Facts:

One of the president’s of the club in the early years was Emmerson Fittipaldi (when he was racing for Maclaren). Camberley Kart Club has always had strong links with the Woking based Maclaren team.