Arlington Stadium has been SAVED!

Motor racing is officially returning to the historic Hailsham venue following a breakthrough agreement reached between the stadium's owners and promoters.

The Breakthrough Agreement

• Agreement Reached: Venue owners (the Dugard family) and promoter Spedeworth Motorsports have successfully negotiated a plan to bring stock car and banger racing back. 
• Community Victory: The turnaround follows immense local pressure, including a major campaign and a Change.org Petition started by fan Jesse Wilkes which rallied hundreds of signatures within days.
• Promoter Action: Spedeworth Motorsports acknowledged that while the recovery plan will require a significant investment of time and money, they are committed to restoring the venue. 

Why It Closed Intitially

The stadium was abruptly closed to motorsport events earlier in August 2026 due to sudden safety and insurance risks: 

• Infrastructure Failure: Joint-owner Eric Dugard cited severe, long-term health and safety issues impacting both drivers and spectators.
• The Core Safety Issue: A critical 600-metre wire mesh debris fence surrounding the oval track requires full replacement.
• Insurance Mandate: The venue's insurer refused to cover any future racing fixtures until a compliant replacement fence is installed.
• Mounting Costs: The owners had already invested more than £250,000 in electrical and parking upgrades, rendering further immediate funding commercially unviable without a new framework. 

Next Steps for the Track Restoration

• Crowdfunding Support: Promoters are officially backing community initiatives, welcoming proposals for a GoFundMe page to crowdsource the material costs. 
• Corporate Appeals: Once a definitive list of infrastructure tasks is compiled, Spedeworth Motorsports will issue an appeal asking local businesses and contractors for specialized hardware or labor support.