• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Tragic history of racetrack where 'catastrophic' 11-bike crash killed two riders

Home> News> Sport

Published 16:31 6 May 2025 GMT+1

Tragic history of racetrack where 'catastrophic' 11-bike crash killed two riders

Oulton Park might be picturesque, but its race circuit can also be perilous

Olivia Burke

Olivia Burke

Although its owners describe it as the 'UK's most picturesque motor racing venue' and 'one of Europe's most revered racetracks', Oulton Park has also been the site of a host of tragedies.

The hard-surfaced circuit situated in Cheshire is owned by MotorSport Vision (MSV), a firm set up in 2004 by ex-Formula 1 ace Jonathan Palmer, which manages various racing venues across the UK.

A host of sporting events are held there each year - including the Gold Cup, the British Touring Car Championship and the British Superbike Championship.

Advert

It was the latter which was taking place on Monday (5 May) when a 'catastrophic' collision involving 11 riders occurred, leaving two competitors dead and several others injured.

East Sussex-born rider Owen Jenner, 21, and New Zealand-native Shane Richardson, 29, both sustained fatal injuries and passed away before they arrived at hospital.

Cheshire Police have launched an investigation into the deadly incident, while the Motorcycle Circuit Racing Control Board and the event's organisers, MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR), have also launched probes.

The racing circuit in Cheshire is known for its sharp corners (PA)
The racing circuit in Cheshire is known for its sharp corners (PA)

MSVR - the racing arm of MSV which handles an extensive portfolio of championships and series - explained that the 'chain reaction' pile-up took place as riders were 'exiting turn one on the first lap'.

Advert

This spot, known as Old Hall corner, is at the start of the complex circuit which MSV describes as one 'of the most challenging' race tracks in UK motorsport.

According to the company's website, the entire course follows 'the route of the former estate’s access roads' and the 'natural contours of the Cheshire countryside'.

It's renowned for its tight corners, blind crests and rapidly changing gradients - which might go some way to explaining why so many accidents have taken place there during motorsports events over the years.

Brit champ killed in 1981

British motorcycle racer Dave Potter, 31, passed away on 18 September 1981, more than two weeks after he was involved in a deadly crash at Oulton Park.

Advert

The dad-of-two, who had triumphed at the British Superbike Championship twice, suffered horrific head injuries after he crashed at the Cascades corner and collided with an unprotected Armco barrier.

Potter, from Yorkshire, was taken to Chester Royal Infirmary before being transferred to the Stoke Mandeville Hospital, but never regained consciousness. He passed away 17 days after the crash.

David Potter never regained consciousness after the deadly crash in 1981 (The tz350 Website)
David Potter never regained consciousness after the deadly crash in 1981 (The tz350 Website)

Race marshal dies in 2006

Paul Leonard was a track marshal who was working at Oulton Park during a test day organised by the Motorcycle Circuit Racing Control Board (MCRCB) in April 2006 when tragedy struck.

Advert

He suffered fatal injuries when a rider on a Yamaha 600 lost control on Lodge Corner, with Cheshire Police saying the competitor 'came off the motorcycle which then bounced into the air and struck the track marshal'.

Leonard, who was 49 years old and from Greater Manchester, died after what the force described as a 'tragic accident', while the rider escaped uninjured.

Race red-flagged in 2008

Racing officials red-flagged a British Superbikes race in May 2008 after a number of riders crashed on the first corner at Oulton Park due to dire weather conditions.

Tom Sykes, Billy McConnell and Cal Crutchlow were among those who took a tumble during the incident which took place at Old Hall corner.

Advert

Officials ruled it was not safe to continue the race due to the wet conditions, according to Bike Sport News, although no serious injuries were reported.

Cars collide in 2009

A dramatic collision between two cars on the famous track was captured on camera in 2009 (YouTube)
A dramatic collision between two cars on the famous track was captured on camera in 2009 (YouTube)

A racing car was involved in a scary collision during the 2009 Ginetta G50 Championship in Oulton Park back in May 2009.

In footage shared to YouTube by a spectator, a vehicle driven by Carl Breeze is seen grinding to a halt in the middle of the track - while competitors are roaring right behind - after skidding across the course.

Most managed to narrowly avoid smashing into the car, but one driver, Mark Proctor, was unable to dodge it and careered straight into it. Both drivers were injured following the crash.

Motorcycle tragedy in 2013

Experienced rider Michael Carson, 52, was killed during a motorcycle track day at Oulton Park on 5 October, 2013, after a fatal collision at an area of the course known as Hill Top, which is described as a 'blind-brow hill'.

He flew off his bike after smashing into another vehicle, sustaining fatal injuries, while four others were also hurt. Two of these had life-changing injuries, according to Motorcycle News.

MSV were fined £158,000 and ordered to pay court costs of £250,000 after pleading guilty to a single count of acting contrary to Regulation 3(1)(b) of the management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

MSV did not wish to share any further comment when approached by LADbible.

Featured Image Credit: TNT Sports

Topics: Extreme Sports, Sport, UK News, Health

Olivia Burke
Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

X

@livburke_

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Two riders die after ‘catastrophic’ 11-bike crash at British Superbikes Championship
  • ‘Most tragic airline disaster of all time’ saw 580 people killed after two planes collided on runway
  • Man does water bottle experiment while 60ft underwater to make terrifying point about holding breath in sea
  • Everything 'discovered inside bag of British teen' arrested 4,000 miles away from where she went missing

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
4 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • 3 hours ago

    NASA astronaut's stunning time-lapse of Earth lightning storm from ISS has to be explained to be believed

    NASA astronaut, Nichole Ayers, explained it all in her social media post online

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Owner of Ancient Egyptian tomb finally identified 50 years after archaeologists' discovery

    The discovery is an important breakthrough according to local officials

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    30-year mystery of bone fragments washing up on US beaches is finally solved

    Bones were being washed ashore in the US, from 1995 to 2013 without any answers

    News
  • 5 hours ago

    New details emerge over devastating plane crash that claimed life of famous drummer Daniel Williams

    Crash investigators have shared details about what they believe caused the horrific incident

    News