Motor Racing

Motor Racing is a global term used to encompass the group of competitive sporting events which primarily involve the use of motorised vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition. The terminology can also be used to describe forms of competition of two-wheeled motorised vehicles under the banner of motorcycle racing, and includes off-road racing such as motocross. Four- (or more) wheeled motorsport competition is globally governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA); and the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) governs two-wheeled competition. In 1894, a French newspaper organised a race from Paris to Rouen and back, starting city to city racing.[1] In 1900, the Gordon Bennett Cup was established. Closed circuit racing arose as open road racing, on public roads, was banned. Brooklands was the first dedicated motor racing track in the United Kingdom. Following World War I, European countries organised Grand Prix races over closed courses. In the United States, dirt track racing became popular. After World War II, the Grand Prix circuit became more formally organised. In the United States, stock car racing and drag racing became firmly established. Motor Racing ultimately became divided by types of motor vehicles into racing events, and their appropriate organisations.==Links To Peel== Peel was a fan of motor racing as a child and would often mention his enthusiasm for the sport on his shows.

On his 09 September 1985 show, he mentioned his interest in motor racing before getting into records, where he collected photographs of the vehicles. He also mentioned on the show that in his house, his family were fans of racing driver, Ayrton Senna, and that he would like to go to the European Grand Prix at Brands Hatch in a few weeks time.

Peel included Alexei Sayle, football and motor racing as entertainment on his 01 November 1989 show, where he described television not turning him on.

In an interview with Radio Eins on the 18 December 2003 (Radio Eins) show, he  regretted not being able to go to Potsdam, Germany more often, because of the town's motor racing circuit (which he'd read about in his childhood) rather than its role in German history.

It is not known whether Peel attended any Grand Prix racing events, but he did attend Mallory Park, a motor racing circuit in the East Midlands of England which was a venue used for Radio One “Fun Days” in the 1970's. Peel described one event at Mallory Park in 1975 as the finest event he ever attended, when the BBC sub aqua club tried to prevent Bay City Rollers fans from drowning and where Tony Blackburn was on a speed boat driven by someone who was dressed as a womble.

Peel's general interest in motor racing also included drag racing and the TT motorbike races on the Isle Of Man, where he had to cut his stay there in 1996 when he heard that his wife, Sheila, was suffering from a brain hemorrhage.