Nakuru's F1 glory days, when a ticket was one bob!

Nakuru is the home of the “who’s” and “what’s” that existed long before modern civilization swept in and changed everything.

In the 1960s, long before towering skyscrapers and modern residential houses, Nakuru played host to world-class racing events, including Formula One (F1). It was a vibrant symbol of a growing motorsport scene and a town on the move.

Today, those glory days are a fading memory. Staunch motorsport fans have been left to watch races on TV at ungodly hours, far removed from the adrenaline that once roared through their own backyard.

According to records, the Nakuru Motor Racing Circuit which measured 2.1 kilometers (1.328 miles), was officially opened in February 1956.

Designed by Jim Heather-Hays Sr., the circuit was located in the Lake View Estate area and was owned by the Nakuru Town Council. For a brief, electric moment in time, it was one of the jewels of East African motorsport.

This was after the closure of the Gilgil race track in 1953, after an accident only two years after it was opened in 1951.

Every Saturday and Sunday morning, a young Musa Githinji then just a Class 6 student, would visit the circuit to watch the thrilling races.

For him, the racetrack is now a memory of motion and legacy, and the story of Nakuru’s racetrack begins with people like him.

He vividly recalls how in 1969, the closed-circuit road race took place on almost 10 acres of land, winding through what are now known as LangaLanga and Racetrack estates.

“Competitions started around 2 p.m. and went on till about 6 p.m.,” he says. “We had competitors from both within and outside the country, and entry to watch the race was just Sh. 1.”

According to Githinji, for more than 20 years, Nakuru Racing Circuit served students and their parents, and the track even had sheds to sit under as they enjoyed the view.

“As we watched the competitions, I remember then we felt like we were witnessing miracles. It is unfortunate that in the early 80’s the track dwindled, leading to its closure, and the tarmac was removed to pave the way for residential houses,” says Githinji.

History recalls how the circuit fell into disuse by 1986, and it remained a quiet testing ground for enthusiasts and teams until at least 2002. This is also blamed on a 1973 oil crisis which became expensive for the motor-racing industry as the vehicles’ maintenance funds declined.

Unable to be maintained by the council, land-buying companies and politicians quickly moved in erasing a key piece of Nakuru’s sporting history.

Now, with the transformation of the area into residential neighbourhoods, the chapter on Nakuru’s motorsport legacy has quietly closed.

Fittingly, the name ‘Langa Langa’, a Maasai word meaning ‘to go around and around’, still whispers of what once was- a town that lived and breathed racing.