By Greig Watson BBC News Online, Nottingham

The veterans took to the circuit again

Veterans of the early days of hairpin bends and hot oil came to celebrate a double anniversary at Donington Park, in Leicestershire.

It is 70 years since the circuit first hosted a car race and 30 years since its unique collection of vintage cars opened.

One of those returning was Tom Delaney, who competed in Donington's first season and at 92, is the world's oldest holder of a Competitions Licence.

Pole position

Mr Delaney still drives the same Lea Francis which he raced in 1933.

He said: "I love it. It keeps me young and I intend to carry on. And by now, of course, I know the car pretty well.

"It's a very sporting atmosphere, all the drivers help each other."

He has very clear memories of his first season at Donington: "My most memorable start was certainly a race in 1933 where we were in pole position.

Speed demons My memories of the first race are very vivid, mainly because it was so dangerous Max Turner, ex-racing driver (left) More memories in pictures

"The weather was atrocious, it had been very wet. When the flag went down I put my foot on the accelerator.

"But the wheels just spun on wet leaves and the car did not go anywhere.

"The cars behind just began to pile up, hooting their horns and shouting.

"They drove around me and when I got going I had to chase them and eventually I came in second - passing a few Bugattis on the way."

He added: "Donington was a terrific circuit. It was a road track not a racing circuit.

"It was not flat and had up and downs which would throw the car about. It was a real challenge."

Max Turner, 89, drove with his brother in Donington's first ever car race on 25 March 1933.

He said: "My memories of the first race are very vivid, mainly because it was so dangerous. The cars were like supercharged perambulators, you had to nurse them around corners.

Mechanics banned

"They slid very well. In fact they almost went as fast sideways as forwards.

"The main thing was to keep them on the road, if you went onto the grass they turned over.

"The races really were dangerous. At the first meeting a mechanic was killed and I think five people died at a subsequent race.

"At that time the cars had two seats, one for the driver and one for what was known as a 'flying mechanic'.

"But that was banned not too long afterwards and the cars became single seaters."

The car museum is celebrating its 30th anniversary

Racing ceased at Donington in 1939 when the military took over the area.

It was left derelict until 1970 when local builder Tom Wheatcroft bought the venue.

As well as restoring the track he started a museum which became the Donington Grand Prix Collection.

The collection has grown from 40 to over 140 classic and up-to-date cars.

"Titch" Allen , 88, was a reporter working for a local paper when the track opened.

He said: "Motor racing was not regarded as a proper sport by some people in those days so the big papers did not bother to send reporters up.

"Once I was in the pit area when a driver called Bob came up to me and told me he needed a second person so I was going with him.

"It was terrifying. The car bounced all over the place, the front wheels left the ground.

"We went from bright sunshine to the dark of coppice wood and I couldn't see a thing. I knew full well from my reporting that deer sometimes ran across the track there and we would have had no chance to avoid them."