Croft looks set to face closure after losing its appeal against an decision to award local residents damages for noise pollution – and to add insult to injury, the track has been told it can only hold 40 "noisy" days per year.

Residents Derek and Julia Watson, and their daughter Jill, live within 300 yards of the Darlington track and reckon their lives have been disrupted by "loud, intrusive and repetitive noise".
A statement from Croft circuit this afternoon said:"Croft Promosport Ltd is extremely disappointed with the Court of Appeal's decision today in relation to the recent High Court Judgment, which has serious implications for the circuit and the motor racing industry generally. We are reviewing the position carefully and would not wish to make any further comment at this stage."
In April this year, they were awarded a total of £149,600 in damages. Today in the Appeal Court, Judge Sir Andrew Morritt said he could find no legal flaw in the earlier decision and that it was illogical to deny the trio an injunction to limit the track to 40 days of noisy activity. However, the granting of the injuction will reduce the damages payable.
Track owners Croft Promo-Sport were also denied permission to appeal to the House of Lords and were instructed to pay £120,000 in legal costs immediately. This is a fraction of the Watsons' reported £700,000 legal bill.

The objection by the Watsons and Ms Wilson was not to car and motorbike racing events, which take place on the track on about 45-50 days-a-year, but to "vehicle testing days" and "track days", when members of the public drive cars around the track all day long at high speed.
The ruling sets a dangerous legal precedent which leaves the track open to law suits from residents who are within earshot of the circuit. 
More dangerously, however, it leaves any motorsport facility open to legal action of the same nature. Not good.