Motodrom Gelsenkirchen: From Racing Glory to Silence

Hidden in the heart of Germany’s Ruhr region lies a long-forgotten race track. The Motodrom Gelsenkirchen, also known as the Almaring. Once alive with the roar of engines and the cheers of spectators. This former circuit now stands as a silent witness to a bygone era of grassroots motorsport. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into its history, unique layout, golden years, and ultimate demise.

The Birth of Motodrom Gelsenkirchen

The Motodrom Gelsenkirchen was built in 1969 on the grounds of the former Alma coke factory, in the Ückendorf district of Gelsenkirchen. It was this industrial past that earned the circuit its later nickname—the Almaring.

The Rheinländische Altwagen-Gemeinschaft (RAG), led by Anton Brenner, transformed the abandoned factory grounds into a small racing venue, designed as a club circuit for amateur and hobby racers.

The Unique Layout of the Almaring

Unlike most speedway tracks, the Almaring wasn’t a traditional oval. It had a distinctive five-corner design, featuring a tight hairpin on one end and a sweeping curve on the other, with long straights and minor kinks in between.

This made it a hybrid of a road course and a short oval, offering the technical challenge of a permanent circuit. While maintaining the high-speed, close-quarters racing of a speedway. Like most oval-style tracks, races were run counterclockwise.

When first opened, the circuit featured a 750-meter gravel track, 7.5 meters wide, accommodating both car and motorcycle races. In its early years, it was mostly used for a form of stock car racing featuring old, modified vehicles competing in different classes.

In 1977, the track was paved, shifting the focus to car racing. The venue could host around 2,000 spectators, who stood right at the edge of the action.

The Golden Era of Motodrom Gelsenkirchen

The 1970s and early 1980s were the peak years of the Almaring. On an average race day, between 150 and 200 competitors battled in eight different vehicle classes, ranging from standard road cars to highly modified hot rods and minirods.

The track attracted racers from all over Germany and neighboring countries, giving it a surprisingly international appeal despite its small size. After the closure of the Vestlandring in Recklinghausen, the Almaring became even more popular, hosting races twice a month—on the first and third Sundays.

For fans, the circuit was more than just a racing venue. It had an intimate, family-friendly atmosphere, where spectators could get up close to the cars and drivers. The raw, grassroots spirit of the racing made it a beloved track for many.

The Decline and Closure of the Almaring

By 1982, however, the circuit began to struggle. Public interest was waning, and complaints from local residents about noise pollution were increasing. Frequent race days and the use of loudspeakers during events led to growing opposition.

At the same time, environmental concerns were becoming more prominent, fueled by the rising influence of the Green Party (Die Grünen). As pressure mounted, it became increasingly difficult for the circuit’s organizers to keep operating. Ultimately, the Almaring held its final race in 1984. After that, the engines fell silent.

In the decades since, nature has slowly reclaimed the track. The asphalt still remains, though much of it is now overgrown. A few remnants—like old crash barriers—serve as the last traces of its racing past.

Motodrom Gelsenkirchen Today

Today, the former Motodrom Gelsenkirchen is a hidden gem for motorsport enthusiasts and fans of industrial history. The site is freely accessible. Visitors can still walk the outline of the old track, with its original shape and layout clearly visible.

For those who want to experience the Almaring in a virtual setting, a digital recreation of the track is available in Assetto Corsa, allowing sim racers to relive its unique character in the digital world.

Though the Almaring has been abandoned for decades, its legacy lives on—in the memories of those who raced there and in the stories still told by those who remember this special piece of German motorsport history.