Almost half a century after first starting a business at Silverstone, Alan Docking says he has no plans to stop working and is instead already looking to the future for his specialist fluid transfer business Earl’s Performance Products UK Ltd at Silverstone Park.
Alan first took on the European franchise of Earl’s in 1991 to compliment the two existing companies at Silverstone Park he may be better known for, Alan Docking Racing (ADR) and Docking Engineering.
ADR was formed in 1975, two years after Alan arrived in the UK from his native Australia and would go on to major success at some of motorsport’s highest levels.
It competed in Formula 2, sports cars, touring cars, Formula Ford, Super League, A1GP and the FIA World Endurance Championship, maintaining throughout a presence in Formula 3 until the team’s closure in 2013.
At least five drivers to race for ADR went on to compete in Formula 1.
Thereafter, Alan concentrated on Docking Engineering and Earl’s, until 2022 when the former was acquired by PWR Advanced Cooling Technology – a global leader in cooling solutions.
This included the company’s customer base, machinery and equipment and highly skilled fabrication and welding staff who, Alan says, “are in good hands”.
Whilst Alan, now aged 74, might not quite put in the hours he once did during his racing career, he remains very much hands-on at Earl’s Performance Products.
Asked if he’s considered retirement and, for example, heading off on a cruise, he has only one answer.
Alan said:
“I’ve got no interest in going on a cruise ship. I’ve done that once and thought it was dreadful!”
Running Earl’s is a hobby in lots of ways and you don’t really retire from a hobby – you continue doing what you enjoy doing.
“So, no, I’ve got no interest in retiring. This fires me up.”
Earl’s has been a specialist supplier of hydraulic components and fittings to the motorsport sector for many years. It also specialises in bespoke subcontract machining of raw materials for motorsport and general engineering.
Alan is always keen to look at alternative markets outside of motorsport, usually areas that are related to fluid transfer.
“We enjoy what we’re doing; we have a good customer base, good folk,” he continued.
“At the end of the day, we employ people and those people tend to stay. I have many people who’ve been here since the nineties, so they stay for the long haul.
“Some of us are getting a bit older, but we also bring in new blood.”
Earl’s products can be seen in most pit lanes around the world and a product that Alan personally developed in conjunction with his team at Silverstone Park is the engine water heater.
The product is designed to take the stress out of race engine start-ups. A plug-in device that connects to the cooling system of the car brings the engine block up to a suitable running temperature without the need to run the engine, waste fuel or cause unnecessary wear.
“I’d call this a must-have item for racing teams,” added Alan.
“As for myself, maybe there’s one more gadget I’d like to come up with.
“I have a few ideas which I haven’t put into mechanical bits yet but there’ll be something that comes along.”
