The first bicycle ‘race' was held at an athletics festival on 13th August 1870 and the organisers had the odd idea of including a one mile velocipede steeplechase race, this involved the riders going over steeply sloping obstacles. The event was a total failure and according to the Batley Reporter "the hurdles proved to be obstacles too difficult to surmount...all competitors got ugly falls." This seemed to be the end of cycle racing at the ground for several years.
Shamrock FC played at Savile Town for several years and on 14th May 1881 Dewsbury Shamrock Cricket and Football Club held their athletic festival and gala with bicycle races
Savile Cricket Club, the United Clerks Cricket Club and Dewsbury Football Club amalgamated in 1888 to form the Dewsbury and Savile Cricket and Football Club. The club quickly became successful and within a year they had total assets of £2,000.
Dewsbury and Savile C&FC held their annual Athletic Festival from 1888 and bicycle racing at the festival was first reported at the sports on 20th July 1889. Two bicycle events were included, the one mile race for an oak and electro-plate liquor frame was won by J Dobson of Seacroft and the two miles race went to AW Hudson of Pusey, who won a brass striking clock. The club spent a significant amount of money extending their pavilion in 1890 so that they could host county cricket matches.
The Heavy Woollen** held their annual team race at Savile Town on 24th July 1897, the race was for a 39 ounce solid silver challenge cup. Teams raced against each other over five miles and points were given to each rider on every lap depending on their position, the team with the lowest points total was the winner. The home team, Dewsbury were successful at the meeting and carried off the cup.
Dewsbury Cycling Club held their fourth annual sports on 15th September 1900, but after this, there was little interest in bicycle racing at the ground and the Heavy Woollen Association meeting in 1903 was the last bicycle racing at Savile Town.
The ground was abandoned in the 1990s after the cricket club could not afford to renovate the classic pre-war pavilion. The local council refused to help financially without the club agreeing that the ground could be used by the wider community. The cricket club refused and the council took over the ground, demolished the pavilion and turned the area into a general recreation ground.
** The heavy woollen district was an area of Yorkshire around the towns of Dewsbury, Batley, Heckmondwike and Ossett, where heavy woollen textiles were produced. Eleven cycling clubs in the area formed the Heavy Woollen District Amateur Cyclist Association, which organised inter-club competitions. There were also Heavy Woollen organisations for football and cricket clubs.