Even though MotoFest Coventry 2020 has been postponed, there is a new way to keep close to MotoFest, even in this time of social distancing. The MotoFest team have been working hard from their new home offices, to bring together the brand new – Club MotoFest.

Club MotoFest will bring club members a monthly newsletter with previews of MotoFest activities and events before the public find out. Along with amazing benefits including being invited to four exclusive membership only events per year and discounts from their sponsors, partners and exhibitors.

Edition one of Club MotoFest News is published this Saturday giving information and exclusive membership only discounts from MotoFest exhibitors including Pro-GreenMX, Old Hall Performance and Life-Line Fire, Power Maxed, Rugby Shot Blasting and Spec Prep.

Club MotoFest member are invited to the first exclusive members event; a live webinar with the MotoFest team, some of the Coventry Concours celebrity judges, and the Association of Heritage Engineers. After watching the results of Coventry Concours this Sunday (7th June) at 5.30pm on MotoFest Coventry social media, head over for the live zoom webinar. Members will receive the log in code in the first edition of Club MotoFest News this Saturday.

MotoFest Coventry and the Association of Heritage Engineers have created a fantastic new opportunity for all those hoping to enter their vehicles into car shows and concours competitions up and down the UK this spring and summer. Like many of these events, MotoFest Coventry has unfortunately had to postpone the event until 4^th, 5^th and 6^th June 2021.

The 2020 event was going to host our first concours event in partnership with the Association of Heritage Engineers, within the stunning Coventry Cathedral ruins. Our teams have been working extremely hard during these testing times, to bring to you the virtual Coventry Concours. We have taken a much loved concours style event and are delivering it to you on the digital platform of Facebook.

We have an array of celebrity judges including Allan Winn, Amanda Stretton, Angela Hucke, Drew Pritchard, Ralph Hosier and Neil Campbell with more judges to be added in due course. Look out for profiles on each of our judges on the dedicated Facebook event page (link below).

Over the next four weeks, the competition will have four dedicated rounds dependent upon the age of your vehicle.

Round 1 – Vehicles produced in the 40s and 50s (Pre-war vehicles will be accepted in this category) – Saturday 9^th May to Saturday 16^th May

Round 2 – Vehicles produced in the 60s and 70s – Saturday 16^th May to Saturday 23^rd May

Round 3 – Vehicles produced in the 80s and 90s – Saturday 23^rd May to Saturday 30^th May

Round 4 – Vehicles produced in the 00s and 10s – Saturday 30^th May to Saturday 6^th June

The criteria for all entries can be found here

Each entry will submit an array of unedited photographs of an original or restored vehicle, which should have a link to the city of Coventry. This link can be strong or tenuous with the most creative and interesting tenuous link, from all entries submitted, will receive a prize.

The winner of each round, decided by the judges, will receive a Golden Ticket guaranteeing their vehicle a place at the inaugural Coventry Concours event hosted at MotoFest Coventry 2021.

Coventry Concours event page – www.facebook.com/events/863620364138342/

MotoFest Coventry Social Media – @CovMotoFest

MotoFest Coventry Website – www.coventrymotofest.com

Association of Heritage Engineers Social Media – @AOHEreng

Association of Heritage Engineers Website – www.associationofheritageengineers.co.uk

James Noble, Festival Director, said: “Against the current backdrop of extraordinary events, the MotoFest Coventry board has been constantly evaluating the viability of this year’s festival.

Following recent Government advice on mass gatherings and large-scale public events during the Coronavirus crisis, we have taken the sensible and appropriate decision to suspend MotoFest Coventry for this year.

Please be assured, the weight of consideration, both practical and moral, has been substantial and we do not arrive at this decision lightly.

MotoFest Coventry has grown substantially in recent years, with 2019’s attendance of 229,232 helping to firmly establish its place in the UK’s top ten most attended events.

As a result, MotoFest Coventry makes a huge economic and cultural contribution to the city of Coventry, another factor that has made our decision a difficult one to reach. 

However, in the current climate the health and safety of those attending and those who work on and support a large-scale event such as MotoFest Coventry is paramount, so this is the responsible course of action to take.

MotoFest Coventry 2020 was intended to be our largest event to date. An evening track programme, demonstrations of wheel to wheel motorsport, a new drift car arena, Concourse D’Elegance show and a new Festival of British Engineering, set to be among the highlights of the festival.

We were also due to stage a hugely expanded music offering, which included a new dance music event featuring globally renowned DJs, artists and dance acts.

These new elements and much more will return next year as part of our exciting line-up. We now intend to regroup and turn our attention to 2021 – Coventry UK City of Culture year – on 4, 5 and 6 June with an event bigger and better than ever before. 

Until then, please take care of yourself and those around you.”

For any media enquiries, interview or photo requests please contact Mark McLachlan on 07831 308133, or e-mail mark.mclachlan@waachosen.co.uk 

MotoFest unveils wheel to wheel motorsport and evening track programme for 2020

MotoFest Coventry is to demo wheel to wheel motorsports on an evening circuit programme for the first time ever at this year’s festival.

The main GT Radial sprint circuit will host a full track programme on Saturday night with the highlight of the evening set to be a dynamic display of wheel to wheel motorsport from teams involved in the VW Fun Cup UK series.

Giti Tire is the official tyre partner for the VW Fun Cup series, which sees a grid of 30 identical, race designed, single seater cars with a super-strong space frame chassis based on the Volkswagen Beetle, compete in an eight-round endurance championship.

Top drivers from the VW Fun Cup UK championship will line up on the grid at MotoFest Coventry on Saturday 6 June, for a spectacular showcase of endurance motorsport.

MotoFest crowds will be treated to a demonstration display of overtaking, wheel to wheel excitement and the continuous lapping of the circuit from the race teams, just as you would see in one of the series official championship rounds.

Along with the VW Fun Cup cars, a MotoFest Coventry crowd favourite, the racing trucks, will also feature as part of the evening’s entertainment.

Off the track, the MotoFest Coventry party will also continue on into the evening with music stages, a new food village experience, open air film show and pop up bars all planned as part of the evening festivities.

James Noble, Coventry MotoFest Coventry Festival Director, said: “Each year at MotoFest Coventry we always look to raise the bar with what festival fans can see on the circuit and this year is no exception.

“An evening programme will allow us to extend the MotoFest action on the main GT Radial circuit and what a way to do it with our first ever display of wheel to wheel motorsports.

“We must give thanks to Giti Tire, our sprint circuit sponsor, for their support in creating the evening track programme. With our first ever MotoFest Coventry evening event, it’s going to be a thrilling finale to the first day of action at the festival.

“This is one of many exciting new additions we have in 2020 and we look forward to making further announcements in the coming weeks.”

GT Radial, which is distributed exclusively in the UK by Micheldever Tyre Services, is part of Giti Tire, one of the largest tyre companies in the world in terms of both volume and revenue.

With a brand portfolio including Giti, GT Radial and Runway, the company offers a complete product range for Europe including passenger car, SUV, van, light truck, heavy truck and bus.

Brian McDermott, Country Manager UK for Giti Tire, said: “We’re delighted to extend our sponsorship of the sprint circuit and get back to Coventry, last year was amazing on every level. The crowds were fantastic, they really got into the spirit of the event and were very interactive with all the charity challenges we set up which ultimately raised over £1,000.

“This year we’re kicking it up another level with the thrill of wheel-to-wheel motorsport. Anyone who has witnessed a VW Fun Cup round will know just how close and exciting it truly is, this is motorsport at it’s very best and an experience that will live long in the memory of spectators.

“Keep an ear out for forthcoming competitions and you could be closer to the action than you dared imagine.”

MotoFest Coventry is a two-day festival dedicated to the city’s motoring heritage, taking place on Saturday 6 June and Sunday 7 June. As the largest free urban motorsport festival in the UK, it brings live motorsport, including official championship rounds of various race series, classic and performance vehicles, and the cutting edge of automotive innovation right into the heart of the UK’s Motor City, free for everyone to enjoy across the weekend.

GT RADIAL RAISES £1,000 FOR LOCAL CHARITIES AT POWER MAXED MOTOFEST COVENTRY 2019

GT Radial, the main sprint circuit sponsor at Power Maxed MotoFest Coventry 2019, and the visiting public, have raised a fantastic £1,000 for the Lord Mayor of Coventry’s chosen annual charities.

A football shooting challenge for the kids, a raffle to win high-end car cleaning products and an F1 simulator all helped achieve the total, which will be split between Age UK Coventry and Warwickshire and The Mercia MS Therapy Centre.

As an added bonus the fastest laps in the F1 simulator in the morning and afternoon slots across both Saturday and Sunday got to choose a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Those achieving the winning times were offered the opportunity to be driven around the track in a VW Fun Cup car or one of the highlights of the weekend, a 1,100 BHP racing truck driven by 10 times British and European Truck Racing Champion, Stuart Oliver.

Brian McDermott, General Manager UK for Giti Tire, manufacturer of GT Radial tyres, said: “Our heartfelt thanks to the people of Coventry and all visitors for helping us raise such a fantastic amount for local causes. To support the UK’s largest urban motorsports festival was already a privilege, but the warmth and friendliness of everyone made this an unforgettable experience. Thank you.”

Lord Mayor Cllr Linda Bigham said: “Power Maxed MotoFest Coventry was such a great family event for our city, with so many people having fun and celebrating our city’s motoring heritage.

“It really brought the city together, and, as usual, Coventry people gave generously and I am so grateful they joined GT Radial in raising such a fantastic amount for my chosen charities.

“The money will really make a difference to a lot of people and I’d like to thank everyone involved.”

The Power Maxed MotoFest Coventry event enjoyed its best ever year in 2019, with a record 229,292 visitors attending across the two days of the festival weekend.

James Noble, Power Maxed MotoFest Coventry Festival Director, said: “We are very grateful to Giti Tire for their generous gesture in donating the proceeds of their MotoFest stand activities to the Lord Mayor’s charities.

“As the new sponsor of the GT Radial sprint circuit, Giti Tire has wholeheartedly embraced the MotoFest event and the city and their donation to the Lord Mayor’s charity fund is further testament to this approach.

“Giti Tire and the GT Radial brand were also responsible for some of the highlights of the weekend’s track action with the racing trucks and VW Fun Cup cars and we give thanks to them for helping to make 2019 another incredible event.”

Power Maxed MotoFest Coventry is a two-day festival dedicated to the city’s motoring heritage, taking place on the first weekend of June.

As the largest free urban motorsport festival in the UK, it brings live motorsport, including official championship rounds of various race series, classic and performance vehicles, and the cutting edge of automotive innovation right into the heart of the UK’s Motor City, free for everyone to enjoy across the weekend. For more details visit www.coventrymotofest.com.

Power Maxed MotoFest Coventry speeds past previous attendance figures with record visitor numbers in 2019

Organisers at Power Maxed MotoFest Coventry have been left overjoyed after smashing all previous attendance records with 229,292 visitors recorded at this year’s festival.

In an incredible gauge of the event’s rising popularity, Power Maxed MotoFest Coventry recorded its first ever six figure attendance on the first day, as around 140,000 visitors enjoyed the sights and sounds of the UK’s largest urban motoring festival.

The first day crowd numbers at this year’s event were on a par with visitor numbers across both days in 2018, with the massive increase of attendees helping to provide a huge boost to the city’s economy.

James Noble, Power Maxed MotoFest Coventry Festival Director, said: “This year’s MotoFest is by far our most successful ever and we are completely overwhelmed by what we have achieved with the number of visitors attending the festival.

“It’s incredible to have smashed our previous record for visitor numbers by such a large amount and it now puts us alongside Goodwood Festival of Speed, as the biggest attended motoring festival in the UK.

“The two and four wheeled action we had on the GT Radial Sprint Circuit and the Fueltopia Skydome Action Arena again wowed the crowds, with the viewing galleries heaving with spectators enjoying competitive motorsports and the dynamic displays throughout the day.

“We also celebrated Citroen’s centenary with the biggest anniversary celebrations outside of France, part of what was an incredible all-round celebration of our collective automotive heritage. It’s been an amazing event and we look forward to doing it all again next year.” 

Trish Willetts, Coventry BID Director, said “We are so pleased for James and the MotoFest team. Each year they enhance the event working with our BID businesses to benefit the city centre and we are proud to partner with the team.  

“Driving footfall around all of the corners of the city centre this year has been particularly beneficial to our businesses. Spend is up and brand awareness of the city has been enhanced nationally proving that MotoFest is a key unique selling point for the city.”

Those attending saw a dazzling array of two and four wheeled action as British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) cars, competition and performance cars, heritage sports cars and bikes, ex-Moto GP bikes, supercars, racing trucks, a motorsports legend and champion French drift racer all took to the GT Radial Sprint circuit.   

For the second consecutive year, competitive motorsport featured at MotoFest with official championship rounds of the BARC Connaught National Speed Championship, the Fueltopia Formula G ‘Champion of Champions’ event and the Autotest National Championship qualifiers taking place across the weekend.

As part of the dynamic displays, motorsports legend and two-time British Touring Car (BTCC) Champion Jason Plato, drove his Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing front-wheel drive Vauxhall Astra around the GT Radial sprint circuit. 

Following on from Jason Plato, Sunday saw the Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra BTCC hotseat taken up by 22 year-old Ricky Collard, the son of Plato’ current BTCC team mate Rob Collard.

Adam Weaver, Managing Director of Automotive Brands and SteelSeal Ltd and Team Principal for Power Maxed Racing, said: “It’s incredible to be a part of something so special. I couldn’t be more pleased that so many others feel the same way, as demonstrated by their attendance.

“We expected it to beat last year but only by a little, so to go past it and then in turn exceed 200,000 is really quite staggering. In fact we were so surprised, we all had the numbers checked and checked again, just to make sure! 

“It’s a fitting reward for James, Darren and all their wonderful team at MotoFest that put so much effort in, throughout the year. They make the event what it is, not for financial gain either, all for the love of vehicles and the city of Coventry.”

Further championship drivers to take to the circuit included French drift race ace and five-time French Drift Championship winner, Benjamin Boubles, who put his GT Radial sponsored BMW E93 M3 competition car through its drifting paces.

Visitors were also treated to a two and four wheeled spectacular that signalled the beginning of each day’s action.

On Saturday, close to a thousand bikers descended onto the city as part of a ride-in from historic Coombe Abbey hotel into MotoFest for a parade lap around the circuit.

On Sunday the curtain raiser to the day’s action was provided by a thousand Citroens, with a dazzling array of vehicles from across the ages parading around the city and then onto the circuit as part of Citroen’s centenary celebrations.

Power Maxed MotoFest Coventry is a two-day festival dedicated to the city’s motoring heritage, taking place on the first weekend of June.

As the largest free urban motorsport festival in the UK, it brings live motorsport, including official championship rounds of various race series, classic and performance vehicles, and the cutting edge of automotive innovation right into the heart of the UK’s Motor City, free for everyone to enjoy across the weekend. For more details visit www.coventrymotofest.com.