A HISTORIC MotoFest Coventry festival is revving up for the return of competitive motorsports to a UK city centre circuit.
The event’s first ever sprint competition headlines a weekend of high octane highlights on and off the track.
There will also be time trials, parades, supercars and passenger rides.
The two-day weekend festival (June 2 and 3) will host a series of time trial events – which will be drawn from the British Automobile Racing Club’s (BARC) various championship series.
And these will take place on the unique city centre sprint circuit on Coventry’s ring road.
The festival will be dedicated to Coventry’s motoring heritage.
It will be the first time competitive motorsport has been hosted on a UK city centre circuit since the Birmingham Superprix in 1990.
The short oval circuit will also host Fueltopia’s Formula G Championship featuring a timed shoot-out with 20 of its top drivers.
Saturday will see practice sessions before Sunday’s qualifying heats and head-to-head battles on the circuit to decide who will top the standings.
In the home city of the iconic automotive marque, the Jaguars will roar with a special 30-year anniversary of Jaguar’s XJR-9 1988 Le Mans victory with the iconic car set to take part in the sprint circuit.
Supercars will also be on show with the Supercar Driver club (SCD) – the UK’s leading club for supercar drivers – making a first ever appearance at the festival.
Lamborghinis, Bugattis, Ferraris and McLarens will be on display in a dedicated super car area close to Coventry Cathedral.
To open proceedings, there will be a motorcycle ride-out from the historic Coombe Abbey Hotel to the sprint circuit, followed by a parade lap to officially open this year’s event.
This year will also see a new dedicated bike village with the Get On ride and try experience, Wall of Death, DynABike and displays from classic bike clubs, a street food village and regular food and drink retailers.
James Noble, Coventry MotoFest festival director, said: “We are looking forward to hosting our biggest and best ever Power Maxed MotoFest Coventry as we get set to lead the way for the return of competitive motorsports to a UK city after 30 years with our first ever sprint competition.
“We are expecting over 130,000 visitors and along with the sprint competition they will be able to enjoy competitive motorsport taking place in the short oval circuit, 50 or more supercars appearing each day on display and the circuit.”
Darren Langeveld, race director, said: “The motorbike section of the festival gets bigger and better every year and it’s fantastic that this year that the bikers will officially start the festival weekend with the ride-out.
“We would also like to thank both Steve Wheatman, Nathan Colombi and Paul Cooper for giving us the opportunity to run these renowned championship winning bikes associated with such true motor cycle racing legends.”
Coventry BID Classic Car and Bike Displays
Start – Finish: What’s on the TOYO TIRES Sprint Circuit? (Schedule is the same both Saturday and Sunday)
10:10 – 10:25: Opening Parade Laps (Motorbike Ride-in Saturday, Jaguar Land Rover Owners Sunday)
10:25 – 10:40: Supercar Drivers Parade Laps
10:45 – 11:30: Performance Heritage Cars Speed Demonstration Laps
11:35 – 12:00: Motorbike Speed Demonstration Laps
12:05 – 13:45: BARC Midlands Motofest Sprint Practice Session
13:50 – 14:35: Performance Heritage Cars Speed Demonstration Laps
14:40 – 15:10: Motorbike Speed Demonstration Laps
15:15 – 16:50: BARC Midlands Motofest Sprint Timed Laps
17:00 – 17:25: Supercar Drivers Parade Laps
17:25 – 18:00: Coventry BID Classic Car Parade Laps
All day Saturday and Sunday
Classic Bikes featuring TME (your chance to ride for the first time) and the Wall of Death.
• Bull Yard
• Classic Car Owners display featuring the Global Care Stage and Funfair
• Broadgate
• Ironmonger Row
• Priory Place
• Millennium Place: Funfair and Transport Museum
• Classic Car Club Village featuring Autotest Arena and CV Folk stage
• Stretching from Jordon Well to Gosford Street
• Supercar Drivers Club: A display of the world’s finest supercars
• Coventry Cathedral steps
Action Area Fueltopia:
Saturday & Sunday 10:00 Fueltopia Heats
Saturday & Sunday 11:00 Legends
Saturday & Sunday 12:00 Fueltopia Heats
Saturday & Sunday 13:00 Legends
Saturday & Sunday 14:00 Fueltopia Heats
Saturday & Sunday 15:00 Legends
Saturday & Sunday 16:00 Fueltopia Finals/Legends
Saturday 17:00 Close
Sunday 17:00 Final Burn out
Autotest Arena
Saturday & Sunday 09:00 – 10:00 Shakedown & Practice
Saturday & Sunday 10:00 – 17:00 Autotest passenger rides
Galliford Try Stage: Greyfriars Green Free
Saturday & Sunday 12:00 – 17:00 Timetable coventrymotofest.com
Global Care Stage: Broadgate Free
Saturday & Sunday 12:00 – 17:00 Timetable coventrymotofest.com
Hope Arena: Greyfriars Green Free
Sunday 10:30 – 11:30 Christian Service; all welcome
CV Folk Stage: Herbert Gallery Free
Saturday & Sunday 12:00 – 17:00 Free music and dance
Hillz FM Stage: Action Arena Free
Saturday & Sunday 10:00 – 17:00 DJs and live music
Autotest Arena & Lanchester display – Free
Saturday & Sunday 10:00 – 15:00 Midland Brass Ensemble
Coventry Cathedral
Friday 18:30 until late A night of archive television from the early eighties about Coventry’s Ska scene, the Arches Venue Tickets archesvenue.co.uk
Saturday 20:00 until late Official Power Maxed MotoFest After Party. Oasis, Blur, Pulp triple header tribute show.