RE: Legal street racing in Coventry

RE: Legal street racing in Coventry

Friday 24th October 2014

Legal street racing in Coventry

F3 racers, Porsche GT Cups and BTCC cars to race street circuit time trial on Coventry's ring road



Remember back in the summer when the closed roads motorsport legislation was passed? Well already Coventry city council has put the new rules into action by organising time trials on public roads for next year. Really.

Without getting ahead of ourselves...
Without getting ahead of ourselves...
The Coventry Motofest 2015 aims to see BTCC, Formula 3 and Porsche Carrera Cup cars compete on the city's ring road. Hopefully now the Birmingham Superprix lead image (next year in fact marks 25 years since the last one) makes more sense!

The Motofest organisers are in partnership with the British Automobile Racing Club to ensure the event receives Motorsport Industry Association approval. The two-day event hopes to gather 150 time trial competitors in 2015. There's even discussion of a BTCC round on the Coventry ring road but let's not get carried away just yet...

The intention for Coventry Motofest is to be an Edinburgh Festival for motorsport with plenty of other attractions aside from the time trials. Following a successful first event in 2014 with static displays, bikes, a motoring themed film festival and live music the time trials should make the weekend even better.

Is that a D-Type back there?
Is that a D-Type back there?
James Noble is Motofest Director and said of the news: "We are so excited to announce competitive motorsport on the Coventry ring road. This was a big part of our vision ... and we are so grateful to Coventry city council for its forward-thinking approach in enabling us to make it a reality."

Understandably too the BARC are very pleased with the partnership. General Manager Ian Watson said: "The BARC are delighted to be working with everyone at Coventry Motofest for 2015."

The pictures you see here are early phone pics from today's media event at Coventry. We'll add more and provide any additional info as soon as it arrives!

 



 

[Superprix images: 1989 British Touring Car Championship. Birmingham Superprix, England. 28th August 1989. Rd 11. Mike Smith (Ford Sierra RS500), retired, action. World Copyright: LAT Photographic. Ref: 89BTCC BIR05

Birmingham, England. 27th August 1990. Rd 9. Erik Comas (Lola T89/50-Mugen), retired, leads Eddie Irvine (Reynard 90D-Mugen), retired and Didier Artzet (Reynard 90D-Cosworth), 3rd position, action. World Copyright: LAT Photographic. Ref: Colour Transparency]

Author
Discussion

l354uge

Original Poster:

2,892 posts

120 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
I'd be surprised if that pile of crumbly concrete could withstand 34 BTCC cars at full tilt, but I'd love to see it!

Crazy Don

76 posts

208 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
I lived in Coventry in late 70's when at Lanchester Polytechnic. We raced on the ring road with great success but the main hazard was the back to front slip roads where cars coming on the ring road crossed over the cars leaving. A wonderful piece of 60's road design.

ghibbett

1,900 posts

184 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Will look forward to going to this next year. Let's hope it kicks the council into repairing the dismal roads in the area!

unpc

2,831 posts

212 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Is this an April Fools early? I've always thought it would make an epic race track. It'd be like something off GTA or Burnout Paradise but set in the closest thing we have to North Korea.

Turbobanana

6,160 posts

200 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Poignant lead image: Mike Smith died on August 1st this year...

HorneyMX5

5,306 posts

149 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
This sounds AWESOME!

Jerry Can

4,424 posts

222 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
is the ring road the a4053?

TobesH

550 posts

206 months

PositronicRay

26,957 posts

182 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Jerry Can said:
is the ring road the a4053?
yes

Prancing Hippo

229 posts

147 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
As a child I remember being driven by my old man in his T37 around Coventry in an event called 'Round the Street of Coventry' or something similar. It certainly wasn't a race, but sitting in the passenger seat as a little kid it certainly felt like it was. Oh, the memories... :-)

Great that it looks like something similar heading coming back to Coventry or any city for that matter, in whatever guise. Hopefully a means to garner interest in motorsport from people who may otherwise not have much access to such sights.

Hudson

1,857 posts

186 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
unpc said:
Is this an April Fools early? I've always thought it would make an epic race track. It'd be like something off GTA or Burnout Paradise but set in the closest thing we have to North Korea.
hehe

Craikeybaby

10,369 posts

224 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
This was a great event last year, with only parade laps on the ring road, I'm really looking forward to it next year!

montyvr6

93 posts

183 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
i fear the NIMBY's will get too involved. Remember for a few hours there will be noise which will disrupt their ability to watch Jeremy Kyle and the disruption will mean they won't be able to pop out on a aprticular day.

Long gone are the days when people embraced new things and enjoyed watching their community do something interesting. It's probably against someones religion too or is liable to upset someone and so will get the European court of human rights involved!


PositronicRay

26,957 posts

182 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Looking forward to this, definitely going.

bounce

FD3Si

857 posts

143 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
I KNEW there would eventually be some something positive to come from living near Cov. Marvellous.

I want to see use of the slip roads - there need to be sections where they have to exit and leave the RR whilst jockeying for position with taxi drivers.

MonkeykingZX

151 posts

138 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Think I'll be adding this to the calender for next year!

MrLizard

261 posts

182 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
i live in cov and this is on my route to work each day, they are doing quite a bit of work in parts of it at the moment but the surface is terrible in places and it doesnt drain very well either, definitely looking forward to it though, id love to see someone drift the entire circumference of the ring road though biggrin

PositronicRay

26,957 posts

182 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Where best to watch from? Most of the ring road is elevated, will they have grandstands?

FD3Si

857 posts

143 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
PositronicRay said:
Where best to watch from? Most of the ring road is elevated, will they have grandstands?
Top of the Uni Library biggrin

PositronicRay

26,957 posts

182 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
FD3Si said:
Top of the Uni Library biggrin
Scarys roof?