Second circuit for Coventry Motofest brings Gymkhana racing
Free festival announces more attractions
AS CAR festivals go, Coventry Motofest is something of an underdog. It lacks the picture-perfect splendor of the Goodwood Estate and can’t count on the benefit of the countless plugs on national radio and television that CarFest enjoys, courtesy of Chris Evans. Which is why Motofest organisers must be hoping that the addition of a new “drift circuit” will pull in petrolhead punters like never before.
The city-based motoring showcase began in 2014, and will be held on June 4 and 5 this year. Initially a cross between a classic car show and stock car race, the additional circuit allows organisers to add another spin to Motofest – Gymkhana.
One of the most visually spectacular motor sports, Gymkhana sees cars race against the clock around a devilish obstacle course, where points are awarded for showmanship as much as speed.
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Some of the best drifters in the business, from the UK Formula G Championship, will battle it out on the short track oval. Also promised are a wide range of stock cars, including BriSCA F1 machines – as seen in Gears & Tears, the BBC documentary that followed a pair of warring drivers and their families through a season of stock car racing.
Two Gymkhana specification Subaru Imprezas, driven by Formula G drivers Jake Archer and Matt Miller, recently performed demonstration runs – seen in the video, above – to give a taste of things to come on the new track, which will be located in the Moat Street car park, near Junction 7 of the Coventry Ring Road.
Unlike most other car festivals and motor sport events, the Coventry Motofest is free to attend. Darren Langeveld, Motofest Race Director, said: “Coventry Motofest has doubled the fun as we now have not just one but two circuits for this year’s event.
“We will have a full programme of competition and performance cars and bikes, racing trucks and vintage vehicles all running on the main long track circuit, alongside a new short track oval filled with Gymkhana cars, stock cars and drift cars.”
