RACING LINES
Damien Smith
Historic racers have long relied on Avon for radial and crossply tyres
We tend to take tyres for granted, don’t we? In motorsport, they only become
news when they don’t work or they fail. So this week, let’s change that with an update on one of the great saves of the season. Avon Tyres, long-established as one of racing’s best and most dependable specialist manufacturers, is back and thriving despite the closure of its factory in Melksham, Wiltshire, last year. Anew venture has pulled the British brand back from extinction, providing a shot in the arm that will be felt not only in the UK but in almost every corner of the motorsport world.
Avon’s closure was triggered after Goodyear acquired its American parent firm, Cooper Tires. But now a start-up called Nova Motorsport (see what they did there?) has bought all rights to the Avon brand and its major assets, has so far reemployed 100 of the 350 or so who lost their jobs and is already producing competition tyres from a recently acquired factory. The headcount is expected to double in the months to come.