Avon to honour Castle Combe’s 60th anniversary

Avon Tyres has announced that it will support the Castle Combe race event held on September 3 to honour the Wiltshire track’s 60th anniversary. Avon’s global motorcycle sales manager Graham Matcham said, “We have a very close working relationship with Castle Combe and with both companies being so near it is understandable that we have used our ‘local’ circuit almost constantly over the last 60 years to help develop our world-beating tyres. We are delighted to be taking part in this exciting event and are looking forward to showing Castle Combe’s visitors our 100th anniversary display.”

Originally opened in the summer of 1950, making it one of the oldest and established circuits in the UK, Castle Combe held its first dedicated motorcycle race in 1951 and to honour this 60th anniversary the circuit will be hosting a very special race meeting – the Fowlers Pro-Bike National.

This 60th anniversary coincides with Avon Tyres’ own 100th anniversary of manufacturing motorcycle tyres. With Castle Combe just 12 miles away from Avon Tyres in Melksham, both companies have a long and close relationship. Castle Combe has been used constantly in the development of Avon Tyres over the last 60 years. Recently, Avon Tyres unearthed rare film footage of the firm testing Geoff Duke’s Manx Norton racer on Avon tyres.

Taking place on Saturday 3 September, the Fowlers Pro-Bike National will feature plenty of race action, including a round of the Rapid Solicitors Ducati 848 Challenge, two races each for the British F2 Sidecars and the British Historic Grand Prix Championship, both of which run predominantly on Avon tyres and the Simply Saab Castle Combe Trophy.

Avon Tyres will be there with a static display showing its 100 years of history in the manufacture of motorcycle tyres. Today, Avon Tyres is the only UK-based manufacturer of road-going motorcycle tyres and their latest range of road tyres covers every category of motorcycles from adventure sport to power cruisers and sports bikes.  Over the last century, famous motorcycling names such as Geoff Duke, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood and Barry Sheene have raced and won on Avon Tyres.

The firm has won 13 Supersport and four Production class championships on two wheels as well as Isle of Man TT victories on both three and two wheels. In recent years Avon Tyres has become the choice in classic motorcycle racing, with riders such as 1987 500cc GP champion Wayne Gardner winning events on Avon rubber.

Joining Avon Tyres at the event will be a host of bike race stars including Carl Fogarty, Michael Rutter and his father Tony Rutter, Martin Jessop and Mike Hailwood’s son David Hailwood, all taking part in a one-off ‘star parade’ on the circuit after which they will be on hand to sign autographs for fans. Four-time World Superbike champion Fogarty knows the circuit well, having taken the first 100mph average lap of the circuit back in 1989.