Nova Motorsport – a new brand inspired by heritage and dedicated to technical excellence, which has acquired assets, including the brand licence, traditionally used in the manufacturing and sale of a broad range of motorsport tyres under the names ‘Avon Motorsport’ and ‘Avon Racing’, has signed an exclusive partnership with the RallyX Championship.
Nova Motorsport’s five-year partnership commences with the 2024 season of the eight-round European-wide RallyX rallycross championship beginning in Sweden May 10-11. Comprised of six categories and headlined by the elite 600-horsepower four-wheel-drive Open 4WD class, RallyX represents the ultimate racing cauldron for Nova Motorsport to demonstrate the technical excellence and competitive superiority of its products.
Nova Motorsport’s acquisition of all residual stock from the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company and Avon Motorsport business, including the world-leading ACB11 rallycross tyre, will ensure uninterrupted, consistent service and supply, providing competitors and enthusiasts with an unrivalled racing experience.
Underpinning Nova Motorsport’s offer is the exceptionally experienced team assembled by Nova Motorsport founder and managing director of the brand’s parent company, SPC Group, Paul Hallas. James Weekley, former General Manager at Avon Tyres Motorsport, leads Nova Motorsport as Commercial Director. Former Cooper Tire/Avon Motorsport General Manager Paul Coates joins as Contracts Manager, and former Cooper Tire /Avon Motorsport Product Technology Manager Matthew Vincent becomes Senior Product Category Manager.
James Weekley, Commercial Director at Nova Motorsport, said: “Nova Motorsport is pleased to continue the relationship established by Avon Motorsport and Cooper Tire with rallycross in general and RallyX in particular. Our technical team has dominated in this field for three decades, and we have a long and highly successful working relationship with RX Promotion, so this was the most natural place for Nova Motorsport to initiate its motorsport activities utilising the ultra-successful Avon Motorsport and Cooper Tire product range.
“We look forward to developing Nova Motorsport on a global scale and offering competition tyres of the highest quality. Our commitment to research and development ensures that our products will remain at the forefront of technology and performance in the world of competition and rallycross tyres.”
With Matthew Vincent, Nova Motorsport has also brought on board a key figure in the world of rallycross. Matthew has been involved in various rallycross championships around the globe over the last 15 years and was instrumental in the development of the ACB11 rallycross tyre during that time. Matthew will continue to work closely with the RallyX Championship to provide the best product for the series.
Matthew Vincent, Senior Product Category Manager at Nova Motorsport, commented: “I am excited to join Nova Motorsport and have the opportunity to build on the success of the ACB11 rallycross tyre with the RallyX Championship tyre supply agreement. With Nova Motorsport’s commitment to research and development and this new partnership, the ACB11 rallycross tyre will continue to be the leading product on the market, as Nova Motorsport develops further new products in the future.”
Andreas Eriksson, RallyX promoter, said: “We are delighted to welcome Nova Motorsport as our privileged partner for the next five seasons. This collaboration will enable RallyX to consolidate its presence and provide a solid platform for drivers who aspire to a promising future in rallycross.”
Nova Motorsport aims to quickly establish its presence in global motorsport and the racing community. By concentrating exclusively on the motorsport and specialist tyre sectors, the brand will leverage its deep domain knowledge and expertise to create tyres to deliver success in ultra-demanding racing conditions.
The new company’s expertise will enable tailored tyre offerings to meet the specific needs of diverse racing categories. In addition, the brand is committed to substantial investments in research and development to ensure Nova Motorsport remains firmly at the forefront of tyre technology for competition cars and high-performance vehicles.
In the coming weeks, further announcements detailing the brand’s products and partnerships will be made.