British Hillclimb Championship coordinator Tim Wilson admits he is not someone who likes to be overly dramatic. But he was genuinely fearful for the future of the discipline when the shock news emerged in October 2022 that Goodyear was planning to close Avon Tyres’ Melksham factory and the brand – synonymous with the world of hillclimbing – would disappear.
“I was very worried – I don’t think a lot of people realised the effect it could’ve had,” says Wilson, who adds the lack of suitable and competitive alternatives to the Avons was alarming. “I was worried for the health of the sport, not just the championship. The concern was it looked like there weren’t going to be any tyres for 2024.”
Wilson was far from alone in being worried. Given that Avon and sister brand Cooper were involved in so many strands of the sport – from historics to Formula Ford and rallycross – and the unique nature of many of
