It’s the end of July now, there’s been a heatwave that hit the UK recently, and so Gummy and myself headed off to south Wales for a bit of racing in the sun (although it managed to rain for most of Saturday afternoon and night!), and to keep our overall hopes alive in the Dragon series. It must be said there wasn’t a large entry list, maybe because everyone seemed to have gone or soon to be going to France to ride (really must get out there sometime!).

I was intrigued to ride this track again, as last time I raced there was four years ago and since then the top section has changed dramatically. The inclusion of a couple of berms the first field, then a sizeable step-down into a slightly rocky chute over a table top into a large left berm down another rocky chute, quite a tight right into another left berm and out onto a short flat section. All this was new to me and I have to say good fun to ride. Next up was a slow left and down a steep bank drop, inside was the line here. Across an open field over a tricky double, round a fast berm down another shallow bank than into a new rocky corner where the key was to be smooth and try to straight line the following chicane and keep speed flowing. A fast open path took you to the finish, under 2 minutes was a pretty good time and the further under that barrier the more chances of a high finish.

Saturday we got seemingly endless practice runs, benefiting from low entry numbers and plenty of tractors to take you back up. After practice the rain decided to turn up, a fairly heavy shower seemed to keep going off and on all day….bugger! First run and I was first up out of the two of us, an over cautious run because the wet and I posted a 1:53, Gummy followed me down and managed an impressive 1:50 only half a second off the lead in second with me in third. Second run and I had to pick up the pace, again I was off first this time I managed to go quicker and close the gap on the leaders posting a 1:52, not enough however although the leaders both didn’t better their first run times they had done enough to keep their positions the same. Saturday’s race ending with Julian Poffley winning on 1:49, Gummy close behind on 1:50 and myself in third on a 1:52.

After a night in the locals pub and a walk back to the camping field in the p***ing rain we awoke Sunday in the sunshine. Again practice was plentiful and the track was drying up quicker than a piece of bounty on a worktop! We were really enjoying just riding the track. First run time and again I was up in front of Gummy, a solid run and I posted a time of 1:46. Watching the timing screen waiting for Gummy to come through, he posted a 1:47 going into second, then Saturdays winner Julian came through and edged Gummy into third also posting a 1:47. Second runs and I knew I couldn’t hold back if I wanted to hold onto the lead, so I was happy when I saw my time of 1:44. Again I was anxious to see what Gummy could do, he crossed the line half a second quicker than his first run managing to get second place back, then Julian didn’t better his first run and so the result ended with another RapidRacers victory with myself in first and Gummy in second.

A good weekend’s racing overall, both Gummy and myself climbed the overall table some more, we’re now 4th and 5th and closing on the leaders with 4 rounds left. Preparing now for the next national at Caersws….bring it on!!!