RLS4X Rd1

Royal Leamington Spa 4x

RLS4x held their first race since it has been taken over by 2 ex professional DH racers at the weekend. The Cheetam brothers took charge of the dying track some time last year and with the help of a lot of volunteers have started to make the track good again and have re done the trails and now offer coaching their on a week night.
Weekend just gone they held the first race on the track and what a difference to last year. For starters their were more people in my senior category than what turned up for the whole event last year. And with the changes to the corners and a general tidy up it made for some quite good racing.
Normally at this point I would start commenting on all the dramas that happen to me before a race and the fact that I am normally hanging from the night before but this time it was fine. I went out the night before but didn't drink, woke up on the Sunday morning feeling fine and in time to watch the start of the F1 and well done to Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton by the way. And left at 8 and got up their with no problems, yes I know a little to sensible for me and will it last. I will be honest probably not. So I arrived with plenty of time to get warmed up to the track and the gate which was interesting. No lights just a man giving a count down and not even the same man that was dropping the gates for the races. I know its the same for everyone but when you rely on your gate it did make it a little hard and once I started to try and get my timing right with the gate it all went a bit pair shaped so went back to good old guess and go.
Their were some seriously quick guys in all categories but the only guys that I know from racing NPS were the lovely married couple of Kim and Dom Bent and Chris Hatcher in the masters category, Steve Taylor and Jordan Gould in the elite so they dropped down to senior with Rob Jarmain.
In the women's Kim Bent was having the better of the gates but left her self open on the final corner for miss carpenter to pass her on the inside. and the same thing happened on the next moto to. you think she would of learned from the first moto but no. The next 2 motos Kim didn't have quite the same start and miss Carpenter took the easy wins.
In the masters the 2 big boys of Dom Bent and Chris Hatcher on his spanky new deal were the ones to watch and some random dude on a cross country bike who kept trying to take Chris out. he was surprisingly smooth though. Dom was taking win after win all day and Chris should of won the first moto but crashed on his own and after that his gates went to pot. Come final time both these guys shot out the gate with Dom getting out in front all the way to the last corner when Chris dove up the in side only for Dom to cut back inside and take the win by the smallest of margins with Jason Carpenter coming home in third.
In the seniors their was no surprise that no one could catch Steve Taylor and Jordan gold took some wins but not with as much ease. One of my motos I thought I was getting quite close to Steve but lost balance and started to veer of the track. But my motos were three seconds and a first so was feeling fairly happy. Quarter finals time and was feeling quite confident but a poor gate left me at the back of the pack so it was head down and pedal my little socks off. coming into the first turn 2nd and 3 rd place took a tighter inside line across some loose ground so I opted for the outside to carry more speed. Half way round the first corner I was going past third place and at three quarters of the corner the 2 nd place rider started drifting wider and wider. I will be honest I had to change my pants after this race because the gap he left me was tiny but as I was carrying a lot more speed I went for it and just came out in front and missed him. cruised the rest of the course to take a second place and go through to the semi final. It was now I thought my luck was going to run out as Steve Taylor, Jordan Gould and Rob Jarmain lined up next to me. The gate dropped and Steve pulled out in front while Jordan and myself were pretty level and Rob was just behind. Into the first corner and Jordan had the inside so went for the faster outside line and with a sharp turn at the end of the corner just pulled out in front of him. While Steve stayed in front I knew it wouldn't be easy to stay in front so followed Steve for a tight inside corner on the last turn. All I heard behind me at this point was a loud crash on the floor. Brilliant I thought, they both gone down so I stopped pedalling only to see Jordan slowly cruise up the inside of me and just pip me on the line by the width of a tyre. I was gutted but I guess that's racing and why they say always go flat out until you cross that line because anything can happen. So through to the B-final for me. After a long conversation about how much better the crank brothers pedals are compared to the shimarno ones I was using I lined up on the gate. The gate dropped and guess what happened, yes after that long conversation about not unclipping out the gate I unclipped. Left behind in last place again I got my head down and went for it but unfortunately they were to far ahead and could only manage to overtake one person down the second straight so I ended up with 5 th overall. in the A final there was no catching Steve Taylor once again and Jordan Gould had a good start to see him in second only to be overtaken on the inside. don't know his name but that guy was flying and eventually came second in the race but won the senior category ahead of Chris Mucklow and Alister Keen.
The elites only having 2 riders were always going to make the podium With Steve being on top and Jordan being in second.
In all it was an excellent day out with Monster Energy turning up giving away free drinks and the local shop on hand to sell stuff.
The highlight of my day was actually the petrol station down the road that were selling diesel at 96.pence per litre, bargain compared to were I live.
Another well done to the organisers thought because they did do a fantastic job and hopefully will try and get a few more races during the summer. Check out www.rls4x.com for more details.

Gareth