Ray Rowson
April 02, 2007
If you’re in the schoolboy circles you know the name. Ray is already dominating the youth scene again this year like he did last, but the 16 year old from Shrewsbury in Shropshire has already dipped his toes into the tough adult British Championship and International pond earlier this year. It was the deep end of the pond but respectable rides proved this kid is ready to continue his dominating schoolboy career, and potentially take it to the big boys when he moves up full time next year.
MOTO: Hi Ray, lets start with how you pronounce your name?
RAY: Well I’ve been called everything from Roy Rayson to Ray Rallson – it’s Ray Rowson (Ray Roe-son).
Good to know. How did you earn that Kawasaki ride this year?
Well, last year I won all three major titles, they were the BYMX, KWS and the BSMA Youth Championships on a big wheel 85. I also won the YSMA Super-national.
I know this is your last year in the Youth Championships but you have already competed in a few adult races this year including the international at Hawkstone Park, what have taken away from those races already?
Well for starters they are a hell of a lot faster than the schoolboys. At youth level you can have a bad start and know you will make your way up to the front, but if you get a bad start with the adults it’s so much harder to make your way up through the field. The schoolboys have a few really good riders to pass, the adults have a lot, it’s a totally different class at a totally different level. It’s been a good experience to race against people I have looked up to but I didn’t qualify as well as I had wanted to. I’m on a 125 two-stroke and although it is a really good bike, I do feel I am a little underpowered compared to the 250-Fs especially when I ride in the adults, but hopefully next year I can get a ride on the four stroke. I rode one in America and was faster on it.
When did you first start riding?
When I was about six I started to ride. My dad used to race, well, attempt to race anyway. He rode AMCA and that’s how I got into Motocross, I started to race a couple of years after that.
Who would you say this year is your main competition?
Well I haven’t really got any rivals as I see it, it’s a case of whoever you go down to the start line with you want to beat them, so actually it could mean everyone!
Which riders have influenced the most?
Billy Mac and Stuart Flockhart, they are good guys to talk to and give me tips. Also Gary Davis has given me some coaching. When I was on the 80 Billy helped me out with my starts, I was quite a big lad for the 80 class and Billy gave me some tips on getting out the gate at this one meeting. I holeshot the last race and won it, afterwards he came and said well done so he had obviously watched it and you take those things in.
How would you describe your riding style?
I would definitely say aggressive.
Are you superstitious, do you have any lucky riding gear?
Yes I am a little bit. I’ve got a pair of red goggles I won’t wear anymore. I’ve worn them twice this year and had two big get-offs so I’m done with those red goggles. Also if I get a good start in the first race I will try and replicate everything in the following races.
Europe or the US?
I would like to do GPs one day if I could get a ride but riding in America is good too. Its so different out there with track preparation and everything, it does make it appealing.
If motocross didn’t exist, what else would you be doing?
Dread the thought! I did rugby at school and got offered to play for Shrewsbury, which was good, it was something I quite enjoyed at school, I didn’t really like school that much. The next best thing would be BMX I think.
Do you have a specific diet you stick to for racing?
No not really, I eat healthy stuff but I know people that don’t eat chocolate and all that but I do like my Jaffa Cakes.
What about training, do you get to the gym during the week?
Yes, I try and get to the gym if I don’t get a chance to ride during the week. I try and go practising whenever mum or dad can get time off work to take me. Also I have school work to do so it’s fitting it all in around that too. I start driving towards the end of the year so it should be a little easier then.
How do you chill out at a meeting?
I don’t really, I like chatting to people, that’s all part of it for me and I guess that takes my mind off the racing so that helps I suppose.
Who would you like to be for a day?
Bubba, it would be nice to take a little bit away too!
What is your favourite track?
Desert Martin, it’s a mega track and I like my berms as well!
You mentioned you don’t get the best starts; can you set a good pace when you do?
When I get a good start I can set a good pace but people do enjoy watching me come through the pack and fighting for the win, in the schoolboys anyway!
What kind of injuries has motocross dished out to you?
I’ve had my fair share. I broke my coccyx last year at the KWS at Hawkstone on the Saturday. After the last race I went to hospital because I could barely get off my bike. They said I had broken it and wanted to keep me in. I wanted to ride the next day and dad said they couldn’t plaster and we could do at home what we were going to do in hospital. Off we went and I did manage to ride on the Sunday, I cut a piece of foam in the shape of my ass and stuck that on, I still had a third or a fourth on the day and it was soar! It would have been OK but they sent us out on a sitting lap then when we got to the line they started to do a bit of watering and the pain really started to kick in. I think I spent the first three laps crying. I got a foot peg stuck in the top of my leg last month, which has just healed, that was wearing those red goggles!
Where do you see yourself in five years?
It would be nice to be under one of the big awnings riding for a big team but I just want to make a career from riding motocross really.
If you found £1000 today and had to spend it tomorrow what would you buy?
Probably a set of alloys for my motor when I start driving.
A quick shout-out?
Yes… I would like to say thank you to the people at Kawasaki and all the sponsors that come with them, Mel my mechanic who comes to all the races and sorts out my bikes, Steve, Mum and Dad.
Send this article to a friend
