16 year-old Ray was the most successful racer in UK motorcycling - on dirt or tarmac in 2004.
 | | Ray Rowson flies on his Kawasaki KX125 |
He and his 125cc Kawasaki took an unprecedented clean sweep of all three national youth motocross titles. That feat brought him to the attention of motorcycle racing's governing body, the Auto Cycle Union, which presented him with the award for Most Promising Young Rider of 2004.
His raw talent has secured him backing from Kawasaki UK, who have provided him with bikes, and a host of suppliers of go-faster bits to make his KX125 one of the best set-up in British schoolboy motocross.
| "Each time I come here I break something." | | Ray Rowson |
But despite all these accolades, the lad from Pontesbury, near Shrewsbury, remains astonishingly down to earth. His team, for example, is very much a family affair, with mum Cath and dad Martin (also a former motocrosser) running things while mechanic Mel Newness fettles the bikes. But then it may also have a lot to do with the fact that Ray has been riding bikes since the age of four - and racing in motocross since he was just six!
BBC Shropshire caught up with him as he prepared to take part in his first adult meeting - at the Hawkstone Park International Motocross event.
We asked him how he got into bikes: "I think I saw some photos of dad when he used to ride. I asked Father Christmas for a bike and I got one. I just rode ever since. You have a few injuries, but you always get back."
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While he may appear happy-go-lucky on the surface, racing bikes is a deadly serious business for Ray. His parents took him out of school and he gets tuition at home so that he can concentrate more on his racing full time. "In the day I have a bit of school work and the rest is preparing bikes for practice and a bit of gym work. It does take up all your day." But it doesn't end there. While testing his bikes and race preparation takes up a lot of time, Ray also has to be at the peak of physical fitness to be able to compete in gruelling motocross races. That means watching what he eats and having a diet carefully worked out to give him the energy he needs and remain fit.
 | | Ray's engine has lots of trick go-faster bits |
Squash and bmx riding help his fitness programme, but these days motorcycle racers only stand a chance if they are able to mix their talent with a dedication that most of us would find difficult. It was this talent and dedication that brought him to the attention of Kawasaki when competing in 80cc motocross two years ago. "I feel as if I've earned that ride when I was on the 80. It's a good feeling to know that someone's noticed you. "Kawasaki have only asked us to do the BYMX Premier class this year and the rest is up to us. I'd like to win it again this year but there are a lot of good riders in the group i'm in so it won't be easy." The engine may be only 125cc, but it packs a punch. Ray's bike has an uprated cylinder head and special reed valves, which, combined with a power-enhancing exhaust, improve low down grunt and top end power.
And 2005 will be the year that Ray tries to make the step up into the adult motocross classes, competing in occasional adult races in preparation for a full season in adult motocross next year.
 | | Ray with his KX125 competition bike |
It's a process that begins at Hawkstone Park on Sunday - but it would be difficult to find a better place to run with the big boys. His family and friends will be cheering him on as he takes on some of the top riders in the MX2 class for 125cc two stroke and 250cc four stroke bikes. And - as ever - Ray's keeping his feet on the ground: "It's the next step up but it's a huge step to take. I'm just hoping to qualify for the main events - that'll be a big bonus and whatever I get above that will be brilliant." Ray is wary of the speed advantage enjoyed by the four stroke bikes he'll be racing against - and then Hawkstone hasn't been a lucky circuit for him when he's raced here before.
"Each time I come here I break something," he explained.
Ray's Hawkstone injury list is impressive - a dislocated kneecap (he hit a tree), broken knuckles (he crashed into another competitor!) and a broken coccyx (but he still finished the race). And that's just for starters. In his ten years of racing he's broken both wrists, dislocated his shoulder (three times) and had numerous small breaks and injuries - it's all part of racing. After all, riding a motorcycle as fast as you can on dirt and mud, while surrounded by 40 others all doing the same does carry certain risks!
And he forgets all about his injuries when you ask him about his worst moment in racing - the day he failed to finish a BYMX race in 2003 due to an electrical fault:
"I had a chance of winning the championship but the bike cut out on the second corner and everyone went past. "I got it going again and I came from last - about 40th - to 17th and then with two laps to go it conked out again and wouldn't re-start." We'll be following Ray's progress throught the motocross season when it starts in April on the BBC Shropshire website. | 
