DARREN PHILLIPS EXCITED TO BE RACING AT SMALLBROOK THIS AUGUST

Championship seed Darren Phillips is looking forward to lining up with former Speedway World number 2 Gordon Kennett at Smallbrook on 11th August.

Phillips took part in the Upright Team Series last year at Smallbrook and was one of the standout riders in those meeting, posting race winning times comparable with those being achieved in the main events by racers using the full modern specification laydown machinery.

An all-round motorcyclist, Malvern based Phillips started racing schoolboy motocross at a very young age and then followed his elder brother (Andy Phillips) into the Junior Grasstrack scene, where both siblings learnt the art of oval track racing. Riding motocross in the interim years satisfied Darren’s 2-wheeled cravings, and it wasn’t until his son Ben started riding Grasstrack that he was tempted to start racing the oval track disciplines again.

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One of Darren’s highlights of the last 3 years was in the British Amateur Upright Championship at Scunthorpe, where he won an epic final from the back in thrilling fashion. He never knows when he is beaten and has a fantastic all action style, which will be a superb spectacle around the big, pacy Smallbrook track. Darren says:

“I was pleased with how I went on the Island last year, and it’s nice to achieve those winning times. I am really enjoying riding speedway again. I came back into it by sharing a bike with my son Ben at Scunthorpe amateur meetings about 3 years ago.

“I like to race and use the dirt. I will be racing more on the Grasstrack this year than speedway, but really looking to the NORA British Upright Final in August. I enjoy riding the Smallbrook track and that back straight feels like it goes on forever as you go into the banking on the pits bend.”