The third stop of the Arenacross UK Championship took place in Birmingham and saw SR75 Suzuki rookie Sam Dyer take his first podium in the class after an intense battle against more experienced riders. Unfortunately, due to injury, teammate Luke Oldfield was forced to sit out of this event with a shoulder knock.
The aim in Birmingham was for Dyer to put the experience gained from the events so far to good effect and after a confidence-building first session he was running in third for the first time on the tour. This rhythm continued with Dyer getting close to the top runners in the timed qualifying sessions and on this bigger track, mixing it with the best riders in the class.
Whilst his starts have been improving, final one saw a mid-pack getaway before he was involved in a first-lap incident which left him chasing the leaders. Through clever decision-making at the end of lap one, Dyer battled through the pack and the next three laps were extraordinary as he powered past rival riders, aided by incredible whoop speed which saw him move to second place and close on the leader. A small mistake before the end saw him drop back to third, but it was a fantastic result in the first final of the weekend.
After a nine-hour break between finals Dyer was raring to go and after a nervous start, he rode a calculated, mistake-free race to bring his RMZ-250 home in second, enough to finish on the overall podium for the first time. The final round takes place on Saturday 18 February at Wembley Stadium, and, with Dyer sitting fourth in the championship, the team is hoping to bring home more trophies.
Geoff Walker, SR75 team owner said, “It was nice to see Dyer really apply himself and improve his performance throughout the morning sessions, with his technique and confidence growing into actual speed rather than just survival. We have asked a lot of him to step into this and it is fantastic to see him grow as a racer and person through this challenge. His first final of the day showed me he has what it takes to move forward and develop much further as a racer.
“As always a massive thanks to Suzuki GB, Triwater Ltd, and the team in the pits, and of course to all our team partners and supporters who make all this so much fun every day.”
Dyer said, “I am so happy, this is a brilliant feeling, I can’t really believe it. This is so much fun and I appreciate everyone so much. I felt great earlier in the day and my bike was brilliant. My first final felt unreal until my little off-track moment, it was amazing to see the team happy with that performance.
“In the night show final I rode very tight as I wanted that podium so badly and we got it but I know I must ride better to keep the boss happy. Thanks as always to everyone who helps us, and I can’t wait for Wembley to race with these guys again.”