NORA CRS rider Rafe Symons proved that speed is nothing without spirit this past weekend at Round 2 of the ACU MXGB British Championship. Battling through a sun-drenched Preston Docks circuit, Symons overcame mid-race chaos and a punishing final moto to secure a hard-fought 9th overall in the highly competitive Youth division.
The weekend kicked off with a statement of intent. During Saturday’s timed qualifying, Symons attacked the massive jumps and technical split-sections of the Preston track with surgical precision. Clocking a lap time just four seconds off the leader, Rafe claimed 8th on the gate, signaling to the field that he was a podium threat.
MOTO 1: THE CLINICAL COMEBACK
Sunday’s opening race tested Rafe’s composure early. After his machine bogged in the heavy sand off the mesh start, he found himself buried in 15th. Refusing to settle, Symons sliced through the pack with relentless intensity. Setting his fastest lap on the penultimate circuit, he executed a last-lap pass to break into the Top 10, crossing the line with momentum on his side.
MOTO 2: CONSISTENCY IS KING
Carrying that fire into the second race, Rafe dialled in his rhythm. By Lap 6, he surged into 7th place, holding off a charging pack as the track conditions deteriorated into a brutal test of endurance. His 7th-place finish proved he has the stamina to run with the elite of the national circuit.
MOTO 3: HEARTBREAK AND HEROICS
The final moto of the day was a rollercoaster of adrenaline. After a strong start, a collision with another rider sent Rafe to the dirt, relegating him to a distant 21st. In a breathtaking display of “never-say-die” racing, he picked off five riders in a single lap, clawing his way back to 13th. While a late-race front-end tuck eventually saw him finish 18th, the sheer volume of overtakes was impressive to witness.
THE OUTLOOK
Despite the late-race drama causing a slight slide from 6th to 9th in the Championship standings, the weekend was a definitive success. Rafe Symons leaves Preston Docks with his head high, having proven he has the raw pace to challenge the leaders and the mental toughness to fight back from the back of the pack.
