Young Guns
Rowan Miller, aged 13, from Purbrook is well on track to become a top racer. This season he is competing at club level in the NGRRCC GP125 class. On reaching 14, Rowan can compete at BSB level, the start of a journey he is determined will see him on the MotoGP stage!
In 2004, Rowan’s first season sees him on an LEM 50cc automatic running in the top five of Portsmouth Motocross club.
The following year Rowan is on a KTM65SX competing at both Hants and Dorset MX and Portsmouth MX clubs. He competed in the Hants and Dorset schoolboy motocross club championship finishing third in 2006.
Rowan also qualified for the BSMA National Championship semi-finals. In 2007 he won the Oval Race Club junior pitbike winter series winning 16 out of the 16 races he competed in.
Last season, Rowan was the North Gloucester Road Race Club Formula 125 Champion on a Metrakit GP80XL.
He also finished second in the EMRA series despite only competing in three out of four rounds.
This season Rowan is running a TZ125 supplied by FAB Racing for use at selected NGRRC rounds and in the Thundersport GP championship.
In September, having turned 14, he is hoping to ride at BSB level in the 125 series. There is also the possibility of a chance to join the Red Bull Rookies. This competition consists of young riders from all over the world competing on the same KTM 125cc bikes. Qualifying for the Red Bull Cup series is a huge boost for any teenager’s racing career, certainly a stepping stone on the way to GP glory.
After four month’s work, the bike is ready for pre-season testing. The machine has been stripped down, cleaned, parts renewed where necessary and the engine tuned. The work is done by Rowan’s dad, Gary.
March sees pre-season testing at Pembrey. On a cold, windy and wet weekend, Rowan gets to grips with the TZ in decidedly mixed conditions. The plan was to test out the bike for the first time on slicks, but conditions didn’t allow for this, so practice consisted of using intermediate and wet tyres.
Round one of the Thundersport GP Championship is at Mallory Park. A seventh and a ninth, after some attempted highsides by the TZ, mean a satisfactory start to the campaign
The NGRRC championship at Brands brings a 7th, 6th, 5th and 4th...nice work.
Rowan bags his first victory at Pembrey at the end of April in the NG Racing series and is riding high in both series.
The Thundersport Race series can be seen on Motors TV, available on Sky and Virgin. Rowan can be contacted via email at oldboyonrgv@ntlworld.com