August 21 2014.


Scottish duo Taylor Gibb and Murray Graham are on their way to Pont du Vaux in France this weekend (22-24 August) to join the 28th annual gathering of Europe’s finest quad bike racers. It is the first time the teenage pairing has competed at the infamous quad endurance race venue and they will make their debut in the Kenny Quad Contest, the three hour endurance event which supports the main 12 hour race.

2014 has already been a challenging year for the boys. Both are rookies in the Champs Class of their home based Quad Racing Scotland Championship, which Graham (aged 15), is leading, with Gibb (aged 17) in second place. Both are also competing in the NETT, NORA and British Championships which sees them travelling to a different venue in the UK almost every weekend. Both are still coming to terms with the loss of their great friend and inspiration Connor Smith, with whom they raced and played from an early age. As well as their memories of Connor, they are taking with them to PDV good luck charms in the shape of his #660 shirt and the pit bikes Connor ran around PDV on in 2013.

The biggest challenge this weekend may well be Graham’s fitness. After convincingly grabbing the holeshot at the last race of eight at Wooley Grange, Co Durham, last Sunday, he took a big tumble off Emma McQuaid’s Walsh that she had lent him, “for experience”, gaining only a DNF, a sore head, and a very bruised hip. Sympathy from his parents was such that he was packed off to school for his first day in 5th year on the Monday!

Seeded 18, the young Scots will be competing on their Yamaha 450 against about 80 other two-rider teams from all over Europe, and are the only all British team entered. With a Le Mans style start, the competition plays out over two 90 minute sessions, across two days – compare that with their regular racing of about one hour a weekend across three sessions – and the challenge is clear.

Progress reports and results can be found on www.pdvracing.com