AFTER winning the UK Masters Championship on August 1st, Andrew Appleton won the Grass Track European final on Saturday August 7th, making it a very successful week for the Hampshire based racer.
Appleton, 28, from Ringwood, has achieved a childhood dream in the last week and is now targeting World Championship success to add to his titles. He said: “It has been a pretty unbelievable week; I don’t know where it came from and can’t believe I’ve done it. It has been a dream of mine to be British and European Champion since I was a schoolboy. Maybe one-day I can achieve my World Championship dream as well.”
Appleton is currently lying 11th in the World Championship after a tough start to the season but is now clearly the form racer and is approaching three rounds at circuits he likes – and is on a confidence high.
“Winning the British Masters gave me the confidence boost to do what I did at the European Final,” enthused Appleton, who won three of the four heats and then the final at La Reole in France to take the title ahead of Theo Pijper and Martin Smolinski. “Winning the European Final against some of the best GP riders gives me the confidence to go to the next rounds of the World Championship and put the cat amongst the pigeons – the next three tracks I do love.”
ACU Track Racing Chairman Peter Gregory said: “Andrew has won two of the major titles in the last week and is riding exceptionally well. Congratulations to him and we look forward to seeing what else he can achieve in the coming months and years, he has proved he is one of the very best riders in the world.”
For more information on Grass Track racing, visit www.acu.org.uk.