The jewel in the crown of Cornish motocross, Landrake Moto Parc is the opening round venue of choice for the Red Bull Pro Nationals and the fact Reb Bull Pro Nationals keep coming back to the stunning Saltash circuit to kick off the series is testament to the hard work, dedication and vision of one man.
Phil Congdon is the driving force behind Landrake and his attention to detail – think freshly painted posts and regularly mown grass (and that’s before he even starts working on track preparation) – has made it one of the country’s premier motocross circuits.
“It’s started off as just half-a-dozen stakes in the ground for my son,” explains Phil, “then it turned into more of a practice track for him and his friends, then clubs starting approaching me and it’s grown from there.”
A flowing circuit complete with natural elevation changes and the sort of off-cambers that call for sublime skills, Landrake nestles in a rolling valley that makes for great spectating. The soil has a reasonable clay content which when prepped is tacky but when the sun comes out it gets increasingly hardpacked as the day progresses.
Of course, to keep the track in such great shape is a huge task but Phil’s passion ensures that come race weekend it’s always immaculately turned out.
“During the summer I’m there every day – during the week I’m a band of one and it’s a massive undertaking. But it’s a labour of love – it has to be really. I never do anything half-heartedly and I won’t let anyone down. And at the weekends I have a great team with Ryan, Justin and Dan all working hard. All three are experienced tractor drivers and they all race as well which means they have a real understanding of what makes a great motocross track.
“It takes about 100 hours after each event to prep the track. All the jumps need to be refaced, the soil has to go back in the corners, it’s a lot of work. Then there’s the posts which are regularly repainted and during the summer the grass has to be cut every four days.”
So come April 20-21 you can be sure that Landrake will be primped, pimped and in perfect condition.
“The track’s looking great,” adds Phil. “We’ve added some new soil to certain areas and it’s ready to go…”
The Red Bull Pro Nationals is the UK’s premier motocross family festival featuring the UK and Europe’s top professional adult and youth racers competing in a packed 27-race weekend programme.
Away from the on-track action Motocross Experiences, electric bikes and balance bikes are designed to introduce newcomers of all ages to the joys of two-wheeled riding and on the Sunday series promoter e22sports opens up the Kidzone area. Starring children’s TV favourites Peppa Pig and George, Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam, Kidzone also features bouncy castles and plenty of other attractions for getting youngsters active.
Admission is just £13 for adults, £3 for children and £30 for a family of four when booked online.
For more details and to book tickets go to www.redbullpronationals.com
