Rising Racing Star's Gearing Up For Race

A 23-year old furniture warehouse worker gets ready to take part in an international racing car show.

A 23-year old furniture warehouse worker is gearing up to life in the fast lane. Ben Taylor, who works in Wrexham has started motor car racing in his spare time and on the weekend of the 10th January he takes part in an international show at Birmingham's NEC.

He was brought up around the sport through his father Bert Taylor but for the past 12 months he has been racing in a Vauxhall Tigra for Team Ningbo.

Ben works for Ningbo, an Overton furniture firm which also sponsors his car. His dream is to win the National Hot Rods, a non contact oval competition. He raced in the competition this year and won the final. He is back in action there in January 2013.

He said: "We've only done five meetings this year because the season starts halfway through the year. In our fourth meeting at Ipswich we won a heat and a final and it doesn't get much better than that in Hot Rod racing. The final is the big race on a night. It's 35 laps and we managed to win it. It was really good, we did well."

Ben can reach speeds of up to 100mph but he is quick to dismiss claims that the sport is dangerous. "The cars are really, really safe and at the end of the day it is a hobby and we've all got to go to work on Monday morning. The draw for me is the speed, the adrenalin rush you get with the racing and with the Hot Rods. It's short oval racing so for a spectator you don't really get much better. It's a quarter mile oval in front of you. They don't just drive past and you have to wait another minute to wait for them to come back round. It's all in front of you....it's fast and that's what people want."

However, motor racing is an expensive hobby and sponsorship like the deal he received from Ningbo, is a must. "Any help you can get is very much needed. It's all the little things and it's not just about money, it's just help that anyone can give you. It's greatly appreciated," added Ben.