Sept 2025 - I Don't Fold!
The smell of Florida sunshine and the sound of family laughter were a welcome change after an intense, positive run at Thruxton—a perfect moment to recharge before the final push in Europe. Eight weeks is a long time to be away, and the excitement of finally being home was palpable. This wasn't just a simple break, though; it was a chance to dive back into Florida training, snag a few riding opportunities, and, first and foremost, celebrate! To kick off the summer, we were hitting up the brand-new, spectacular Universal Epic Universe world for Grayson's birthday. Get ready for an inside look at the thrilling roller coasters, my favorite part of the incredible Mario world, and the sheer joy of a well-earned summer reset before the adrenaline of the season finale.
After the birthday fun, it was time to shift gears and dial in the focus for Navarra number two. I wasted no time, logging a bunch of miles cycling and getting back into the gym a couple of days a week. The main goal was to focus heavily on muscular endurance—a necessity when you jump from the nimble NSF 250 up to the bigger, more physical 400cc machine.
The break got even better when my amazing girlfriend, Jaymee, came to visit me—always a welcomed boost!
As my time at home was wrapping up, the perfect send-off arrived: my dad was holding an SFLMiniGP race at Gainesville Motorsports Park. I was finally able to hop back on my Honda 450 Supermoto and ride with some familiar faces. It's always fantastic getting back into the MiniGP paddock after a few rounds away, seeing all the amazing people, and giving back to the scene where I started.
After a super fun weekend filled with tons of good training and great times, the bags were packed. It was time to head back over to Spain for my second wildcard opportunity at Navarra for the ESBK Championship. The summer reset was over—race time was calling!
Navarra, Take Two: Podiums and Pons Perfection
Returning to Navarra for my second wildcard with the incredible Pons Racing Team felt like coming home. We weren't just showing up this time; we knew we could be seriously competitive. With the experience from the first round, the target was clear: a podium finish on the Kawasaki podium, minimum.
Dani and I hit the track, completed the team walk, and were ready to go. On Thursday, the practices weren't even timed, but the feeling was instant. I was immediately back at home on the bike, and by the second session, I had already shaved time off my personal best from the entire previous round. This massive confidence boost meant we were barely off the pace, setting us up perfectly for the timed practices.
Our Friday strategy was simple but effective: focus on our own pace. We wanted to run laps alone, nail our markers, and ensure we weren't relying on a draft from a faster rider for a quick time. We did exactly that, spending the day basically in isolation and improving my lap time in every session. By the end of Friday, I was a full one second faster than my quickest time from the last visit—a huge psychological win heading into qualifying and the race.
The Pons Racing Family and a P7 Qualifier
Before diving into the racing action, I have to talk about the Pons Racing Team. Their atmosphere is simply amazing—it genuinely feels like a family environment. Everyone is super close, and the box is filled with great people. My mechanic, Paula, is absolutely brilliant and always on top of everything. And the team owner? He’s a total blast to be around, providing lots of laughs in hospitality and the paddock. This welcoming environment makes me even more motivated to continue working with this incredible team.
Back on track, we finished qualifying in P7. While it was a huge jump from my previous P13, I knew I had left a little time out there. A good draft is worth between 0.7 to 1.1 seconds at Navarra, and I missed it. Still, we couldn't be mad—P7 was a fantastic result and put us right in the mix for the race.
Race 1: Kawasaki Podium Achieved!
Race 1 was everything we'd worked for. I got a blazing start and managed to hang with the front group, but I lost the tow after a big pass by another rider caused a slight gap, and the leaders escaped. Undeterred, I put my head down and focused on putting in consistently fast laps. The reward? Third place on the Kawasaki podium!
This was a massive achievement for me and the entire team. Our hard work across both weekends paid off, and stepping onto that podium in our second race together was proof of the team's incredible support.
Race 2: The Battle for the Finish Line
Going into Sunday, I felt fantastic and ready for another battle. Starting from P5, I had another excellent start and stayed with the lead group for multiple laps before they finally pulled away. I continued to fight, catching up to the final rider at the back of the group who had also dropped back. We had an intense, wheel-to-wheel battle that went right down to the last corner, where he just pipped me for the podium spot.
While a bit frustrated to miss out by a hair, I actually left the track feeling more proud of this ride. My pace and resilience were undeniable. The entire weekend was unbelievable! A huge thank you again to the entire Pons Racing Team for all the hard work and continuous support.
The Donington Challenge: Bad Luck Strikes the BTC
No sooner had the dust settled on the Navarra podium than I was on a plane back to the UK for the British Talent Cup (BTC) round at Donington Park. This track is one of my favorites, and after the strong showing at Thruxton, I was pumped to get back there. A quick reunion with the ever-supportive Bowes family, and then it was straight to the track for the usual Thursday routine of track walks and briefings.
I was ready to give everything to back up my amazing Navarra weekend, proving my pace wasn't a fluke. Unfortunately, Donington had other ideas. Our Friday was a disaster. In FP1, I suffered a pretty serious brake failure, with the brakes fading badly. In FP2, the back of my seat foam came off, costing us even more precious track time. It was a treacherous day, but we were determined to put it behind us and push into the weekend.
Then came Saturday qualifying. On the out-lap, the quick-shifter packed in. I was stuck trying to set a flyer with no quick-shifter, which is a massive handicap. I managed a decent lap considering the mechanical issues, but it was nowhere near what I needed, putting us down in a frustrating P13 on the grid.
Fighting Through Mechanical Woes
Despite the bad luck, I knew I had the pace to fight from P13, so the team and I put a plan together focused on a strong start.
Race 1 was an improvement, with a few solid overtakes, but the result wasn't where we wanted it to be—P10. This weekend was a three-race format, so we had another chance immediately.
For Race 2, I put my head down and had a very respectable ride, fighting all the way up from P13 to finish P6. Yet, a frustrating problem continued to plague us: acceleration issues. In the hard acceleration zones coming out of slow corners, the front guys were simply pulling away, chewing me up with superior drive. I tried to express this to the team, but there's only so much you can fix mid-race weekend, and we had to work with what we had.
Race 3 was a replication of Race 2. I fought the entire race, but the power deficit was just too great. Out of every slow corner, the riders in front were able to pull a crucial gap, leaving me to battle in a chasing pack.
It was certainly not the weekend we were looking for, but the team and I never stopped trying. We put in the best performance we possibly could with the issues we faced. A huge thank you to the team for their hard work. It's just a shame we couldn't put better results together to reward their effort.
Portugal Calling: Estoril, History, and a New Challenge
It was immediately back on a plane to Spain, then a quick flight over to Portugal to prepare for the Estoril round. I was absolutely buzzing to tackle this brand-new track, steeped in history and looking super fun with its mix of technical sections and fast, flowing corners. More importantly, I was thrilled to reunite with the Pons Racing Team and continue building our successful relationship.
After a quick track walk, where Dani—who has a wealth of experience here—gave me all the crucial pointers, it was time for Thursday practice. The first session was all about learning: hitting my markers and getting comfortable on the bike again. For FP2, I pushed hard, but the strong wind kept everyone's times up, including mine.
Unbelievable Pace and World Championship Company
Friday's practice started with a bang. In the first session, I immediately dropped my time by 2.5 seconds! This was a massive sign of confidence, and I felt unbelievable on the bike. The team had done a superb job getting me completely comfortable. We put down another respectable time in Friday FP2, and with a few final tips from Dani, I was ready for qualifying.
The field at Estoril was stacked with a bunch of World Championship riders who were testing ahead of their upcoming race. Even against that top-tier competition, my fastest time was only 1.3 seconds off the fastest World Supersport 300 bike. That pace was a huge positive, but it still placed me in P13 on a grid filled with world-class talent. Being only my third weekend on the bike, I had to take the positives and know we were on the right trajectory.
Race Day Heartbreak and Sunday Resilience
Going into Race 1, I was excited to get into the pack and learn from all the top World Championship riders. Dani gave me a final pep talk on the grid, and we were ready to go. Unfortunately, on Lap 3, the selector in my transmission broke, and that was the immediate end of our race. It was a huge bummer to lose those laps, but mechanical problems happen, and we reset quickly to focus on Race 2.
Sunday's Race 2 was much better. My pace was strong and very consistent. While the front group managed to escape, those crucial opening laps spent near them taught me a significant amount. Overall, I'm pleased with the weekend. We learned a brand-new, complex track and were right in the mix against a field packed with factory-supported World Championship talent.
A massive thank you again to the entire Pons Racing Team for their tireless work, and an extra special gratitude to Dani. He is by my side from start to finish every weekend, and his support and help are invaluable.
Training Familiar Faces
The Mcintire Racing crew was on a Spanish training and racing tour for a couple of weeks. I got to train Artur and Mason for a week in preparation for their Ohvale races coming up. Hanging out with familiar faces was a nice change and appreciate the family atmosphere as we went to dinner and hung out. Great family and kids!
The Road to Jerez: One Last Charge
As I look back on the last few months—from the battling through the bad luck, politics and mechanical gremlins throughout the British Talent Cup and MotoAmerica Talent Cup and then finding my rhythm in Spain on a wild card appearance and putting it on the podium on my second attempt —it's clear this season has been a masterclass in resilience. I’ve wrapped up my intensive training here in Spain, putting in countless miles on the bicycle and logging crucial time on the mini bikes. Honestly, I feel like I'm riding the best I ever have. The speed, the consistency, and the race craft are all clicking into place at the perfect time.
The European season culminates with one final, explosive round: Jerez. It's time to take everything we've learned, all the speed we've unlocked, and all the character we've built, and lay it down on the track. Thank you all for following this journey—the support you send from home is what fuels me on every lap.
I’ll be back home in October for my birthday, continuing the relentless pursuit of improvement, but first, we have a job to do. Let's give the final round in Jerez absolutely everything! We're not just aiming to finish the season; we're aiming to finish it with a statement.
Stay tuned—the final chapter is going to be epic.
