When he found his bike becoming too powerful for the roads around Andover, Gary Curtis (pictured left) had a novel solution.

He took out the front headlight, taped up the numberplate and took to the racetrack - and it's a plan that has proved successful for both bike and rider, as Gary showed at Thruxton over the weekend.

The orange bib the Roman Way racer has to wear shows he is still technically a track novice - but he proved on Sunday he can mix it with seasoned riders, as he took a fifth and sixth place in the competitive Formula 400 class, as well as third and fourth places in the Streetstocks, second in his class.

"It was an excellent meeting," Gary told the Advertiser. "It was awe-inspiring to be up against the 125s in the Streetstocks races, and I had some great results, which consolidate my championship position."

It's been a long road to racing for the 35-year-old maintenance engineer, who only took to the track last year. He says: "The bike was getting too powerful for the road, so I decided to try it out in a couple of track tests. Things progressed, and I joined the NG racing series.

"I've done much better than I thought I would in my first full season, and my goals have already changed. At first I was looking for top 10 finishes, but now I'm looking for top five every time." And it's a strategy that's paying off, as he is lying in first place in the Streetstocks and novices categories.

The former army man looks after his bike himself, doing all the necessary repairs and preparations for meets around the country. And he's now looking for sponsorship as he bids to take the success he has achieved already up to another level.

If you would like to sponsor Gary, you can call him on 01264 337 567.