Leading Welsh rugby star Scott Williams lives out a boyhood dream

Scarlets centre picks up tips from multiple truck racing champ Stuart Oliver – before taking to the wheel himselfPembrey set to host second round of the spectacular British Truck Racing Championship this weekendWales international and Scarlets rugby centre player Scott Williams converted his on-pitch skills onto the race track at Pembrey Circuit today (12 May), as he took to the wheel of a monster 1,200bhp racing truck ahead of the second round of the 2014 British Truck Racing Championship there this weekend (17/18 May).Self-confessed petrol head Williams grew up around motor sport, with his grandfather regularly taking him to Pembrey to watch the thunderous trucks as a young lad – making his return to the Carmarthenshire circuit something akin to the realisation of a boyhood dream.After receiving expert tuition and guidance from former European Truck Racing Champion and ten-time British Truck Racing Champion Stuart Oliver, Williams settled himself into the driving seat and prepared to take to the track in the 5.5-tonne Team Oliver Racing Scania truck – a 16-gear behemoth with a six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine and water-cooled brakes that is capable of accelerating from 30 to 100mph in an eye-watering six seconds.“What an amazing experience!” the 23-year-old enthused. “Stuart’s driving was just awesome; he had the truck going sideways and we were flat-out round the back of the circuit. It was tremendously exciting and very much on the edge, but Stuart is a multiple champion in the sport and I had complete confidence in his abilities. There’s so much power and for the size and weight of the thing, it certainly shifts!“When we swapped seats, it took me a couple of laps to get used to everything as I’d never driven anything even remotely like this before, but once I did it was absolutely brilliant – an incredible adrenaline rush!“The throttle and brakes are so sensitive, and I did have a little heart-in-mouth moment where I went off onto the grass and could see the tyre wall coming towards me pretty quickly. All I was thinking at that point was, ‘I’m sitting in a £100,000 truck and I’m going to have to get my chequebook out!’“Thankfully, I managed to straighten it back up and besides, you’ve got to play to the cameras a little, haven’t you! I thoroughly enjoyed the whole day and I owe a big ‘thank you’ to Stuart for teaching me the tricks of the trade and allowing me behind the wheel. Hopefully I can have another go someday...”Indeed, Williams’ ‘moment’ prefaced a spectacular save as the tyres loomed, and it did not deter the local star one bit as he continued to lap at a pace that would likely comfortably qualify him for the starting grid this coming weekend.Oliver was suitably impressed, and as a driver who has been there and done that in truck racing and holds the T-shirt to prove it – to say nothing of myriad titles and victories in Britain, Europe and even as far afield as China – he is palpably looking forward to the resumption of the 2014 British Truck Racing Championship campaign in just a few days’ time.“Scott drove superbly,” reflected the 50-year-old, who began truck racing at Pembrey in 1998 following a career in the road transport industry and immediately made his mark with a podium finish on his debut. “He quickly grasped the basic principles, and his reaction times were excellent – there are no question marks at all over his control or commitment!“His little ‘off’ was a prime example; a lot of people would have simply panicked and jumped on the brakes – which would have spelled disaster – but Scott calmly corrected the slide, fed the power back in and lived to fight another day. It was still a pretty decent lap time, too! He definitely has potential for a future career in motor sport.“The vehicles in truck racing are very easy to relate to as they are seen up-and-down the roads every day. It’s noisy, fun and terrific entertainment and the open paddock atmosphere makes for a fantastic family day out. It’s great value-for-money as well, so if you haven’t been to watch truck racing yet, you need to come along to Pembrey this weekend!”The second outing on the 2014 British Truck Racing Championship calendar takes place at Pembrey Circuit this weekend (17/18 May), featuring support from single-make Caterham and 2CV series. Tickets cost just £12 and can be purchased on the gate. The track action begins at 09.00 on both days, with gates opening at 07.30 and camping available on Friday and Saturday night.