I Felt My Burning Clothes Melting Into My Skin – and Still Finished The Weston Beach Race

21st May 2025

Tom Phillips felt searing pain as the exhaust fumes from his quad bike scorched his leg. The extreme heat melted his clothing into his flesh as he somehow managed to lift his quad bike out of the sand. He rode it into the pits where he got hosed down by the medics.

Washed down, he went back out and finished the race.

A few days later, he was in hospital having fake skin grafts after the wound became infected. 

Was it worth it? “Yes. Definitely,” he replied without a moment’s hesitation.

The lure of the most brutal & unmissable motorbike event in the UK

Concentration, teamwork and skill from the sidecars during the Weston Beach Race 

Such is the lure of the Weston Beach Race – the most brutal, exhilarating and totally unmissable motorbike event in the UK. For riders like Tom, it’s not just a race. It’s an obsession. A test of endurance. A proving ground where finishing is a badge of honour. Meanwhile, for the 30,000 spectators it’s jaw-dropping, wide-eyed full-on raw entertainment.

Why Weston is like nowhere else

The Weston Beach Race is a glorious sandstorm of motorbike action

The Weston Beach Race isn’t just another date on the enduro calendar. It’s a three-hour sandstorm of chaos, where pros and amateurs battle it out through dunes, ruts, and mechanical mayhem.

“I’m never going to win it,” says Tom, who’s raced Weston 17 times in the solos, sidecars and quads. “It’s about the challenge. Have I still got it in me to finish?”

People think we're mad

Thrills, spills and fallers at the famous Weston-super-Mare Beach Race

Tom told Visit Weston: “When you’re doing it, it’s the worst thing in the world – but afterwards it’s the best thing. In the early years, I felt like giving up. I thought I was going to be sick in my helmet. You have to dig deep, you have to find it from somewhere, but when you’ve done it, it’s relief and enjoyment that you have pushed yourself as far as you can go and come through. It’s an endorphine rush.

“Finishing is the achievement. People think we are mad to do it. They can see how tough it is, how horrible it can be. So to be one of the few who actually makes it to the end, is really special. It’s a badge of honour." 

“The First Hour is Carnage”

Battling to see: Riders race through the sea-spray at the start of the Weston-super-Mare Beach Race

The Weston start line is legendary. Hundreds of bikes surge forward in a wall of sound, flying sand and a haze of freezing-cold sea spray hampering every rider's vision as they race along the shoreline heading for that dreaded first corner and motorbike mayhem.

“There’s traffic coming from everywhere. You’ve got have-a-go heroes going full throttle trying to beat the pros – they burn themselves out and wreck their bikes. The first hour is definitely the toughest.”

Tom knows the risks. He’s snapped clutches, blown engines – ended up in hospital after that incident when he required skin grafts after he melted his leg trying to wrestle his stuck quad from a rut.

“It was a 700 Raptor. I made the stupid mistake of leaning forward and throttling while lifting it out. I didn’t even think about the exhaust. It blasted into my leg and burned straight through my kit.

Yet, despite it all he keeps coming back.

“When you break a bone, it heals. I’d rather try and fail than not try at all.”

The Relentless Pull of the Sand

Perfect teamwork from the sidecars at the gruelling Weston-super-Mare Beach Race

Tom first saw the Weston Beach Race as a kid. Now in his forties – and a father himself – the pull is just as strong.

“It’s the whole package – the build-up, the nerves, the start, the feeling afterwards. The adrenaline rush is insane.”

On the start line, it's chaos and adrenaline. But when those gates open, something switches inside you – full race mode.”

Sidecars, Teamwork, and Total Chaos

Tom’s favourite discipline? Sidecars.

“They’re rare and brutal. We’ve only got one drive wheel and two dead wheels, plus double the weight. You’ve got to work as a team, constantly communicating.”

For spectators, sidecars are a  favourite – wild, unpredictable, and physically demanding.

“It’s about mutual respect out there. Everyone knows how tough it is.”

Like Father, Like Son

The Generation Game: Tom, main picture and, inset, son Tom at the Beach Race

The year 2024 brought a proud moment – Tom’s eight-year-old son Seb took on his first Weston Beach Race in the Junior class.

“His clutch went, and he had to nurse it round the last lap. I was so proud. To see him go through the same challenges, and still finish – it’s a moment I’ll never forget.”

Seb’s verdict?

“It was scary… but when I finished, I was so proud. I’m doing it again this year.”

The High That Lingers

The race might be over, but the work – and the buzz – isn’t.

“You’re on a buzz for days. Watching the race clips, sharing stories, waiting to see if anyone got a photo of you.”

“It’s not just racing,” Tom says. “It’s memories. It’s legacy. It’s Weston.”

As for the bikes?

Mud Bath: The machines need multiple cleans after the race 

After the race, there’s no rest. The bikes need more attention than the riders.

“Some people stick them in a van and clean them next weekend. They’re dead by then. You’ve got to clean them immediately – strip them down, WD-40 everything. Sand gets everywhere. You’ll be washing that bike three or four times in the first day.”

Planning Your Trip to Weston Beach Race 2025

A quad takes the corner on two wheels at the Weston-super-Mare Beach Race

Whether you're racing or spectating, the Weston Beach Race is a weekend like no other – full-throttle action, wild stories, and unforgettable moments.
The 2025 edition runs from October 3–5, with thousands of competitors, over 30,000 fans, and a buzzing trade village packed with gear, food, and energy.

🎟️ Get your early-bird tickets at RHL Activities
🏖️ Book your accommodation with Visit Weston

For more on the famous Weston-super-Mare Beach Race click here

For Weston-super-Mare Beach Race 2025 see here