Bike boy hopes to go global

Sponsors GA Motorsport and Phoenix Motor Cycles of Bexhill have been so impressed with Lewis' progress that they are attempting to raise the necessary funds to place him in the global spotlight in 2004 with a possible British Championship ride a year later.

The talented youngster continued his rapid progress in his debut season riding bikes by mixing it with the big guns in the televised MRO Superteen Road Racing Meeting at Brands Hatch.

Competing alongside the top 40 teenage riders in the country, Lewis, on board an RS 125 Aprilia, acquitted himself superbly despite conceding six years of age to many of his adversaries.

He qualified on the second row of the grid in a time of 56.35 - less than a second off the lap record and seven seconds quicker than he was lapping at the start of the year.

Lewis looked set to net a commendable fifth place in the opening race but, under the pressure of eight riders ganging up behind him, made a mistake on the final lap to drop back to 12th.

The second race was where he really made his mark though. Starting from the same second row, Lewis overtook three top riders including championship leader James Rose to hold the lead until he was rammed powerfully in the back, forcing him to hit the tarmac and retire.