January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
GP riders head to Atlanta race
Shannon Caisey, Antoine Richards and 13-year-old Toriano Wilson will race at the American Motorcyclist Association sponsored Road Atlanta event this weekend.
They will be watched by talent scouts for the likes of Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda and Jordan Motorsports.
Caisey, the current GP 125 championship leader in Bermuda, believes it will be a great opportunity for the Bermuda riders to show what they can do.
"It's a good chance, particularly for Antoine and Toriano, because the factory teams are looking for younger guys that they can groom and mould for the professional circuit."
He said 13-year-old Wilson had the talent to do well in the States and said the trip would put his talents in the spotlight.
"Hopefully someone will come along and take a look at him, or any of us, and see the talent that we have.
"We can all finish in the top ten. We have the skill and the talent that all Bermudians seem to be born with in motorcycle racing and I think we can do well."
The trio flies out to the States tomorrow and will have their first practice session on the track on Thursday. They will race in the top amateur division before the showcase professional Road Atlanta race on Sunday.
For Wilson, who has previously travelled to Spain to compete against Europe's top juniors in the 70cc class, it will be his first competition on his favourite 125cc bikes.
And the ever-confident youngster believes he can mix it with the competition.
"Of course, I can take them. I would say this should be easier than it was in Spain because I'm used to the bikes."
Richards only started racing in January this year but took to it instantly and is currently third in the Superbike standings.
The 20-year-old said he had always been interested in racing but had only just managed to get the money together to compete.
"It's going to be a little bit different racing the 125s but I should be able to handle it," he said.
Caisey, the experienced veteran of the group, has raced overseas many times.
But he believes the increased competition at the Bermuda track has helped him raise his game to another level.
And he's not ready to let youngsters like Wilson beat him just yet.
"Toriano's young and fearless but I've got a few more years experience and skill, so I wear him down like a Kimodo dragon."[[In-content Ad]]
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