Antoine Richards is on a crusade to find enough sponsorship funds to enable him to compete in the last four races of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) motorcycle season, with $40,000 being his target.

Richards has raced in two of the five races completed this season and has expectations of competing of the last four races.

"I'd like to race in the final four races of the season if I can get enough funds to make it possible," said Richards.

"I have two sponsors now in Onsite Engineering and Magnum Powerforce Gym, but any other help would be welcome."

The 22-year-old started his Superbike racing career here on the Island in 2007 with the Bermuda Motorcycle Racing Club (BMRC) at the Bermuda MotorSports Park in St David's.

He showed tremendous talent racing against the local Superbike veterans and soon found himself winning races, and is now actively pursuing a professional Superbike racing career in the United States while also signing on with the renowned AMA team Celtic Racing.

He is also currently trying to become the first Bermudian to win the AMA Pro SuperSport Top Gun Championship, a division that will decide its champion based on the winner of the Championship Shootout Race at the end of this race season.

In September Antoine hopes to travel to Barber Motorsports Park, in Birmingham Alabama, to participate in this championship race.

Yet the professional motorcycle racing sport is very expensive, with total cost for each race amounting to thousands of dollars.

"The expenses for each race generally come to $10,000 and I want to race the last four races of the season," he said.

"Obviously we would like to meet that mark, or get as close as we possibly can and find the rest from somewhere.

"They are pro races in the top racing organisation in North America, and I'm currently racing for Celtic racing, so the money raised will go towards mainly my parts, travel and transportation costs, and things of that nature.

"If we don't mark the mark then I will have to fund myself, and will have to skip a few races, although I've missed a few already this year because of finances.

"If everything falls apart then I will most certainly just go to the final race which is the championship race, this race by itself determines the champion and I feel that I have a good chance of getting the job done."

As it stands Richards, his family, and a small group of local sponsors have paid all of the expenses for his racing campaign thus far.

But the race star is now in need of funds to cover the last four races of this season.

The Antoine Richards (AR) Superbike Racing Sponsorship Team is essential to his quest to win an AMA Pro National Championship for Bermuda.

Richards has already appealed to many local companies for sponsorship but has had very little success due to the tough economic climate, but he still hopes to secure the funds needed through kind support.

Those wishing to donate to Richards' cause or who can offer help can contact him at 536-7223, or via email at ar.superbike@gmail.com">ar.superbike@gmail.com.