Bermuda motorcycle ace Chris Wallington bagged a second place in his latest success in Florida -- but then said his bike was in such a poor state it could force him to quit.

The Southampton 21-year-old competed at the Homested track in three races in the Florida and South East Regional Championship Cup Series.

In the first race, the GT3, a 20-lap contest round the three-and-a-half mile circuit, Wallington failed to finish after his exhaust blew up.

But he recovered from his frustration and patched up his bike to place second in the Lightweight Grand Prix, in which his battered Honda 125 was up against machines as big as twin-cylinder 750s.

And in the Grand Prix Singles, a class in which Wallington finished second after his first year of CCS racing last year, he took fourth place.

Wallington's aim is to join the ranks of the highly-paid factory riders, who enjoy the massive financial backing of motorcycle manufacturers.

So far, his progress has been good, but the vast expense of flying to the US every time he races has left him unable to afford a new bike and unless he can attract a sponsor he feels he will have to jack in the sport.

But he admitted that his 1994 Honda, which is lacking in power against his rivals' newer machines, and has a bent axle and a slipping clutch, sometimes helped to bring the best out of him.

"Every time the bike breaks down, I get aggressive and that's when I start doing some crazy stuff on the track and overtaking people,'' said Wallington.

But the state of his machine left him mechanically handicapped during every race, he added.

"The power and handling of modern bikes is unreal and my old bike is down five or six horsepower on the new bikes. That means about 10 miles per hour.

That doesn't sound much, but in a race it's a lot,'' said Wallington.

"The clutch doesn't work, but I only need it at the start. It just means I make a stuttering start. And the new bikes have a stiffer chassis and better suspension, which means the riders can push it harder.

"Guys I used to beat are now competitive -- just because they've got a new bike. It's frustrating when you get ahead of them round the corner, but then they catch you on the straights because they've got more horsepower.'' Wallington has been a victim of his own success in that CCS organisers have ordered him to turn professional, as he is now deemed too aggressive a rider for the amateur races.

But he feels he needs a new 250cc racing bike to be competitive at that level.

However, with a new bike he believes he could win in the showpiece race of the series at Daytona in October.

Wallington has been approached by sponsors in America, but has discouraged them as US law does not allow him, as a Bermudian, to receive US-based sponsorship.

He has approached 15 companies in Bermuda without success and admitted the frustration had made him come close to giving up.