Bermudian 600cc Expert motorcycle racer Antione Richards has struck a partnership with past AMA Supersport and Formula Extreme champion Jason Pridmore that he hopes will propel him to the next level.

The 21-year-old, who works as a construction consultant whenever he's not racing at the track, is due to attend Pridmore's STAR (Skills and Techniques for Advanced Riding) School at the end of the month along with Keanu Wilson, the younger sibling of late AMA Red Bull racer Toriano.

"Pridmore is a professional rider who has won world championships.

"He is going to be a my riding coach for this year and I will be attending his school in California at the end of the month," Richards explained.

But first the former Warwick Academy student has business to attend to in Faulkville, Georgia this weekend where he will compete in the WERA National Series with new team, AB-1 Motorsports, which is owned by Aaron Brown who was a fabricator for late Nascar legend Dale Earnhardt.

"I am ready to go, the team are ready to go and it should be a great season. I'm excited because I worked with the guys a lot last year and I know they are all dedicated professionals," Richards said.

"I did some testing with them (AB-1) last year; we did two tracks (Road Atlanta and Carolina Motorsports Park) and they were very impressed and identified areas where they feel they can help me improve.

"They see potential in me but also see areas where I can definitely make improvements."

Richards managed just one podium finish (Jennings GP in Florida) last year and this season has chosen not to burden himself with great expectations.

Instead the Bermudian intends to place heavier emphasis on development working along with new manager Kreig Robinson who is manager and business director for Micheal Jordan Motorsports which is a company owned by the legendary NBA star.

"This year is going to be a developmental year for me and I intend to prepare myself for the professional series in 2010," he added.

Richards is the second Bermudian behind Jevaughn Simons, who captured the Michelin/WERA National Challenge Series 600cc Novice Superstock and Superbike titles last year, to race for AB-1 Motorsports.

The two Bermudians had planned to race together for Brown's team this season but financial restraints forced Simons to scupper his plans.

"It's unfortunate about Jevaughn's situation and totally understandable," he said.

"It's just not financially viable for him this year but we still hope to race together on the same team one day," Richards added.

"We were definitely still excited about having an all-Bermuda team one day and AB-1 Motorsports enjoyed having Jevaughn onboard last year."

Following this weekend's WERA Nationals in Georgia, Richards will turn his focus to studies under the watchful eye of world renowned rider Pridmore in California and assisting young Wilson, who lost his elder brother in a freak crash during a Red Bulls Rookies Cup last August, in his own development.

"Allowing Keanu to follow in Toriano's footsteps shows a lot about the Wilson family who are probably the first racing family in Bermuda," he said.

"The Wilson family took a hard loss last year and to see them get back involved in the sport is amazing to me and I will do everything I can to help Keanu get to the level where Toriano would have been."