Antoine Richards recorded a maiden top ten finish on the WERA National circuit in Faulkville, Georgia last weekend.

The 22-year-old motorcycle racer finished eighth in the Formula Two Aprilia Supermotto Class to launch the 2009 campaign with new team AB-1 Motorsports.

"My goal going into the weekend was to try and achieve my first top ten finish at a WERA expert national race and so I am very pleased to have achieved my goal," said Richards. "Now I just hope I can move forward from here."

Richards' weekend, however, did not go without incident as he damaged his 600cc Superstock bike in a crash during Friday's practise, which ruled him out of the next day's 600cc Superstock event.

"It was my first time at the track and I was trying to learn the lines and towards the end of the first practise session it started to get damp and I hit a wet spot.

"The front end (of the bike) just tucked under me and it was really just bad luck more than anything else," the former Warwick Academy student explained.

"I was very disappointed not to be able to race (in the Superstock Class) because I had pretty good expectations for the bike that weekend."

If it was any consolation, Richards' team-mate Corey Rech finished 12th to cap off a creditable showing for team AB-1 Motorpsorts.

Former AMA Red Bull rider Rech was a close friend of late Bermudian racer Toriano Wilson who died in a freak crash during a Red Bull event last August.

"I was very pleased with my team's performance. I thought my team-mate (Rech) had a really good weekend," Richards added. "He raced in the Red Bull Series with Toriano last year and they were very good friends.

"Corey had a very good weekend and I was very impressed with the work the team did on his bike. He was very fast over the weekend and overall it was a very positive weekend for the team."

Richards is due to go to California on Sunday along with compatriot Keanu Wilson, the younger brother of the late Toriano, where the pair will attend a school managed by AMA Supersport and Formula Extreme champion Jason Pridmore who has agreed to coach Richards this season.

"He is going to be my riding coach for this year," the construction consulatant confirmed. "Pridmore is a professional rider who has won world championships."

Richards is the second Bermudian behind Jevaughn (Squirrell) Simons to race for AB-1 Motorpsorts which is owned by Aaron Brown who was a member of late Nascar legend Dale Earnhardt's team.