Horsham six-year-old wins national motorbike race

The first round was held at Lydd in Kent this last weekend, when Austin Beighton won the first race and get a second in the third race, giving him second place overallfor the weekend.

Austin started riding trials bikes at the age of two and a half during lockdown. He joined Surrey Youth Trials where he completed his first competition at the age of four. Later that year he won the Geoff Woodger Beginner Class and finished 3rd in the Chris Norman Beginner Class six months later.

Following a trip to the Isle of Man to help a family friend race in the Manx GP in 2023 Austin decided he wanted to have a go at riding a mini moto. From September onwards Austin spent most weekends up at Traq in Croydon getting to grips with the new style of riding.

In January 2024 Austin joined M4 Mini Moto Junior Race Academy, in Chippenham with a view to racing in 2025. After a few months Austin was invited by his coach Sarah Harris to take part in the Clay Pigeon round of the Fab Racing Rookie Championship in Dorset and to his surprise finished in the points in 15th position in his very first race against the best young riders in the UK.

Austin enjoyed it so much that he raced at Ellough Park, Suffolk, the following month with Fab Racing and a wild card round at Rod Lodge in Suffolk, taking three race wins and the GP plate.

Luckily for mini bikes there is a winter series held at Stretton Karting where the children can learn valuable skills on cold and damp, often wet, surfaces. Austin took part and finished second overall in the championship.

This year Austin will be competing in the AC40 Rookie Cup which a category for 10mm restricted Blata Mini Motos. Austin attended the first round last weekend, taking the win by over seven seconds.

If you would like to follow Austin, all races are live streamed to Youtube and Facebook and he has a Facebook page – Austin Racing #100 – where you can get regular updates.