Eight-year-old Eastbourne minimoto rider raring to return to the tarmac

Eight-year-old minimoto rider Peyton Richards is champing at the bit to get back out onto the track.
Eight-year-old minimoto rider Peyton Richards is in her first season. Pictures courtesy of Arron OrrissEight-year-old minimoto rider Peyton Richards is in her first season. Pictures courtesy of Arron Orriss
Eight-year-old minimoto rider Peyton Richards is in her first season. Pictures courtesy of Arron Orriss

Peyton, who is in her first full season as a rider, is competing in the AC40 Rookies in the FAB Racing Championship, and completed a round of the OMG RICH ENERGY BMB Winter series before lockdown stopped the competition.

The young rider has also competed in a couple of local races at Angmering Raceway in Worthing, taking two second-place finishes.

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The FAB Racing Series aims to replicate a proper racing weekend, consisting of practice, qualifying and then the races.

Peyton in action on the trackPeyton in action on the track
Peyton in action on the track

Tracks are all over the country, from Clay Pigeon in Dorset up to Rowrah in West Cumbria, and races are staged once a month from April to October.

Since receiving a bike, Peyton has practiced in local closed car parks, Angmering Raceway and Traq in Croydon.

She spends a lot of time practicing with her racing buddy and friend Callum Maxwell, who she has raced along side before.

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She also attends M4 Minimoto Junior Race School in Chippenham, Wiltshire.

Peyton’s father, Arron Orriss, revealed that the young rider caught the minimoto bug from an early age.

He said: “Peyton found her love for racing after coming to a British Superbike weekend with me at Brands Hatch when she was six.

“She instantly fell in love with bike racing.

“She also took a major shine to one of the teams, OMG Racing, after meeting two of there riders in a pitwalk, Gino Rea and Josh Elliott, her sporting hero.

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“Ever since then she has been on bikes when we bought her a minimoto for her seventh birthday.”

In a traditionally male dominated sport, Peyton has been inspired by superbike’s female trailblazers.

Orriss added: “There’s not many females in the sport but numbers are starting to grow now.

“It’s (down to) influential women like world champion Ana Carresco, the legendary Maria Costello MBE, and young female rider Chloe Jones who races in a BSB support series.

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“Yes, the sport has a lot of male riders but because of the women mentioned and others we’re now seeing more females lining up on the grid.

“Peyton has been accepted well by the lads on the grid and (they) show her respect.”

Her father has lent a hand behind the scenes, making sure she’s in top condition every race day, and has helped fund her racing dreams.

Orriss, naturally, couldn’t hide his pride at the racing feats of his precocious daughter, and hoped she achieved her ambitions.

He added: “As her dad I’m a whole team in one.

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“I do everything from all the mechanical work, to social media and I help with her training and fitness.

“It’s never-ending. There’s always something to do, as well as work my day job.

“Its as expensive as you make it. Bikes all vary in price, be it brand new or second hand.

“(With) tyres, fairings, spares and entry fees it does add up.

“I’m probably now above the £2,500 mark on initial setup.

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“As her father I am really proud of her and what she does, it’s not everyday you hear you daughter says to you ‘dad I want to race motorbikes’.

“She has said she would love to hit the world stage in the World Superbikes but her dream is to race in the BSB for her favourite team, Rich Energy OMG Racing.

“It’s because of them she found her love of two-wheeled racing.

“Every bike she has sports their name to remind her, if she works hard, she may achieve her dream to represent them.”

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Peyton would like to thank her sponsors, and is on the lookout for more.

Her title sponsor is a local company called DB Auto Repairs Mobile Mechanic.

They have seen Peyton’s potential and came on board with her for this season.

The Hard Compound have also given Peyton their backing. She is the first two-wheeled driver that the company first have backed, and her father said ‘it’s a great honour to have them on board’.

Peyton is also sponsored by Brandwarehouse and the local firm Pitstop Detox Engine Carbon Cleaning.