Bermuda Motorcycle Racing Club (BMRC) president David Jones yesterday renewed calls for Government to sit up and take notice of athletes making names for themselves on the world stage outside of the football and cricket arenas.

Jones made the plea following the recent success of rising motorcycle racing star Toriano Wilson at the Red Bull AMA US Rookies Cup.

Teenager Wilson, who resides in St.David's, recorded the fastest lap at the Cup event held in Monterey, California this week on his spanking new KTM RC 125cc bike.

Jones believes Wilson has a bright future ahead of him and feels that with Government funding, the likes of which cricket and football presently enjoy, the sky is the limit for the youngster who helped put Bermuda on the map this week.

Wilson is currently competing in the US without any assistance from local sponsors.

"Toriano is world class and hopefully Government will now see this kid for what he is and help support his cause because it's not only about football and cricket, which we have heard so much negativity about recently," Jones told The Royal Gazette.

"We have heard so much about cricket and football lately but there are other athletes out there achieving on the world stage like Toriano who could use the type of financial support our two national sports are currently receiving."

Wilson was chosen out of a list of 600 riders from around the globe to take part in the annual Red Bull AMA Rookie Cup, and Jones is hopeful others will follow the young Bermudian's lead.

"There are those who I think will follow in the footsteps of Toriano and hopefully we can get somebody in the Red Bull challenge each year," the BMRC chief said.

"Toriano is one of our top riders who has been steadily coming along for the past few years. He has always shown promise and now he is moved onto the next level and doing quite well for himself."