Hailsham motorbike ace Glenn Kirk is hoping to take the fast route to the top of his sport.

Kirk, from Hailsham, is trying to gain one of the coveted places in the British Junior Supersport Championship which is being launched next year.

The series is being set up to cater for the elite of young riders in Britain. Competitors must be between 16 and 24-years-old, with a maximum of three years' riding experience and there are only 26-30 places up for grabs.

Twenty-year-old partsman Kirk has been racing for three years, so this will be his one and only chance to get into the championship. And he is determined to take it.

Kirk, who has been competing in the BEMSEE Supersport 600 class and the MRO Championship this year, said: "It is a new class which has been designed by British Supersport. I fit all the criteria but there are only 26-30 riders who can get in.

"At the moment I am just trying to get in but I need to raise £10,000 to pay for my entry fee and to buy a new bike for it."

Although he has not set the world alight, Kirk has certainly made an impact this year.

He said: "I missed eight meetings due to lack of funds and I also had a crash near the end of the season when I broke my shoulder. But I still managed to finish 11th in the championship."

Kirk is currently trying to find sponsorship to help him secure a place in the televised junior championship, which will run alongside the British Supersport series.

He said: "I still want to do the MRO Championship, I want to do the national championship and then go on into the British championship.

"If I can do well in that I have a higher chance of becoming a works rider. That is my aim - to make a career of racing."