I’ve set a world land speed record on my custom built motorbike – and I’m only nine years old
- Alfie Barraclough clocked 54.392mph over 500m from standing start on his bike
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A bike-mad youngster has become the youngest ever racer to set a land speed record on his custom-built motorbike – at the age of nine.
Laser-focused Alfie Barraclough, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, clocked 54.392mph over 500m from a standing start on his 70cc motorcycle when he took to the track on Wednesday.
The youngster, who first started riding bikes at five years old, was ‘overwhelmed’ with his international drag racing record.
Alfie’s proud father, Karl Barraclough, 43, said Alfie grew up watching drag racing events, where bikes and cars try to reach the highest speeds over a set distance.
The lad then began competing in races aged eight before Karl asked officials at Elvington Airfield, near York, to see if he could attempt a record on their track.
Laser-focused Alfie Barraclough, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, clocked 54.392mph over 500m from a standing start on his 70cc motorcycle when he took to the track on Wednesday
The father-of-five said Alfie was now destined to make further history after impressing biking stars who gathered to watch him.
He said: ‘I was massively proud. He’s always wanted to do a land speed record. He’s a person of few words, but when he found out about the record, he said: “Oh wow, that’s brilliant.” He was just overwhelmed by what he had achieved.
‘The experts who do 200-300mph on a motorbike say he’s the future because he’s so focused on how he rides a bike and how safe he is.
‘His concentration is just phenomenal. When he’s on the bike he tucks right in – he fully understands aerodynamics.’
Karl said Alfie caught the bug for bikes as a toddler after he brought him to Elvington Airfield, where he works as a motorsport safety adviser, to watch races on weekends.
He had then started taking part in junior drag racers last year, where he was paired with his red motorbike, built by expert fabricator David Taylor.
Karl asked officials to put on the speed event at the ex-RAF base on Wednesday – which was the first time junior drag racers had been allowed to take on a land speed record.
Following his success, he said Alfie now dreamed of taking part in speed racing events and becoming a bike engineer.
The youngster, who first started riding bikes at five years old, was ‘overwhelmed’ with his international drag racing record
Alfie’s proud father, Karl Barraclough, 43, said Alfie (pictured) grew up watching drag racing events, where bikes and cars try to reach the highest speeds over a set distance
He said: ‘He’s grown up with the sport, watching at the side of the track from being in a pram. I work with the safety team, and he came every weekend with me to watch.
‘He would just sit at the side, and he was thinking: “One day I want to do that”. Now he just gets on a bike and just does it.
‘Drag racers usually do an eight of a mile or a quarter mile. But he’s now established a world record on a 70cc motorcycle aged nine.’
Alfie’s proud mother, Lexie Barraclough, 34, and his sister Sophie, seven, were also watching when he took the world record on Wednesday.
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