SPEEDWAY ace Alfie Bowtell is sick of being mistaken for Declan Rice as he chases racing glory!
The Chelmsford-born star will bid for his first major track title in the National Development League Riders’ Championship at Workington on Sunday.
But Bowtell, 26, is a dead-ringer and sounds like £105million England and Arsenal player Rice – and ironically is also a former Lakeside Hammer having ridden for the Essex club.
Bowtell revealed: “I was in Ibiza about two months ago with my missus and little boy. I was on the plane and other passengers were singing ‘there’s only one Declan Rice’.
“But they seriously thought I was Declan. I was like why would I be on EasyJet. If I was Declan Rice I’d be on a private jet!
“I’ve had it a few times to be honest. But all during that holiday, it was crazy, I’d never had so many people come up to me and think I was him. He was actually in Ibiza at the same time to make things worse.
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“People were asking why Declan Rice was in their hotel. I could see and hear people looking at me and saying it!
“There he is worth £105million and I’m like the budget version of him on EasyJet!
“I think if my plumbing or speedway careers go wrong, I can definitely turn to doing lookalike appearances as him. Instead of working like mad this winter, I’ll just work as a Declan doppelgänger!”
Bowtell is an underrated British talent after excellent results this year for his clubs Birmingham and Mildenhall.
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He is determined for a good result in the riders’ title to prove his quality, adding: “I’d very much love to win the meeting, 100 per cent. It’s a big meeting for me personally. I’ll be doing my utmost to go into it totally ready. I like Workington, it’s a pretty cool track.
“I feel like I’ve done my bit so I feel I deserve a top league chance at some stage. I beat a lot of the top boys at times so I know I can do it.
“I didn’t really do speedway properly for a few years. I didn’t have a van or anything.
“I had a tow bar on the back and put the bike on a trailer behind the Smart car!
“It wasn’t very legal, what I was towing was actually longer than the car. I would be going through a McDonald’s Drive-Thru with a bike behind the car on the trailer and a kit bag in the passenger seat.“I was a plumbing apprentice, I was earning not much money and what I did went on the rent. I just had to do speedway on a budget.
“I’m a full-time plumber now in London, that’s how I earn my living. But as soon as I get a glimpse of what I’m capable of and scoring double figures, it helps my belief.
“I am actually 100 per cent prepared and set-up ready that if I got a call-up for the Premiership, I would give up plumbing and concentrate on speedway.”
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