The motorcycle marvel's dad Alex Snr rates his chances at Knockhill, from August 8 to 10, as being very good.

"He is looking to get on the podium," Alex Snr said.
"At Knockhill, I think you'll see Alex going from zero to 100mph in just four seconds.

"We've been making modifications to his Astro Kawasaki bike in a bid to make him faster than ever.

"Motorcycling can be a very tough sport, so we're continuing to try and upgrade the bike.

"You can be a good footballer and have a few bad games, yet still be considered a good player.

"But as a biker, you can win 10 races in a row but then have one bad race and everyone says you're finished."

The recent modifications helped Alex to a sixth place finish at Oulton Park in Cheshire last weekend, when he reached speeds of up to 144mph.

The talented youngster now sits 11th in the overall National Superstock 600 standings for riders aged 16 to 25, halfway through the 2008 season.

"That is a lower position than we'd hoped for," Alex Snr said.
"But when you consider the problems we've had with the bike, it's better than it should be."

Alex Snr admits it's tough to watch his son competing.
"It's not possible for me to see the whole race as I'm standing in the pit lane," he added.

"So I only ever see him going at full throttle on the home straight.

"It's very nerve-racking, because of the pressure of watching your laddie."