Two teenage stock car racing brothers are hoping to encourage others their age to stop racing on computer games and take up the real thing this week.

By Stuart Watson

Two teenage stock car racing brothers are hoping to encourage others their age to stop racing on computer games and take up the real thing this week.

Woodbridge's Alexander Meadows, 15, and his 13 year-old brother James, took up a junior version of stock car racing just 18 months ago after watching their dad Andrew race hot rods.

Open to eleven to 16 year-olds, the ministox formula sees youngsters able to get behind the wheel of steel protected minis and battle it out in a contact-allowed race.

The Meadows brothers are now enjoying the sport so much, that they have booked a one-week tour of some of Suffolk's youth clubs in order to raise participation in the adrenaline fuelled sport.

Alexander said: “We want to spread the word to other people our age about what they could be doing with their time.

“We'll be telling them that racing on the Playstation is one thing, but doing it for real is another.

“I tell my friends what I do and they just can't understand what goes into it. That is why we are going to these youth clubs, to try and explain what it is all about.”

Alexander has rapidly risen up the ranks in the sport, the 15 year-old earning himself the ministox grading of 'superstar' after rising to third in the national championships standings. In addition, Alexander is also leading the Woodbridge Classic Car Series.

He continued: “The atmosphere at the races is fantastic, you get to meet so many people. I've had more crashes than I can remember, but it is all the nudging and spinning that makes it so enjoyable.”

Alexander and James's father Andrew said: “Ministox has probably been going for about 20 years now and many have moved up from it into senior racing.

“I think few children realise that they can race for real at such a real a young age. For some people safety is a concern, but once they get into it they will realise that it is entirely safe.

“There is no doubt in my mind that it will make them better road drivers in the future because they are learning how to avoid crashes and have the ability to get out of skids.

“For a motorsport it is relatively cheap, you can build the cars yourself for less than a thousand pounds.”

Following the tour of youth clubs in Woodbridge, Kegrave and Felixstowe, a discounted trip (courtesy of Spedeworth) to the Ministox Championship Final at Ipswich's Foxhall Stadium on December 2 is being arranged for interested youngsters.