Eccleshall speedster causes a storm

As a pint-sized Stacey tore through the fields at his Eccleshall home at the age of just three, it was clear he was revved up to follow that very path.

But it was not until 2012 when Storm approached father Lester, iPad in hand, and demanded to be taken into minimoto racing that his talents were truly unearthed.

Following his first-ever race meeting, he had already picked up the nickname 'The Predator'.

"They called him that from day one, because no-one could see him coming," said dad Lester.

Stacey was bought a BZM 4.2 Junior bike and, after a couple of practice sessions, entered the National Minibike Road Race Championship (NMRRC) and the Fab Racing British Championship.

It's a pathway that can boast of nurturing talent. Scott Redding, Danny Kent and Bradley Smith have all progressed through that series to make the Moto GP paddock.

In his first year of racing, Stacey secured 21 pole positions and 21 race wins across the two championships, landing the title in the NMRRC.

His talent was soon noticed in the racing world, no matter the engine size, no matter the discipline, Storm took it, well, by storm.

"Storm is a very extreme young talent," said Lester. "His upbringing is not the norm, far from it, he's been driving since five. He had his first car in the field attached to our home.

"Storm is very forward for his age. Every year from aged five I'd ask him 'do you want to go and race motocross off road?' He would refuse, the same with karting – 'it's boring', he would say."

But the youngster's change of heart saw him take to two wheels like a duck to water, and after outgrowing several UK disciplines the Staffordshire prodigy has had to search across the channel for true competition.

Storm, who attends the Sir Graham Balfour school in Stafford, was advised to explore the Spanish racing scene, where the youngster would be able to ride bigger bikes on full-sized circuits.

He rode an 80cc bike for the first time on the continent in Aragon in October 2013 in the final round of the Catalan Championships.

The following season, he was riding a 150cc Moto4 bike across circuits in Aragon, Valencia and Jerez.

Despite the move on to a bigger bike and engine, The Predator was able to earn two respectable fourth-place finishes in the Spanish Cup of Speed.

Lester, who owns a toy importing company, said: "It's me that flies him everywhere over Spain, American and the UK.

"He's progressed every year, he is a front runner in every event, the championship in Spain contains riders from all around the world.

"In the RFME (Spanish Fed champs), there are 36 riders from across the world. All of the top riders.

"From day one we've chucked him in at the deep end. His first year in minimotos, there was full grid of 30-odd kids who have been racing for five or six years.

"He was a complete racing novice at 10 and wiped the floor with them.

Everybody within racing is very excited. He's an unusual story from an unusual background.

"In 2018 Storm will be old enough, at 15, to race a 250cc Moto3 bike in MotoGP Championships. That's the intention," Lester added.

"This year he will complete the British Superbike (BSB) championships and the Spanish championships, ideally winning both." But certainly one, because of the ability and understanding he now has."