Startline Ep 53 - Adam 'Stretch' Rayner: Finding the racing line

Start Line with Beth Espey

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Thursday, 30 July 2026 - 35 minutes

Adam “Stretch” Rayner may be a latecomer to motorcycle racing, but he is certainly not short of ambition.

The six-foot-six welder from South Yorkshire candidly admits that his early riding was sometimess reckless. 

A stark warning persuaded Adam to change direction, gain his racing licence and take his natural ability into official competition.

Since beginning racing in 2023, Adam has set his sights firmly on the roads. His debut at the Southern 100 in 2026 confirmed that it was where he belonged: despite a slipping clutch and a crash while challenging near the front, he achieved his target of a 100mph lap and describes it as the best racing experience of his life.

In this remarkably open conversation, Adam talks about the mentor who helped redirect his life, the people supporting his ambitions and the enormous financial pressure facing privateer racers.

He also reflects on becoming a father just six weeks before the interview, the sacrifices racing demands and why his original ambition of simply competing in one TT has now grown somewhat.

Funny, forthright and entirely unfiltered, this is Adam “Stretch” Rayner’s journey from the wrong side of the road to the road-racing paddock.

You can follow Adam on Facebook here and Instagram here.

The Startline podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Manx Motorcycle Club, the Promoter and Rights holder for the Manx Grand Prix.  

Startline is on Facebook and Instagram, so please give the pages a follow and keep up to date with the latest episodes and see some extra content, you can find some great photos on there. 

And if you'd like to be part of the podcast, you can email beth@startline.im 

 

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