KEEN MAX RETURNS TO RIDING

Of the 2024 Poole 'Wessex Marine' Pirates, the rider who last appeared in action on British tracks, Max Perry, is possibly the keenest one to get started when the tapes go up at Wimborne Road on Friday 29th March.

It has been an tough winter break for the youngster, who is set to make his Pirates' debut just a month shy of his seventeenth birthday, as he sustained multiple injuries whilst racing for the Leicester Lion Cubs in the National Development League Grand Final at Oxford on the last day of the season, but he is putting that all behind him as he embarks on the next phase of his impressive racing career.

"I am 100% mentally fit and I just cannot wait to get back on my bike. I started having physio back in December, funded very kindly by the Speedway Riders' Benevolent Fund (BEN Fund). Alongside that I have now increased my rehabilitation to have one-to-one sessions with my personal trainer to ensure that I get my fitness and strength up to where I want it to be."

"I am racing in France at Lamothe on Sunday (March 10th) and have practice there on Thursday and Friday and that will be the first time back on the bikes since my horror crash in October. I am not putting any pressure on myself for that meeting, it is purely to get myself back on the bike and get some much valuable bike time. Sam (Hagon) is also going to be there so it will be good to be with a team-mate, even though we will be racing against each other!"
"I can't wait to be involved with all the team at Poole and, importantly, learn from them all. Poole is really a new track for me but I know that plans are in place to help and support me to get to where I want to be."

The Berkshire based youngster, who will also be racing in the NDL this season, having been signed by Edinburgh Academy. Perry himself has set his goals quite succinctly as he aims to "be consistent with my point scoring. Beat my opposing rider and stay in the Poole team for the duration of the season."

Poole's opening meeting of the 2024 campaign will be the first group match in the defence of their BSN title, with tapes up against Oxford at 7.30pm on Good Friday.