Priest confident of a good season on track with the Potters

LUKE Priest will go in to the 2019 speedway season with few doubts that he can put the loss of a full campaign and a serious shoulder injury fully behind him.

Priest suffered the injury in October 2017 when involved in a crash with Mildenhall’s Conor Mountain.

Hopes that he would be ready for the following season soon disappeared and he missed the whole of last season before returning to practice and test both body and machinery virtually 12 months to the day after the incident.

The ensuing couple of months have left him with minimal concerns as he said: “The first thing was to get on the bike and test the shoulder.

“I’ve done that and had no negative response at all so I’m going to build on what I have done so far and plan ahead accordingly.

“To be honest, I’m quite positive that I can come back strongly from the setback. I know that the accident was not my fault and that helps.

“It was a racing accident and as annoying and frustrating as it has been I can get over that and get back to where I want to be.”

Some of the positives in Priest’s rationale are returning to Stoke, the one club he calls ‘home’, and a low average given his experience.

“Two years ago I was starting the season on an 8.33 average and that would have made me number one with Stoke this season which would have been tough,” he added.

“Now Tom Perry, Conor Coles and Luke Chessell are ahead of me in the averages and that means I can concentrate on meeting my average with a bit less pressure before pushing on and trying to increase it.

“My main focus is doing the job for the team, that’s the important thing – but if I can score to my average and beyond that means I am feeling good in myself and doing the job the club expects.

“Being back at Stoke is perfect. I certainly want to put much of 2018 behind me and being at somewhere as familiar to me as Stoke is can only help.”

Having had a number of spells in the Potters colours, Priest, who has now returned to work driving lorries and moved in to a new house, is more than qualified to assess their 2019 potential.

“In all honesty I have a strong feeling that next season can be a turning point for the club and supporters,” he stressed.

“I can’t deny that Stoke has gone through some tough times, but I honestly have a really good feeling about next season. As riders we all know each other and get on and I think the team spirit and togetherness will get us through many of the meetings.