Revved up and ready to go
REDCAR captain Charles Wright has no doubts about his own fitness or his side’s potential as they kick-off the 2024 season with a ‘challenge match’ against a Newcastle Diamonds Select at the Ecco Arena this evening, 7.30pm.
Wright, who less than two weeks ago staged a successful testimonial at the Redcar raceway, reports no significant legacies of the multiple injuries he sustained in a frightening accident in Poland towards the end of the 2023 campaign and has nothing but high hopes for the forthcoming season.
Redcar will again contest the “second tier” Championship and boast the youngest average age of any of the nine clubs in the division, despite being led by two of the league’s most experienced riders.
Newcastle folded as a club midway through 2022 but the ever popular Tyne Tees Trophy lives on with a strong select side pieced together from riders – all of whom have represented the former Brough Park outfit in recent seasons.
Manager Gavin Parr stated that the opposition line-up would be a good test for his new-look side, which includes two fresh faces and no fewer than five riders aged 22 or under.
Wright mused over his 2024 teammates saying: “I’m very happy and looking forward to what should be a good season with me and Danny providing the experience and a lot of young talented riders coming up behind us.
“It was a big shame about Thomas Jorgensen not making it but, like happened last year (when Connor Bailey replaced James Shanes at the last minute after concerns over the rider’s recovery from injury) we have brought in a very talented young rider in Jonas Knudsen, who is sure to impress the Redcar fans.
“We’ve kept a lot of last year’s team, including Connor, Jason and Jake, who all grew as the year went on.
“Ben Trigger has had a year’s experience in the Championship behind him so knows what it’s all about – they all have room for improvement and are likely to get on well with each other which means the team spirit, which is so important, should be good again.”