CONNOR BAILEY admits he’s aiming “for the top” after a sensational 2023 season.
The Perth-born ace starts as favourite for the National Development League Riders’ Championship at Workington, live on BSN today.
It’s been a breakthrough campaign for Bailey with a British Under-21 win and a remarkable appearance for Wroclaw in the PGE Ekstraliga Grand Final.
But he’s keeping his feet on the ground despite such a huge year. He said: “I think if you asked any of us at this stage, we’d all say we want to go to the top because I think that’s the goal for everyone.
“But I guess a more realistic, short-term goal is to just get on a few more teams and have a lot more experience in different leagues and different tracks and countries and ultimately just get my name out there.
“I think this sport’s a lot more about who you know than what you know, so I think I need to maximise that aspect and just get myself exposed and try and pick up some teams and keep going.”
Workington promoters Andrew Bain and Steve Lawson have re-established the Comets in the sport with a complete makeover of the former training venue, and the racing has been spectacular.
Bain said: “We’re very proud and privileged to have been asked to host this fine event in the first year of our return.
“There will be lots of talented riders on show, so there should be some very good racing.
“The real success of this year has just been getting the Comets back on the speedway map and having a team riding again. It’s been such a big miss in the town.”
LINE-UP: 1 Luke Muff (Belle Vue), 2 Ben Trigger (Mildenhall), 3 Max Clegg (Edinburgh), 4 Connor Bailey (Workington), 5 Tom Woolley (Kent), 6 Jacob Clouting (Oxford), 7 Max Perry (Leicester), 8 Jamie Halder (Berwick), 9 Jacob Hook (Edinburgh), 10 Freddy Hodder (Belle Vue), 11 Danny Phillips (Berwick), 12 Ben Morley (Kent), 13 Lee Complin (Mildenhall), 14 Jody Scott (Oxford), 15 Ashton Boughen (Leicester), 16 Sam McGurk (Workington). Reserves: 17 Callum Foy, 18 Ben Rathbone.
Words by Holeshot Media.
Images by Taylor Lanning.