DARING Dan Bewley has told Glasgow fans, “I’m ready to race,” after a seven-month speedway lay-off.
The 17-year-old prodigy will make his Tigers debut this Saturday after a big winter switch from rivals Edinburgh.
Bewley was a sensation in his first season in the sport but had to sit out the end of the Monarchs’ season after suffering concussion in a heavy spill. That was compounded by a broken collarbone in an off-track accident in October.
But he was back on a bike during a Peugeot Ashfield Stadium practice on Saturday – and says he’s fighting fit for a shot at the SGB Championship title.
The Tigers take on Scunthorpe this Saturday at 7pm in their opening fixture.
The Cumbrian said: “Ever since I crashed I’ve kept pretty busy, apart from when I broke my collarbone.
“I went back on the bike a week after I crashed and I felt comfortable then, but it was best to have a bit of time off, because nobody really knew how serious it could be.
“I’m ready – there’s nothing physically wrong and I feel fit and ready to go.
“I think I’m ready with my machinery too but we’ll see on Saturday. You can be happy when trying it out but racing is different.
“The first meeting gives you a good chance to see where you’re at and what you need to change.
“I enjoyed practice on Saturday, it was good to get out on the track. It’s a bit hard to tell how you’re going when it’s just a practice but I felt quite good.”
Bewley is so highly thought of he was called up to a Team GB international training camp earlier this month.
But he admitted he normally chuckles at suggestions he’s the next big thing in British speedway.
He said: “I don’t really think about it – you’ve just got to go out and ride your bike.
“It’s good but sometimes you’ve just got to laugh. But if people are telling you that, you’re at least doing something right.”
Scunthorpe were hammered 71-19 by Glasgow in the same fixture last season.
But having overhauled their side after that match, and then kept the same line-up for the new campaign – despite a reduced points limit – Bewley thinks they’ll be a tougher proposition.
He said: “I don’t think they’ll be an easy team – if they’ve kept the same team as last year, everyone else has had to drop two-and-a-half points.
“They’re going to be stronger than they were last year.”
Glasgow: 1. Aaron Summers, 2. Dan Bewley, 3. Richie Worrall, 4. Nike Lunna, 5. Richard Lawson, 6. Tom Perry, 7. Jack Smith.
Scunthorpe: 1. Ryan Douglas, 2. Carl Wilkinson, 3. Lewis Kerr, 4. Michael Palm Toft, 5. Josh Auty, 6. Fritz Wallner, 7. Josh Bailey.