CHRIS HARRIS has a dream of reaching the Grand Prix promised land.
The three-times British Champion will bid for another shot at the elite level of the sport at the SGP Challenge in Terenzano, Italy on Saturday.
Harris, 43, spent 11 years in the series until the end of the 2016 season. He reached nine finals with one win, five seconds and three thirds.
Bomber said: “Touch wood I’ve got a fairly good record in qualifiers so hopefully I can keep that going.
“Funny enough Terenzano, the venue for the Challenge, is a track I also enjoy going to, considering how slick it is, it’s quite deep.
“I’ve always done reasonably well there. I was second in 2010 to Tomasz Gollob the night he wrapped up his world title.
“When the SGP Qualifier round venues came up, I felt it was two tracks I know well, so why not have a go at it again and see what we can do.
“I’d be 44 if I got back into the series for 2027. I don’t see why I can’t do like Greg (Hancock) did.
“I think I’d have to have a bit more backing with sponsorship. What I have now is fantastic, but I’d need a bit extra for the Grand Prix series on top. I’m sure we could sort that out if need be.
“I think I’d need to work on my fitness a little bit. But I don’t see why I couldn’t get back into it and ruffle a few feathers.
“I look at it and see that Greg did it, I know he was extremely fit. Freddie (Lindgren) is only a little bit younger than me and he’s still up there and the same as (Jason) Doyley. I don’t see why I can’t get back in there and have some fun.
“I think things have changed a bit. When I was a young boy many years ago, a lot of riders were retiring in their mid-30s. Whereas now riders can be at their top still in their 40s.
“Now it’s about experience and having the right team and backing around you.
“It’s harder now, there’s a lot of rounds and you have to be more consistent and I think only experience brings that.”
The biggest night of an illustrious career for Harris was winning the British Grand Prix win in Cardiff back in 2007.
But he also feels that people forget about his very strong record apart from that one night at the old Millennium Stadium.
He said: “I think people do think I just won in Cardiff and I was lucky because it was a rough track, blah blah and all that rubbish.
“The other riders had just as good a chance on that track as I did. But I just found a better set-up on the night.
“But I look back and think I did pretty well for 11 years considering I didn’t have the backing that the other top riders had.
“Some riders had brand new engines pretty much every Grand Prix. I was using two-year-old engines and towards then in the end five-years-old.
“To try and compete at that level was always going to be hard work. But I enjoyed every Grand Prix, having that Union Jack flag on your chest, you are still representing your country.
“I had two second places on the trot in Gorican. I think Greg won one of them. I lifted a bit too much in the final and Greg got over me and beat me. He admitted I would have won it but for the start because I was quicker that day.
“I had a few good ones. Wroclaw will always be a stand-out for me, it was my first Grand Prix podium in 2007, I beat Crumpie in that final.
“I’ve always felt being the underdog. Not coming from a speedway background or pedigree, it felt like people thought I wouldn’t make it.
“But coming from grasstrack I’ve learnt to adapt to all tracks, that’s been the key.
“When I prove people wrong, I do have a little smile. But I’ve got nothing to prove now.”