JACK Thomas is targeting a podium place when he takes part in one of the biggest meetings of his career tomorrow night.
The 19-year-old lines up in the British U21 Final at Berwick against heavyweights like Team GB star Robert Lambert and red-hot Dan Bewley.
It’s an event won by the likes of world champions Tai Woffinden and Gary Havelock in the past, and normally acts as a springboard for riders to go on to bigger and better things.
Thomas has already raced on the Bandits’ track this year with Glasgow and hopes to call on that experience during tomorrow’s meeting.
He said: “It will be a big night. I’ll just go there, give it my best and enjoy it.
“Last time I was out with riders like Bomber (Chris Harris) and Kevin Doolan. I didn’t feel too much off the pace and hopefully that’ll help me when it comes to the U21 meeting.
“It’s going to be tough – Robert is brilliant and Bewley’s on top of his game at the moment. But anyone is beatable and if you make the gate, you never know.
“I’m going to give it my best and try to get a podium finish – that would be nice.”
Thomas has barely had time to reflect on his first few weeks as a Tiger following his late call-up into the team on the eve of the season starting.
But he says he’s managed to ditch some early-season nerves and is riding with a smile on his face.
“I’m loving it,” he said. “Even when going out a couple of weeks ago at Berwick and running a last place, I wasn’t far behind and I was still enjoying myself.
“The Glasgow fans have been great too – they give you support and cheer you even when you have come last, which is nice, because it doesn’t put you down.
“Some of the meetings I have done I’m chuffed with when I look back on them, and I’ll try to get a few more like that.”
The line-up for tomorrow’s meeting, which starts at 7pm, is:
1 Zach Wajtknecht (Swindon/Lakeside), 2 Kyle Bickley (Workington/Belle Vue), 3 Josh Bailey (Mildenhall), 4 Taylor Hampshire (Kent), 5 Robert Lambert (King’s Lynn), 6 Jason Edwards (Eastbourne), 7 Alfie Bowtell (Lakeside) 8 Max Clegg (Rye House/Stoke), 9 Nathan Greaves (Wolverhampton), 10 Jack Smith (Sheffield/Belle Vue), 11 Drew Kemp (Mildenhall), 12 Connor Mountain (Ipswich/Coventry), 13 Luke Ruddick (Coventry), 14 Joe Lawlor (Belle Vue), 15 Jack Thomas (Glasgow/Kent), 16 Dan Bewley (Belle Vue/Workington).