READ the thoughts of James Wright on the season so far with the Robins.
ONE of Swindon’s newcomers for the 08 campaign, James Wright, admits that he is still learning how to ride the Abbey Stadium raceway.
He said: “Things are going steady, I’m not riding badly, but I’m not riding brilliantly, I’m just pretty average at the moment. I’m just finding my feet, I know I need to step up my game, but, at the same time, it’s important to settle in and learn things, like getting used to the track.
“The important thing is that I feel as though I’m learning something every time I go out there, and I’m feeling a bit more confident every time I come here. I’ve scored points in every home meeting and I want to increase that in the coming weeks.
“I always give it 100 per cent in every race and I’ve been trying a few different lines to see which ones work best. While I’m still learning the track there’s no point taking the same line for four laps, I want to be trying different things and make sure I’m giving my all for the team.
“That’s what it’s all about; we’ve got a team with a lot of young riders who are all capable of learning and getting better as the year goes on. And although we’ve been written off by some people, we definitely want to win the league this year.”
At a time when a number of British riders appear to be happy to settle in the Premier League, James deserves praise for taking the step-up. After a number of seasons doubling-up with Belle Vue and Workington, it is his first full year at Elite League level.
James explained: “It’s a bit weird just doing the Elite League this year, because in the last couple of years I’ve been so busy doubling-up with Belle Vue and Workington. It’s a bit quieter now, but it means I need to up my game because this is my only income at the moment.
“I’ve made the leap up full-time and this year is all about giving it a real go, and, at the same time, to make a steady income to be able to keep riding. I’m looking on this as a make or break year, you’ve got to move forward at some stage and, like I said, I’m giving it everything I’ve got. My aim is to become a decent standard heat-leader in the Elite League and do enough to stay at this level.
“Leigh [Adams] is a great help; if you’re stuck with anything on or off the track he’s there all the time. I’ve been riding with him at No. 2, and he’s shepherded me around a couple of times.
“The only thing is that it means I need to get out of the start to be with him, because if I can he does the hard work, and all you need to do then is get your head down and keep going. Starts are quite hard for me, though, it’s something that I need to improve. I need to cut out trying to roll or jump at the start.”
