RICHIE WORRALL & KURTZ SEAL ACES DEALS

British racer Richie Worrall insists Belle Vue fans will see him performing “at 100 percent rather than 50” as he joins Aussie star Brady Kurtz in Aces colours.

St Helens-born Worrall last raced for his local team in 2016 and is delighted to be back at the National Speedway Stadium.

The 29-year-old, who is also set to double up for Edinburgh in the SGB Championship, had been building a civil engineering business away from the shale in recent times. But he sold that last year and plans to give speedway his undivided attention in 2021.

He believes the Aces will reap the benefits. Worrall said: “When I was last riding for the Aces in 2016, I was on another journey alongside speedway.

“You can’t give two things 100 percent. Speedway was getting 50 percent or maybe less. My mind was working on something else and has been for the last four years.

“But everyone knows there are no hiding places around Belle Vue. If you are riding at a heavy weight or your machinery isn’t up to scratch, or mentally you’re not quite at the races, you get found out at Belle Vue.

“I’ve had some good races there and some bad races. I would be the first one to say that. I knew when the call came from Mark that there was a lot of work to put in. The work was being put in anyway, but for me to be a Belle Vue rider, be strong and compete at the level I want, I have to be putting 100 percent in. That’s the difference you will see.

“I am really happy to be back. It has been four years now – four long years. I wasn’t expecting the call from Mark, to be honest. I did just plan on working hard this year, getting fit and strong, getting some good kit and hoping that a call would come. But it came and I’ll try and be as good as I can be.”

Kurtz was due to race for the club in 2020 after spending four straight seasons with Poole. He’s delighted to finally make the transition into Belle Vue red after spending much of his UK career in Pirate blue.

He said: “I’ve had the red suit on a couple of times now, so we are all good on that! I had a lot of good years at Poole; basically my whole career has been there. I think it was good timing for me to leave and I am definitely happy with the Aces. I didn’t think I’d be coming so far to Manchester, but here I am and I am really glad to be here.

“I always hoped I would be back. I am really looking forward to it and hopefully we can get underway this year.”

Kurtz still plans to line up in Poland for First Division side Lodz and hopes commuting between the countries will not be an issue.

He said: “In the next couple of weeks, I will be going back to Poland to start the season there and then hopefully we can all sort out the travel situation. I am intending on being at Belle Vue however I can be, but we’ll have to wait and see how all that will work and how it will be possible to do it.”

Photo: Taylor Lanning