Mear reveals Hagon help

Rob Mear has paid tribute to former rider Martin Hagon for getting him back on track with Lakeside this year.

Mear has ended his self-imposed exile from Speedway by agreeing to return to the Vortex Hammers thanks to the hugely successful Hagon Shocks owner.

Hagon, who is also responsible for the much acclaimed academy project at the Arena-Essex Raceway, has supplied Mear with machinery to get started.

And the rider himself admits he wasn’t planning to make a return to the shale – until the phone rang!

“I probably wouldn’t have even thought about if I hadn’t been approached by Lakeside and if Martin Hagon hadn’t sorted me out with a couple of bikes,” he said.

“I’d been planning to have a busy year riding abroad doing grasstrack and longtrack, but with Martin Hagon supplying me with bikes it would be silly to turn it down and it’s just all fallen into place.It’s a good situation, and even though I haven’t been riding speedway I’ve still been doing plenty of grasstrack meetings so I’ve been keeping myself busy and keeping on the bike.

It’s not quite the same and it might take some time to get back into the swing of things on the shale, but I’m not worried about riding a speedway bike again.  I had a few practices last year just to make sure I wasn’t off the bike for too long and I didn’t feel although I’d lost anything.”

Mear only has a fortnight to wait for his competitive return when he takes his place in the club’s big opening night meeting.

The Spring Trophy will feature all the Vortex Hammers and invited guests on Friday March 18 when a bumper crowd is expected to herald an exciting new season for the club. And Mear said: “I can’t wait to get started – bring it on!”

Image:  Rob Mear of Lakeside – Elite League Knockout Cup at Arena Essex Raceway. CREDIT: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO