DETERMINED James Shanes knows he must find his gating gloves if he is to take his racing to the next level.

The 20-year-old reserve gave an all-action display in Pirates’ 48-45 win over Wolverhampton in the SGB Premiership on Wednesday, a result which ended the Dorset club’s six-match losing run.

Providing supporters with plenty of value for money, Shanes did much of his good work from the back, notably chopping inside both Nathan Greaves and Ellis Perks in heat two.

The Puddletown-based flier went on to score in every race and ended the meeting on five paid six, one of his best hauls in the skull and crossbones.

And the two-time European grass track champion admits nailing starts is high on his priority list, given his fierce ambition to progress in the shale sport.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s home clash with Leicester (7.30pm), Shanes told the Daily Echo: “I was full of confidence after the Europeans and I’ve made a few changes to the bikes which are helping with my riding.

“I will work on my gating a bit more and if I can get that dialled in and more consistent then, hopefully, I will be heading onwards and upwards.

“I’ve come from the bottom league to this league and riders are so quick from the start. Every meeting I’m learning something new but it’s all going in the right direction.

“A couple of races against Wolverhampton got a little bit scary when I almost got T-boned! But it was great fun, I enjoyed racing and, hopefully, soon I can make the gate and not have to pass.

“It was a good week. The European title was a big thing for me and I had a good grass track meeting in France on Monday on a very different track to what I’m normally good on.

“It’s going from strength to strength and, hopefully, I can keep my momentum going.”

Shanes admitted the victory over high-flying Wolves had given him and his team-mates a welcome boost and said his eyes remained firmly fixed on a play-off spot.

He added: “A win has been much needed. It has not been through a lack of effort from the riders, we’ve been trying. The pits has been absolute chaos as we have been trying to find something which works.

“I don’t think there were any problems against Wolverhampton. Everyone got themselves working and we proved what we can do.

"I’m feeling confident of making the play-offs. We’ve had so many injuries this year that we haven’t really been able to gel as a team but we are slowly gelling now.

“Everyone is in good spirits. The teams below us have meetings in hand but they are against hard teams.

“The cut-off date is coming quickly and it is looking promising for us.

“Hopefully, we will make the play-offs and win it.”