Zibi aiming to ride again in July (From Bournemouth Echo)

Zibi aiming to ride again in July

7:00am Wednesday 30th April 2008 in

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ZBIGNIEW Suchecki has vowed to line up for Pirates again and is targeting a track return by the end of July.

The young Pole is recovering in Poole Hospital after having three pins inserted in his broken thigh after sustaining the injury in a crash at Wimborne Road eight days ago.

Speaking from his bed in the trauma unit yesterday, Suchecki told the Echo: "I really want to race for Poole and I really want to go back to Poole Stadium again this year.

"I want to do that for (co-promoter) Matt Ford and the fans because I feel really good in this team and on this track.

"I want to repay their faith in me. I want to thank Matt for giving me a chance in the first place and the fans for their backing.

"Matt has to sign someone (in place of me). It's better for the club he does that. But I really want to race for Poole again."

Bedridden Suchecki, who has undergone two operations, added: "My right leg is broken above the knee. I feel okay, although it's a little bit painful when I move.

"It's the same leg I broke, along with an arm, when I had a big crash with Adrian Miedzinski in the junior helmet final at Bydgoszcz in 2003.

"It took me three months to recover from that, but as it happened near the end of the season it didn't matter so much how long I was out for.

"This time the doctor said it will take six weeks for the bones to be hard enough, and then we will see, maybe another month, a month-and-a-half after that for it all to be healed properly.

"We'll see how long I need for the muscles to be strong enough to walk. When I can walk normally, I can ride.

"I really want to ride again this year.

"I'll do everything I can to get back as fast as I can. I hope that will take two-and-a-half or three months."

Pirates host Coventry in the Craven Shield semi-final, first leg, tonight (7.30pm) when a collection will be taken by riders among the crowd during the interval to raise cash for the Pole.

Suchecki said: "I haven't walked yet, but I will try to walk and if there is no problem maybe I can go to watch the speedway and then go back to hospital.

"Maybe Friday or Saturday I will go back to Ringwood where I stay in England and then Poland after that. I'll see what happens when I try to walk.

"I'm happy because the surgeon has been good to me. He's made sure I have everything I need.

"Everyone in this hospital is very good, all the staff are very nice and I want to say thank you to them all.

"I want to thank all the fans who have sent me cards, emails and letters."

• PIRATES chief Matt Ford is hoping to get permission for Newport's Craig Watson to line up as a guest in place of injured Zbigniew Suchecki in his side's next three matches.

Ford, whose outfit visit Coventry in the Craven Shield semi-final return on Friday and host table-topping Swindon in the league on Monday, said: "We have booked Craig Watson as a guest because our number eight Jordan Frampton is unavailable as he is riding for Somerset on all three days.

"Craig was allowed to ride for Peterborough at Wolves on Monday.

"Unless that decision is overturned (by the British Speedway Promoters' Association), which would be extremely unfair on us, it will be Craig for our next three meetings."

Coventry, who visit Wimborne Road tonight (7.30pm), use their number eight Ben Barker to cover for injured Andreas Messing in both shield meetings.

Messing has not recovered from tyre burns on his thigh he sustained in a spill with Karol Zabik at Coventry on April 18 because his wounds have become infected.

Pirates: 1 Bjarne Pedersen, 2 Freddie Eriksson, 3 Chris Holder, 4 Karol Zabik, 5 Davey Watt, 6 (guest) Craig Watson (tbc), 7 Adam Skornicki.

Coventry: 1 Rory Schlein, 2 Oliver Allen, 3 Chris Harris, 4 Billy Janniro, 5 Simon Stead, 6 Stanislaw Burza, 7 Ben Barker.