POOLE Pirates asset Josh Grajczonek is bidding to pave the way for a long-term future with his parent club by proving his heat-leader credentials at Belle Vue.

The 25-year-old Aussie charger played a significant role as Poole claimed back-to-back Elite League titles in the past two seasons but his strong performances and bumped-up average left him in speedway’s no man’s land.

Having racked up an average of 6.40 by the end of 2014, Grajczonek became one of the annual victims of stringent team-building restrictions alongside fellow second-stringer Vaclav Milik.

It left the Somerset Rebels rider without a top-flight club at the start of the campaign.

But after a 28-day spell standing in for injured Pirate Dave Watt, the Aces came calling at the start of May.

And with Grajczonek acutely aware of the need to establish himself as a top-three rider in order to reclaim his place at Wimborne Road, he is seeking an improvement in consistency during his spell in Manchester.

He told the Daily Echo: “Matt Ford has built a really strong team at Poole. It didn’t work out for me over the winter but he had to put together a side he thought would do the job on the track. Where they are now proves he got that right.

“It is a shame I am not there this year but I am just looking at getting back my consistency to make sure I can hold on to a heat leader’s position in the Elite League.

“I am an asset at Poole and, of course, I see my future there. I have to thank Matt because he had no problem with me riding elsewhere for now and gave me the chance to go to Belle Vue.

“He knows the more I ride, the better I will get so it is good for me and, hopefully good for Poole because I hope to be back riding there in the future.”

Grajczonek continued: “I jumped at the chance to join Belle Vue because they have a strong team. We have been picking up points on the road but need to start looking at getting away wins if we want to push teams like Poole and get in the play-offs.

“I haven’t had a lot of meetings but, once I have a few more rides under my belt and find some consistency, I think I will be alright.”