PIRATES reserve Mateusz Szczepaniak has vowed not to rest on his laurels following the best season of his career.

Among a notable series of achievements in 2017, Szczepaniak qualified for the Speedway European Championship for the first time.

He banked a seventh-place finish across the four-round series, ahead of the likes of Kenneth Bjerre, Andrej Kudryashov and Michael Jepsen Jensen.

The 30-year-old Pole also ended 11th in the Grand Prix Challenge and is hoping to again impress in individual events in the upcoming campaign.

He told the Daily Echo: "Last year I got to the SEC final and was in the GP Challenge but I want more. This year I want to get to the SEC final again.

"As riders, we race to win. You ride and try to win heats. I won't win every heat but if things go well then I'll get to the SEC final."

Szczepaniak and Poole team-mate Kacper Woryna are both set to race for Polish club Rybnik in the forthcoming season.