Drew Kemp: It’s a really important season for me.

A three-time British under-19 champion, the talented 19-year-old arrives at Wimborne Road having ridden for Eastbourne and Edinburgh in the Championship last season – as well as for Ipswich in the top flight.

Kemp comes in alongside Nathan Ablitt to fill the reserve berths at Pirates for 2022, with the likes of Steve Worrall, Richard Lawson, Danny King, Ben Cook and Zach Cook confirmed in the main body of the line-up.

But Kemp, speaking from the latest GB Academy Performance Camp in Bicester over the weekend, insisted he did not want to occupy a spot at reserve for too long.

He said: “I’m delighted to be at Poole.

“The main point is to stay at one club and that will hopefully work in my favour.

“Poole is a great club, it excites me that I get to go there every week. I think I can find my feet at Wimborne Road.

“My average is 3.67 or something like that, it’s still really low.

“I want to increase that this year and get into the main body of the team and really push on. It’s a really important season for me.

“I know what I’m capable of but switching clubs during the season (last year) is hard.

“I finished the campaign quite well at Edinburgh, my consistency was coming back again. It turned a season from a lot of struggles into something more positive.”

Kemp last rode the Poole track for Edinburgh in the Championship Knockout Cup final back in October.

And although Pirates made light work of the Monarchs on the night, he scored eight paid nine at reserve to catch the eye of promoter Danny Ford.

Kemp has also been working on the mental side of the sport, with Team GB psychologist Jeremy Holt.

He has also benefitted from one-to-one advice from former world champion Jason Crump.

He added: “The mental side of speedway is very much a big aspect of my career. I’ve struggled psychologically for the last few years. Essentially struggling to accept losing.

“That has affected me in the past. Last year at Ipswich when I had a tough time, having someone in the pits with me like Jason really did help.

“I was also lucky to get his one-to-one advice at the Great Britain Academy days with ATPI, that really has made a huge difference to me.

“Jason has also come to my workshop and to have someone of his ability and experience as part of the GB setup is amazing.”

Kemp is set to be part of Pirates’ press and practice day on Friday, March 25.

(Pictures: Taylor Lanning)