Glasgow speedway star Josh Grajczonek pondering Poland move

Oct 19 2010 By Fraser Wilson

Josh Grajczonek

Exclusive

GLASGOW TIGERS ace Josh Grajczonek admits he doesn't know if he will be returning to Ashfield next year - despite manager Stewart Dickson dubbing him the new Shane Parker.

Aussie Graj has been Tigers most improved rider this season, fulfilling the potential which saw Dickson take a chance on him three years ago.

The 20-year-old speed demon has never hidden his love of Glasgow. But, before heading home for the winter break this week, Grajczonek admitted his ambition to race in the speedway stronghold of Poland may lead to him cutting ties with his adopted home.

Grajczonek faces one of the biggest decisions of his career in the next fortnight and he told the Glaswegian: "I would like to be part of Glasgow's plans for next season but I'm still thinking about doing Poland.

"I'm still a junior there for one more year and I would like to give it a go. But sometimes you go out there and do one meeting and they don't ask you back so it's a bit of a dilemma.

"I need to go home, speak to the old boy about it and see where we go.

"If Glasgow didn't race on a Sunday I would ride there every year, no worries. But Poland gets in the way and I'm still young and I want to try this stuff."

Watch the full exclusive interview with Josh Grajczonek, here.

Grajczonek added a point onto his starting average of 6.25 this season after a year which saw him emerge as a seriously strong back-up to Travis McGowan and Joe Screen at the top of the Tigers order.

His performances, his accent and the rapport Graj enjoys with the Ashfield crowd - led team boss Dickson to label him "Glasgow's new Shane Parker" last month.

But while the past six months could be described as a successful year on a personal level, from a team perspective it's been another season of underachievement.

Grajczonek said: "We didn't have the best of years team wise, we got stuck with a few injuries.

"We had to replace four or five riders this year which isn't good. You get a good team spirit going and then it suddenly dies.

"The last half season we have had an awesome team and we have just struggled to all fire at once. It's not been good.

"I'm happy with my own performance although I'm still pretty inconsistent. I go to a lot of away tracks and score five or six which isn't good - I just have to get that consistency."

Meanwhile, Glasgow legend James Grieves has finalised a star-studded line-up for his testimonial meeting at Ashfield next weekend.

The Elderslie-based rider, in his 20th season in professional speedway, has secured the services of Swedish duo Freddie Lindgren and Peter Karlsson to complete a field which also includes Shane Parker.