A WRIGHT GOOD RESULT!

REDCAR captain Charles Wright celebrated another memorable Cab Direct British Final performance after taking runners-up spot in Manchester on Saturday.

The 2019 champion finished on the podium for the fourth time in his career, having also been second last season, and he has now secured a place in next year’s British Grand Prix.

Wright’s achievement was all the more praiseworthy because he has only recently returned to racing after nearly four months out with a fractured and dislocated shoulder.

Wright said: “I probably played down how bad the injury was. I didn’t know where I was, but I’m a determined character, and I saw the right people and was determined to get back as quickly as possible.

“I knew I had one chance to make a move in the Final because lap after lap you seem to build your speed here, so diving underneath Leon (Flint) and taking his line was the only chance I had, and I took it.

“It will be my third Grand Prix (next year) and I’m so proud of myself and my achievements. It’s been a struggle, I’ve worked my way up and I’m 38 this year but I feel like I’m getting better with age!”

Wright had two tremendous tussles with Flint during the closing stages of the meeting, including in the Final, and the Sheffield and Glasgow rider was delighted to take a podium finish for the first time after starting with three successive wins.

Flint said: “I hadn’t really been thinking about it because I’ve been flat out this week, especially since Tuesday, but something just changed on track walk.

“In the past few years I’ve always just felt like I was here to make up the numbers, but after track walk I thought to myself I was in with a chance.

“I think I fell off a little bit towards to the end, we lost what we were doing with the bike, but if someone had said that I’d be on the podium before the meeting I would have grabbed your hand off!”

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Photo credit: IAN CHARLES