TALENTED teenager Max Clegg will wear an Edinburgh Monarchs race jacket for a third straight season.
The 19-year-old Yorkshireman has already won leagues at all three levels of British speedway following his 2015 title winning season with Monarchs and being part of Wolverhampton’s Elite League success last year.
He is also the reigning British Under-19 Champion and the National League Riders’ Champion (NLRC) but Max recognises he has a long way to go.
He said: “I felt I made a lot of progression last year. I’m really glad to be back and I think I can progress more.
“I can definitely move forward and increase my average in both the Premiership and Championship. I’ve just got to do better on the away tracks. That has always been my downfall but I’m determined to make that right this year.
“It’s the bigger tracks I’ve struggled on. In the Elite Final at Belle Vue last year I struggled all meeting but made a few changes to my bike and managed a good pass in my last right. If I can carry that on, I’ll be fine on the big tracks.”
The rising star added: “I’m going to practise my gating over the winter, you can never be too good at that.”
Monarchs have so far confirmed Ricky Wells, Mark and Eri Riss and Sam Masters in their line-up for next summer and Max said: “I know everyone in the team well because I have ridden with Ricky Wells at Wolverhampton.”
He confirmed he will not ride in the third tier of British speedway, the National League and added: “Riding with the top boys is going to help me move forward. Winning the NLRC was a good way to finish in that league.”
The ambitious racer plans some mechanical changes for the 2017 season, though not in his pits personnel.
He added: “I’ll have my full time mechanic Matthew again, with Fraser helping out at Edinburgh. They are great lads. You can’t do it without your mechanics, they are just as important as the riders in speedway.”
Team so far: Ricky Wells, Erik Riss, Mark Riss, Sam Masters, Max Clegg.
Monarchs will compete in 2017 in the new SGB Championship. They are the only five-time winners of the Premier League which ran from 1997-2016.
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