LEICESTER youngster Joe Lawlor has paid tribute to his sponsors for keeping him on track.
Coming from a working-class background the 20-year-old has really had to graft to get himself a footing in the sport he loves.
“My Dad rode but he did it all for himself from school like paying for all his own equipment, said Lawlor. “I think his mum bought him a pair of gloves but that was about it so he obviously knew what he wanted me to do.
“He wanted to give me the backing to do it and I started racing grasstrack when I was six-years-old, and I was the mascot at Belle Vue for five years so I hope to be back there in the future.
“When it’s going well you may earn a few quid but when things are going bad you have engine bills, things are breaking and all sorts of things like that.
“I really couldn’t do it without my sponsors ATPI – they really did keep me on track back in 2018 otherwise my season would have been over because I was having a lot of trouble with engines blowing up and we just couldn’t afford it.”
Lawlor is lined up for the Roger Webster Lions Cubs in 2021 as they, like the senior side, are looking to defend their league title.
Promoter and team boss Stewart Dickson has been hectic of late in several virtual meetings about the structure of the sport for next year.
“It’s been time consuming, not just with my Leicester hat on but also as a member of the British Speedway board,” he said.
“Personally I cannot wait for opening night next season with the wonderful Leicester fans cheering our riders on in 2021.”
The Watling JCB Lions are forced into one team chance after Ellis Perks declared he couldn’t afford to keep riding without increasing his wage demands.
