Pearson joins The Gladiators

Plymouth Gladiators have made a change at reserve in a bid to resurrect their season and force themselves into the end of season play-offs.

New Zealander Jake Turner has been let go with promoter Mark Phillips quickly moving for 18-year-old Australian James Pearson after he was forced to be released by Birmingham Brummies because of his increase on his new average, which were released earlier this week.

Pearson, a Belle Vue asset who also rides for the Manchester club’s Colts team this year, has even given up his place riding for Leszno in Poland’s Under-24 league which underlines his commitment to the Gladiators and went straight into the Gladiators team for Friday’s meeting at Redcar Bears.

“I am just really thankful that Plymouth picked me up and can help me progress my speedway career in the right direction,” Pearson said. “It (the average change) wasn’t ideal, but that’s speedway.

“I think I have had only two bad race meetings and I think I’ve been having a pretty alright season so far, a lot better than last season, that’s for sure.

“Plymouth isn’t the easiest track to ride, but I enjoy it to be honest. I have come down to Plymouth three times and I have really enjoyed myself because it’s a fun little track to ride. I am keen to start racing there.

“Hopefully, I can keep banging in some good points for Plymouth and we can win some races. It would be nice to help the boys a bit, but I am not the most experienced. If I can score six points, then that would be amazing and we can go on to get some wins.

“I have gone up a spot now, but my aim is to get into the main body of the team. That is my personal goal and another goal is to make the play-offs, which is the club’s goal and the team’s goal as well. I haven’t been in the play-offs before, so to make it would be awesome and when you are in the play-offs, you never know what can happen.”

Having lost eight successive meetings, the pressure is on the Gladiators if they want to finish in that top six. With so few teams in the Championship, there is little opportunity to make up for perceived dropped points, while the irregularity of meetings doesn’t help either and was a contributing factor to Turner’s departure.

His only ride in 2023 was with the Gladiators and that lack of track time meant he could not get sharp or find any consistency by riding for a second, or even third team elsewhere in Europe.

That is not the case with Edwards, who has been riding for both the Brummies and Belle Vue Colts, plus Leszno in the Polish Under-24 league.

“There’s only four home meetings (for Plymouth) so I said I just wouldn’t ride in Poland for those four meetings, then afterwards, I’ll go back I think,” Pearson said. “You need to be on the bike as much as possible really and that’s what my Dad and I have tried to do. Sometimes, it might feel like it’s too much racing, but I love racing the bike and being at the tapes all the time.”Speaking of his decision to make the change, promoter Phillips said: “Unfortunately, Jake Turner’s inconsistencies have led us to make this change as we are still pushing for a top six position and we certainly hope that this is a forward progression rather than a sideways or backwards move. The season this year is short and we need to secure a better destiny.”