PETERBOROUGH track specialist Charles Wright is the latest name on the club’s Premiership team-sheet for 2019.
The 30-year-old has a proven record of success at the East of England Arena with a string of high scores when racing against the Panthers at Championship level.
Recently seen in the colours of Somerset, Redcar and Sheffield, Wright scored a 15-point maximum for the Bears when he visited in April 2017, whilst this year for the Tigers he was unbeaten prior to Heat 15.
He endured a mixed top-flight season in 2018, losing his place with Somerset after a pits dispute and then seeing out the campaign with basement side Leicester.
That means he comes into the Panthers’ line-up on a bargain 5.14 average (discounted from 5.27) – and promoter Ged Rathbone feels that gives real power to the side at second-string.
Rathbone said: “Charles actually contacted us when it was announced that we were moving up to the Premiership.
“He was desperate to ride at the Showground and he made it quite clear that there was nowhere else he wanted to be in this league.
“Coming in on an average of just over five, I think that’s brilliant for us given how he goes around our track. “He’s certainly been a thorn in our side over the past four years when he’s been riding against us, he’s scored massive points at Peterborough. Now we have him coming in at second-string and I think it gives us massive strength-in-depth, especially at home.
“He’s wanted to come to Peterborough for quite some time now and we’ve spoken about it before but he never quite fitted in with our team-building plans.
“We’re now really excited to be able to bring him in, and I don’t think we could have done any better for that position in the team.
“We’ve talked to Charles and it’s very important that he comes in and enjoys his speedway. That’s what we want for all the riders. We want them to know they will be looked after, and they will come here to race with smiles on their faces.”
Wright joins skipper Hans Andersen, Chris Harris and Craig Cook as confirmed signings for 2019, and more news is expected next week.