PETERBOROUGH are pleased to confirm Aaron Summers as a full team member for the season ahead.
Summers joined the Crendon Panthers on the eve of the campaign when the club were forced to make a short-term signing – but his impressive form in his four appearances has ensured he has now ridden himself into a permanent team place.
The Australian contributed a crucial seven points in Monday’s dramatic win over Poole, including combining with Charles Wright for a vital 5-1 in Heat 14.
Team manager Carl Johnson said: “We brought Aaron in as a short-term replacement for Craig Cook, and over the meetings that he’s been involved in he has performed way above our expectations.
“The initial deal was literally for those first two weeks, which would have covered the Supporters’ Cup, but we feel now that we don’t need to cover that position, and Aaron deserves the opportunity to be a full-time member of the Panthers.
“He is performing well enough, and the team is performing well enough, that we don’t feel the need to bring anybody in at this present moment, and I’m more than happy with what we’ve got.
“The options that are out there are no better than what we’ve got in the team now, and I feel the team can also improve a hell of a lot more than what they are showing at the moment.
“There are still a few niggling little mechanical issues that we need sorting out which is going to improve us as a team, and I think as the team grows together, they’re just going to get better and better.
“I feel they’re the right seven to have at the moment for Peterborough, and this move gives everyone certainty. Aaron is more than happy that he’s going to be in, and we’ll be sorting him out with his suit, his covers and his guards so he now really feels part of the team
“People wrote us off, talking about us losing Craig Cook, but I’ve always said the seven riders that we’ve got are capable of beating any side in this league if they perform consistently at the same time, and that was shown against Poole who are a strong team.”
Summers and the remainder of the Crendon Panthers will next be in action on Easter Monday in a big Bank Holiday clash with King’s Lynn at the East of England Arena (6.30pm).