By Josh GUDGEON
NEW signing Ricky Wallace is settling into English life well, and bracing himself for a busy year!

The New South Wales born racer has signed for Premier League Champions Kings Lynn, replacing fellow Aussie Alex Davies, who ran into passport problems.

As well as riding for the Stars, Ricky will be a full-time member of Lewis Bridger’s pit crew and lives with the Bridger family in Bexhill.

“I’m living with Lewis and his granddad in Bexhill and they’re really cool people.

“They’ve sorted me out with a really nice room and everything so I’m grateful for that.

“I’ve been out and about a few times and we’ve been out a couple of nights and got a bit floppy!

“It’s a nice place from what I’ve seen. We’ve both been down the gym quite a lot, but I’m not letting Lewis drag me into the Mixed Martial Arts stuff!

“Before I came I was warned quite a lot about the weather, everyone told me to pack heaps of warm clothes but I didn’t listen. It’s a bit chilly! I’m sure I’ll get used to it but it’s pretty nippy!”

So what are Ricky’s thoughts on gaining a place in the Kings Lynn septet for the coming year?

“I’m delighted! When I came over I was happy to just work for Lewis and try and get a ride in the National League.

“I think there were a couple of teams interested but they all got full pretty quickly so nothing came off.

“Then I got the call from Peter (Oakes) telling me about the opportunity at Kings Lynn and it was too good to turn down. “I’ve got one bike on its way and I’ve got to sort another one out but I’ll be ready for the start of the season.

“I just want to try and get a respectable average and try my best. I am definitely aiming for more than three points a meeting!

“I’m gonna make sure I have some fun and try my hardest and we’ll see how it goes.”

Ricky is good friends with fellow Kings Lynn racer Kozza Smith, and the pair have an intriguing history together.

He explained: “I’m good mates with Kozza. We ride moto-cross together back home and we get on well. It’s strange though, it was a crash with Kozza that almost finished my riding off!

“I was 15 and me and Kozza had a pretty big crash and I completely shattered my right leg.

“It kept me out for a while but when I came back I just couldn’t get everything sorted. I was just riding and riding without getting anywhere. It just wasn’t working.

“I kept practicing and racing and eventually had some decent scores, so it all came good in the end. It affected me for quite a while though.”

The 21-year-old racer is delighted to be teaming up with some of his fellow Aussies at the East of England Showground.

He said: “A guy out in Oz called Peter White (Speedway Star’s Australian columnist and editor of his own magazine) approached me about the possibility of coming over here and put me in touch with Peter Oakes.

“We exchanged e-mails and he told me that I could come and work for Lewis and he’d try and fix me up with a ride. And that was that really, I’m here!

“I want to do the Premier League for a few years and establish myself there.

“But after that my aim is to be riding against the big boys for the Panthers! I’m really happy to be here and I can’t wait to get going!”

Ricky, along with the entire 2010 Panthers squad, will be present at our Meet the Team evening at the Marriott Hotel on Sunday (7.30 pm).

We also hope that Panthers legend Mick Poole and son Taylor will be present, with their flight due to touch down in the UK on Saturday.

RELEASE DATE: Monday 01 March 2010