Eastbourne Eagles captain David Norris is not prepared to risk his long-term future in speedway by continuing to ride through the pain barrier.

Norris is still suffering concussion-like symptons following a crash two months ago and has declared he will not ride again until he is happy he is 100 per cent fit.

He is seeing a specialist in a bid to discover the root of the recurring problem which has dogged him since he slid off in an innocuous looking fall at Swindon on April 28.

Norris said: "The plan is to race at this standard for a minimum of five years and we're talking about one month out in that five years. And after that five years, I want to live for another forty.

"A month out is nothing in the bigger picture and, to be honest, I have scored nothing recently in meetings and have struggled.

"I have made a very tough decision not to ride because people aren't seeing the real me on the track and it isn't doing the team any good.

"I will only ride now when I know I am 100 per cent fit.

"It is dangerous riding when you are not right. I don't look right on a bike and I don't want people to think anything less of me than they did last year."

The 32-year-old missed last Thursday's crushing 55-38 defeat at Ipswich after complaining of dizziness hours before the meeting and will play no part in the crunch clash at Arlington tonight against second-placed Belle Vue Aces in front of the Sky cameras.

The decision to stop riding has not been taken lightly by the popular rider, who is affectionately known as 'Floppy' by Eagles fans, but he feels it is the only solution as previous tests have failed to reveal an underlying problem.

Norris is going private to try to get find a quick answer.

He said: "I'm unable to focus. It is the same problems as I had after Swindon - concussion, whiplash and there is something wrong with my neck.

"I went to the NHS and I was told I hadn't broken anything in my neck, which I knew anyway."

Norris, who won a heat in the British Grand Prix at the Millennium Stadium a fortnight ago, added: "Financially it is a disaster for me but I want to race at this standard for the next five years.

"To eke out a few quid and a few scores for the unforseeable future is a waste of time.

"I feel I am letting a lot of people down, especially the guy who sponsors me and the little team I have.

"I have been dawdling around town thinking, 'I don't feel too bad today' but that isn't any good and I am just kidding myself.

"I am not right and there is no point in me riding the bike until I am right.

"Head injuries are awkward things to describe. Because I walk round town and go to speedway and have a laugh and a joke, people think I am fine.

"If I put a bandage around my head people would say, 'Blimey, look at him. He's hurt'.

"I can have a laugh with the other riders but when I get on the bike and run it up, it goes straight to my head and I can't focus."

The injury is especially frustrating for Norris after last season's superb form.

He revealed: "I got myself to the standard last season where I was physically and mentally stronger than I had ever been before.

"Speedway became a lot easier for me but now I feel a lot worse than I did when I was nearly enough a full-time alcoholic.

"I feel I could score twice as many points with a hangover and an old clapped out bike like I used to have than I can now.

"It has put Jon Cook (Eagles team manager) in an extremely awkward position but I can't help it.

"I could go to Eastbourne tonight and race and quite comfortably score seven points but that is not what I have been employed to do.

"I am expected to score double figures every meeting and that's what I want to do."

Norris is putting his faith in the same specialist who helped another rider.

"Paul Hurry had a similar accident about three years ago. For three months he was away with the fairies but was told there was nothing wrong with him," said Norris.

"He went to see a specialist and the first thing found was he had dislocated his jaw.

"Who knows, there may be nothing wrong with me and I am just going insane but at least I'll know.

"I'm pretty sure there is something wrong as I can't do anything at the moment. We have a trampoline for the kids and I can't even go on that as it feels like my head is going to fall off.

"But once I am back, people are going to have to watch out as I am going to have some anger to work out on my bike."