David Norris today declared himself raring to go again after the most costly week of his Eastbourne Eagles season.
Norris has confirmed he is fit to face Arena-Essex tomorrow in Eagles' final home fixture of their A programme.
But he has had to get a new bike frame and rest a couple of injuries to do so, thanks to a collision in last Sunday's British Championship.
As for that tricky decision about going for the Grand Prix next season? Well, that was taken out of his hands the moment Garry Stead of Workington went hurtling into him at Belle Vue.
That smash in Norris's third ride in the British final cost him what looked like a being a place in the last four.
It also ruled him out of Monday's narrow defeat for Eagles at Wolverhampton.
And it cost him about £1,000 in damage to his bike, most of which can now be found lying in a rubbish skip at his sponsor's property.
Norris had picked up five points from his first two rides and reckons he was on course for second place in his third outing when he was sent flying.
Scott Nicholls went on to defend his title ahead of Joe Screen and Simon Stead, no relation to Garry, who progressed to the next stage of the GP qualification process along with Chris Harris and Andy Smith.
Meanwhile, Norris headed back to Sussex with heavy bruising to his left leg and damage to his right shoulder and part of his neck.
He travelled with the team to Monmore Green on Monday but made a last-minute decision not to ride. Memories of the head injury which ruled him out for much of last season were a factor in the safety-first decison taken by Norris and promoter Jon Cook in the pits.
Norris revealed: "I felt really good on Monday morning so we got the kit ready and went up to Wolverhampton.
"I went to sleep in my bunk bed on the way up there and when I woke up at about four I felt really second hand. I had a stiff neck and shoulder and, after what happened last year, we decided it would be best to rest up."
Norris has salvaged items such as the engine, covers and back wheel from his smashed bike.
He is not dwelling on that missed chance in the British Championship, an event he has never won.
He said: "It wasn't the hardest meeting in the world, to tell the truth.
"It was all right. You just plod along. I'd had a first and a second and I think I would have come second again until the geezer nailed me.
"I suppose the ifs and buts of what to do if we got into the GPs are out of the window now.
"We haven't got to think about whether we can afford that. But I'm not too worried. I'm going to kick on with my domestic stuff for Eastbourne.
"Maybe we can turn our season around enough to get fourth spot. I still believe we can do that. Adam Shields is back and that's fantastic."
Norris will be partnered by Lewis Bridger tomorrow as the teenager moves up to No. 2 while Edward Kennett rides for Rye House in the Premier League.
With Andrew Moore no longer available and Jason Bunyan denied an Eagles debut by his broken collarbone, in comes Somerset's Glen Phillips for his first Eastbourne ride at reserve.
Brent Werner, released by Eastbourne recently, gets a debut in the Hammers line-up in place of former Eagle Paul Hurry.
Hurry was another casualty of last Sunday's event at Belle Vue, sustaining two broken ribs.
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