MARK Baseby admits he is going to bite the bullet and dive headlong towards a full-time speedway career.
The Buccaneers captain and Poole asset is set to give up his day job as an electrician after signing doubling-up forms with Premier League outfit Somerset.
It means the exciting 22-year-old prospect will be able to ride more regularly after being restricted to mainly just third-tier outings since the beginning of last term.
Baseby, who lines up for Rebels at home to Workington tonight, said: “I don’t think I’m going to be able to work because Somerset’s home meetings are on Fridays and that means a lot of time off.
“I’d like to be a full-time speedway rider at the moment. I don’t think I can go full-time properly financially though, I’ll still have to pick up days’ labouring with my mates when I can.
“I need a couple of Premier meetings to get in the swing of it, then I can go from there and we’ll see what happens.
“It’s going to be a struggle to start with financially, but I’m only young and have to bite the bullet because these chances don’t come often. I have a chance and just have to grab it.”
Baseby, who helped Bourne-mouth Castle Cover secure a National League and cup double last year, added: “I hope riding regularly in the Premier will improve my third-tier form.
“You are riding against a higher class of rider. They’re a lot sharper, a lot faster and a lot more aggressive. Hopefully riding week in, week out I can take that into the National. It’ll still be tough in the third-tier. We still have boys who drop down like Jerran Hart and Kyle Hughes, who are cutting it in the Premier.
“But, hopefully, I can improve and become a higher level rider.”
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