Fan favourite Brad Anderson will be showcasing his Arenacross skills in the New Year as part of Dave Thorpe’s Buildbase Honda team and the 32-year-old is ready to give it his best shot.
Ando, a four-time national champion and two-time MXdN team member, is almost fully recovered from a hand injury and looking forward to getting his testing programme under way.
“Dave wants me to go down and test in a couple of weeks time,” says Brad. “He’s got a couple of tracks which will help me prepare for Arenacross and I’m really looking forward to getting into it and getting some riding done again.”
Famed for his raw aggression and forceful riding style, the North Easterner knows that while he may not have the super-smooth skills AX racing generally calls for he can still be brutally effective indoors.
“I’m real excited about Arenacross. I’ve done a couple of indoor rounds before – I won one of them and got second in the other – so I know I can win. I’m not the sort of person who thinks of himself as an Arenacross rider but I know that once the gate drops I see the red mist. Indoors or out I’m a racer and I want to win and if I see an opportunity to make a pass then I’ll take it.
“It will be a lot to do with getting the starts, trying to hold your lines and being as smooth as you can. I’m not the smoothest of riders but I know I’m in with a chance.”
Brad will have home advantage for round five of the series on February 9 at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle and he plans to use this to full effect.
“I’m from round here,” he adds, “and Bikesport Newcastle have sponsored me nearly all my life so it’s going to be big for us both to be at the Metro Radio Arena. I’m hoping I’ll get lots of local fans here to get behind me and hopefully I’ll do them proud.”
