NOT only has speedway rider Sam Norris made a remarkable return to racing, but the 17-year-old has won his first competitive race this weekend on the grass track - just 2 years after suffering a serious brain injury in a crash at the British Youth Speedway Championships.
Riding for Mildenhall Fen Tigers in the 250cc category back in 2019, Sam came off his bike and was run over at 50mph whilst leading the pack. With his parents in attendance in Glasgow that day, he was left in a coma and on life support, and left blind for a month.
But the young lad from Linton, Cambridgeshire beat the odds. After re-learning to walk and talk, he built his strength up over 3 months in rehabilitation in preparation to get back on the bike, with his goal always set on returning to racing.
Before the race, he was quoted by BBC Radio Suffolk:
"My parents thought I'd never get back to racing in those early days, it's an emotional day for everyone,
"I just want to get back to what I was doing. I just want to win, I want to come back with a winning trophy."
Watching videos of himself riding before the injury and working on building his strength, Sam is said to now feel even fitter than he did before the accident.
Young speedway rider Sam Norris makes incredible return
This weekend, on the 26th of June, Sam headed out to a grass track meeting in Gosbeck near Ipswich for his first competitive race, looking to build some confidence before considering a return to the speedway shale. But winning his first competitive race is nothing short of remarkable.
"As soon as I got out of the start first and to the corner first, I wanted to get to the finish first,”
"But I remember being in that pit box before I went out and I said 'Dad, I'll do you proud,' but I never thought I'd able to win it, I thought 'top three, that's all right’”
"I've had to keep my determination to my end goal, I've always wanted to get back to racing, and I've just willed myself to get better.”
Certainly made of stronger stuff than most of us.
It shows both incredible strength & character to even make a return to riding, but to get out there and take a winners trophy home with you is truly spectacular. He’s been practising back on the speedway oval in May, but will continue building confidence and wins on the grass track for now.
Huge well done from everyone at Visordown, Sam!
Photos sourced from BBC articles with photo credit to Jeff Higgott, ITV, and East Anglian Daily Times & with photo credit to Carol Downie.
If you're interested in all things oval, we donned a steel-shoe for a go at Flat Track with Royal Enfield Slide School with Dirt Craft recently.
