King’s Lynn Stars rider turns to the former world champion

New King’s Lynn Stars arrival Ty Proctor says he took advice from former speedway world champion Jason Crump.

Proctor, who celebrates his 31st birthday next week (February 27), revealed he sought out fellow Australian Crump – who is a former Lynn rider – about the recovery process from a broken neck.

A UK top flight (Elite League) championship winner in 2009 with Wolverhampton, Proctor has also suffered visa as well as injury problems since then. Although mainly with Wolves since that title triumph, he has also ridden for the likes of Sheffield and Plymouth on these shores.

He said: “A lot of people don’t realise how bad the injury was. I broke my neck in 2013. I came back from that. I rushed back and I did Mads’ (ex-Lynn captain Korneliussen’s testimonial) meeting and I wasn’t fit enough.

“I knew then that I was already here so I didn’t walk away from it. I’m really glad that’s in the past.

“I regrouped last year back with Workington and just got in the feel of things with British speedway again.”

The Aussie was deported from the UK in 2015 when his visa was refused due to not meeting renewal criteria based on his performance in the sport.

Proctor, from Victoria, stated about his advice from three-times world champion Crump, who spent two years with the Stars: “In my first year back in Oz I spent a long time with Jason Crump.

“Crumpie said just like: Don’t go rushing into it, just small steps back into the sport again, and you’ll find bigger rewards at the end.

“That’s what happened. I took his advice about training – not that he ever used to train – he reckons that’s the way forward.

“I have been training really hard since the season ended and felt really good in myself, and I’m glad I’m at King’s Lynn.”

Crump rode between 2000 and 2001 for the King’s Lynn Stars (Knights as they were known in those days) under then-team boss Nigel Wagstaff and continued to blossom into a world-class rider.

He won his world titles in 2004, 2006 and 2009.

The Stars begin their SGB Premiership 2018 campaign in early April.