GRAND Prix new boy Tomasz Chrzanowski could be set to ride for Pirates again when they meet Eastbourne over two legs in special eight-team challenge matches later this month.
The 24-year-old Pole originally joined Poole in 2002 when he scorched to prominence by scoring 14 paid 15 from six rides on his home debut, ironically against Eastbourne in a 49-41 challenge victory at Wimborne Road.
Chrzanowski ended that season with a lowly 4.34 average after amassing only 77 points, including bonuses, in 19 league and cup matches.
But his progress was severely hindered by a motor car accident he was involved in in his homeland that badly affected his speedway career at the time.
That incident is now firmly behind him, as he stressed after he had finished second in the Grand Final of the Grand Prix qualifiers in Vojens, Denmark, last month.
And it is full steam ahead for Chrzanowski, who qualified to line up in next year's World Championship GP series alongside Vojens winner Antonio Lindback, another Pirates asset.
Chrzanowski, who was close to securing a Poole RIAS team place in 2003 and 2004, has been asked to line up for Poole RIAS alongside their regular seven other riders at home to the Eagles on Thursday, September 23.
If he agrees, he will also join the Pirates crew again in the return at Eastbourne on Saturday, September 25. Both meetings will be run over 18 heats.
Chrzanowski has also been earmarked to line up for a Polish Select against Poole at Wimborne Road in an international challenge on Thursday, September 30.
The Poles, who will probably be managed by national team boss and ex-Pirates rider Piotr Pyszny, will take part in a 15-heat, seven-man-per-side meeting.
Pirates chief Matt Ford said: "Tomasz has had a great season in Poland and he has qualified for next year's GP, so we want to have another look at him with a view to using him in our side in 2005.
"The Eastbourne meetings and the challenge against a Polish Select give us the ideal opportunity to do that, so we are hoping that he will come over.
"We have had two challenge matches against the Poles in the last few years and they have given us first-class opportunities to look at riders who interest us.
"The first meeting produced Tomasz, the second one produced Krzysztof Kasprzak and I will leave it to everyone else to think about which rider we are perhaps looking at on the night.
"All I can confirm is that we are in negotiations with one, if not two, Poles and it gives us a great chance of seeing the riders perform on the Poole track.
"The fixtures against the Poles in the past have given us some excellent racing and we believe that will be the case again on September 30."
Pirates have had to move from their regular Wednesday race night slot to Thursday during September because Wednesdays clash with the Swedish League play-offs.
Ford said: "It is not ideal but we have given our fans as much notice as possible and I hope they will be able to turn out on Thursdays in strength.
"The Eastbourne meetings will be over 18 heats and with the additional rider in each team we have had to put a small increase on the admission price of 50p to help cover some of our extra costs.
"But we believe the extra heats and the overall racing will be worth the slight increase with people being able to see two exciting teams in action.
"Prices will revert back to normal for the Polish Select match which will be over 15 heats with seven-man teams."
Pirates' remaining fixtures, September: Thu 9 v Belle Vue (Elite League) home, Sun 12 Elite League Riders' Championship at Poole, Thu 16 v no home meeting, Thu 23 v Eastbourne (Challenge) home, Sat 25 v Eastbourne (Ch) away, Thu 30 v Polish Select (Ch). October: Mon 4 v To be confirmed away (Elite League play-off final, if Poole have qualified), Wed 6 v Provisional home leg of Knockout Cup semi-final, Mon 11 v To be confirmed home (Elite League play-off final, if Poole have qualified), Wed 20 v Provisional home leg of Knockout Cup final, if Poole qualify). To be arranged: v Belle Vue (EL) away.
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