CHRIS Louis is back home with a message for Evening Star Witches fans that he has no intention of calling time on his career.

SPEEDWAY

By Mike Bacon

CHRIS Louis is back home with a message for Evening Star Witches fans that he has no intention of calling time on his career.

The Witches skipper, who broke in half the ball at the top of his right arm socket in a frightening crash at Foxhall on Thursday night, is now resting and awaiting more diagnosis on the length of time his injury will take to heal.

But one thing is for certain, there is no talk of retirement in the Louis household just yet.

“Now is not the time for me to be talking about the long-term,” Louis said.

“This injury needs to settle down for a month, so I can get a proper diagnosis. It is going to be at least two or three months, of course it is. It might even be longer, perhaps six months. But until I know I'm making no decision on my career.”

Louis was buoyed by the Witches impressive display against the Eagles in a meeting they went on to win comfortably, despite his absence.

However he has been left disappointed that his injury appears to be of little concern to Lewis Bridger, the Eagles youngster, who caused the crash and ultimately Louis' broken arm.

“It saddens me rather that I haven't even had a call of best wishes or to see how I am, from Lewis,” said Louis.

“It seems to be the way things are these days. I had a nasty crash at Arena Essex and broke my collar-bone a couple of seasons ago. That wasn't my fault either, but I never heard a word from the guy whose fault it was.

“Don't get me wrong, I have no grudges or complaints about what happened or the other riders involved. They were pure racing accidents and never intentional.

“But is it too much to just give a phone call to see how I am?”

Louis has been the victim of many nasty accidents over the years, few if any his own fault.

After two bad crashes in Poland and Sweden, none his fault, Witches team-mate Kim Jansson wiped Louis out at Coventry, resulting in a broken kneecap, Belle Vue's Simon Stead careered into him at Arena and broke his collar-bone and now Lewis Bridger got out of shape at Foxhall with his bike smashing into the Witches skipper, resulting in the latest injury.

All pure accidents of course, but all hugely unfortunate for Louis who is looking forward to getting back into the pits, just to encourage his team-mates.

“I'll be at Lakeside on Friday to support the team,” Louis said.

“More of the same like the Eastbourne meeting would be good.”

At Lakeside Edward Kennett, ironically an Eagles' team-mate of Bridger's, will guest for the Witches in Louis' absence.

mike.bacon@archant.co.uk