HANCOCK BACKS HARD-WORKING BECKER TO PROGRESS

Four-time world champion Greg Hancock believes his American protégée Luke Becker has the “work ethic” needed to succeed in the sport.

Becker burst on to the scene at the 2016 FIM Speedway World Cup, when Hancock stepped down from the side to hand him his chance at the Race Off in Manchester, and Grin has followed his progress ever since.

Becker has built himself a club career across Europe. He starred for Swedish side Dackarna during their Bauhaus Elitserien title-winning season in 2021, as well as helping Wolverhampton reach the SGB Premiership play-offs and scoring solidly for Polish First Division side Lodz.

Becker also led the USA into the Final Qualifier in Semi-Final 1 of the FIM Speedway of Nations, scoring an impressive 21 points.

With Hancock now retired from the shale, Becker is being tipped as the next American capable of making it on to the FIM Speedway Grand Prix stage.

Hancock – a 21-time SpeedwayGP winner – certainly believes Becker’s work rate will take him far in the sport.

He said: “Some riders materialise quicker than others, but Luke is a guy who is making steady progress. Knock on wood, he’s not getting injured, which is the name of the game. You have to be at every event you say you are going to be at.

“He’s the kind of guy who is there and he works really, really hard. We have spent a lot of time with him. He wants it really badly.

“Things don’t happen overnight; he is talented to a certain level, but his work ethic is even more than his talent. He works harder to be better and I think that’s going to pay dividends for him in the future.”