Thursday 7th June 2012, 10:53

British star Chris Harris is ready to storm this season’s SGP qualification rounds, but admits he would love to book his 2013 World Championship spot with a top-eight finish.

The Cornishman is 15^th in the standings on 17 points – 20 behind Freddie Lindgren, who occupies the final automatic qualification berth ahead of the FIM Dansk Metal Danish SGP on Saturday.

Harris knows he has a mountain to climb over the final eight rounds, but he could still cling on to his SGP dream by finishing in the top three at the GP Challenge in Gorican on September 29.

Bomber has won two straight silver medals in the Croatian Grand Prix there and has mastered the circuit as well as any rider in the world.

He needs a top nine spot in his qualification quarter final at Berwick on June 16 and a top five place in one of the three semi-finals on June 30 to reach world speedway’s most cutthroat meeting.

Harris is confident he can earn a spot at the Speedway Stadium Milenium, as well as continuing his quest for the top eight in his bid to avoid relying on a wild card entry.

He said: “I’m more than confident I can put a run together, get to some finals and get back up there. I’ve proved in the past I can do that and we need to do that now. I’ve got my goals and I’m working hard for them.

“I’m sure, come the end of the season, we’ll be in the top eight and I also have the qualifiers.

“My first qualifying meeting is Berwick on June 16. I went up there for an open meeting a couple of years ago and I love it.

“The GP Challenge is at Gorican on September 29 and that place definitely suits me. I’ve finished second in two Grand Prix meetings there, and I’m happy with that. I’ve got to get there first, though.

“I have two ways of getting in, but I’m still pushing to get into the top eight. I could still get a wild card, but I’m aware that the organisers might look at it and say ‘he has had a few wild cards, we’ll give it to someone else’, and especially if Tai Woffinden or someone else is going well.”

Harris, who scored three points at the FIM Swedish SGP in Gothenburg on May 26, does not pull any punches when asked about his tough start to 2012. He said. “It has probably been the worst start to a season I’ve had in the Grand Prix. But that’s just down to machinery more than anything.

“I’ve always had the belief I can do it and I just haven’t had the bikes to show how good and capable I am of doing it.

“We’ve turned the corner now, I believe, and we’ve got the bikes working how I want every time. Since Gothenburg, we have changed a few things on the bikes and the changes have worked, which has been proved by my performance on track in the last week.

“There are a lot of rounds left. I’m only 20 points off eighth place and I’ve still got my sights set on eighth or higher. The boys above me are going to have a bad meeting or two along the way, I’m sure.”

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