Swedish star Philip Hellstrom-Bangs paid tribute to the Ipswich Tru7 Group Witches for keeping the faith after declaring himself fit to return against Sheffield at Foxhall on Thursday.
Hellstrom-Bangs missed the entire month of May after serving a two-week suspension handed down by his national governing body SVEMO from May 1, before being denied the chance to return by a period of illness.
He was expected to miss Thursday’s clash with Sheffield, with Jake Mulford booked to guest after Witches elected not to move forward with a 28-day contract for Edward Kennett to replace the Swede – ensuring Hellstrom-Bangs could return to the side immediately when he was declared fit.
They have been rewarded for their faith instantly with a positive plot twist, and the news that Hellstrom-Bangs makes his track comeback for Swedish side Rospiggarna in the Bauhaus Elitserien on Tuesday night, before making the trip to Foxhall to compete for the Witches on Thursday.
After putting a torrid month behind him, Hellstrom-Bangs thanked the Witches for standing by him rather than moving forward with the Kennett deal – one that would have ruled him out of Rowe Motor Oil Premiership action for another 28 days.
He said: “It feels really, really great that they have stuck by me. I am really thankful for the opportunity, and that they keep fighting for me.
“Even if I haven’t had the best races yet, they still want me to be in the team and be one of the Ipswich riders. I am really, really glad about that, and I appreciate that from all of the fans, riders and bosses at the club. I am really happy to be able to get back now and start helping them.
“I am really happy to start racing in Sweden also, so that I get more meetings. So far, I have only raced two practice sessions and seven meetings.
“At this moment, I am only looking forward. I am really looking forward to having a good rest of the season. I will do everything I can to get the win for the Ipswich fans and team on Thursday.”
While the Witches are aware of Hellstrom-Bangs’ condition, the rider has asked for his confidentiality to be respected and politely declined to go into details.
But the Avesta-born racer confirmed: “I have been sick, and I have been in hospital. I’ve done some tests and everything looks good, so now I am ready for racing again.
“Everything happened two days before the first meeting I was supposed to race after my suspension, so I have been really unlucky with everything that has happened with the suspension and now my illness. I have not sat on the bike since the last time I was in the UK (at Northampton on April 30).
“What happened was really unlucky. It has been a tough time, but now I am feeling good, and I am happy to be back for my Swedish club tomorrow and at Ipswich on Thursday.
“I have been working really, really hard to get some papers from the doctors to allow me to get started as soon as possible. I got that today, and now I am ready.”
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