2013-12-09 09:17:19.2
Speaking publicly for the first time since it was announced that he would be returning to the Sprint Championship in 2008, Eddie has said that he is delighted to be returning after two years away from the Championship.
“I am happy to confirm that I will be returning to the sprint championship this year. It is great to have the opportunity to race in both the sprint and endurance championships again and I’m looking forward to getting back in action at Buckmore.”
Eddie confirmed that he will be returning to the Lightweight Championship – a series he pulled out of at the beginning of 2004 to move to the Heavyweight class, before quitting in 2006 to concentrate solely on the Premier Endurance series.
“It was quite a difficult decision for Steve [Dart] to make because I think I am considered borderline Premier material with my past success and experience, but we eventually agreed that, because I haven’t raced in the sprints for so long, it would be best to put me in the Lightweight class and see how things go.
“It will be interesting being back in the lights. I had to move out before because I was too heavy and I enjoyed much more success in the Heavyweight class as a result. The minimum weight limit has increased a bit since I last raced and I am much lighter now than I was then because I used to bulk up for the sprints. I think I’m right on the minimum weight limit now and, given the experience in the Enduro’s I have had since quitting the sprints, I think I should be much more competitive this time around.”
The news came as a surprise to many, and Eddie clarified his decision to come back.
“Firstly, I never ruled out the possibility of returning to the sprints one day. One of the reasons I stopped was because of the number of incidents I got involved in due to the nature of sprint racing. I would like to think that the extra experience I have gained over the last couple of years means that I will be able to avoid those incidents more now. The other reason was simply down to budget restraints. This is no longer an issue and since I have the opportunity to race again I want to make the most of it. I love Club100 and want to do as much as possible. This year, I have the opportunity to do that.”
In 2008, Eddie will race in the UK Premier Endurance Championship, the European Endurance Championship, the O Plate Championship, the Lightweight Sprints, the Le Mans 24 Hour and he has also admitted that there are a couple of other events in the pipeline.
