STEVEN Clarke’s assault on the Garmin Arenacross Challenge proved a disaster when the event switched to Sheffield’s Motorpoint Arena this week.

Fresh from a fabulous success in Newcastle, Clarke crashed out on the opening lap after racing into the lead.

The Wollaston based racer feared he’d broken his wrist after storming ahead of the field.

Clarke claimed: “I was first round the opening corner when I hit a hole – I just caught it the wrong way and landed awkwardly on my hand.

“I knew something was wrong straightaway and I just got up and walked off the track.

“I took my glove off almost immediately and even by that stage my wrist had swollen up.

“So I just went to my camper van, drove back home to Stourbridge, had a shower and then went to Russells Hall Hospital. Thankfully, the wrist isn’t broken.”

Clarke now faces a race against time to be fit for the final event in the Arenacross Challenge, the showpiece meeting at Wembley Arena which is certain to attract a bumper crowd.

Thankfully for Clarke, there’s a week’s break in proceedings, with the Wembley event taking place on Saturday, March 8th.

Clarke is determined to take his place at Wembley and will spend the next few days having treatment to his injured wrist.

He confirmed: “I was supposed to be racing at a big international meeting at Hawkestone Park near Shrewsbury this weekend, but I’m not prepared to take any chances. I want to be fit for Wembley”.

The Arenacross Challenge had began in fantastic fashion for Clarke who finished first and second at the two opening events which were both staged in Belfast.

Clarke claimed: “After the victory in Newcastle, I’d got myself back up to fourth place, but I was only a couple of points off the second placed rider.

“After Sheffield, I’ve dropped right out of it and I’m down to sixth now.

“But I definitely want to race at Wembley and unless something drastic happens, I intend to be there”.