(SPEEDWAY 1)

BERWICK boss Ian Rae is expecting healthy competition for the No.1 race-jacket at Shielfield Park this season.Rae is hoping for big things from Swedish star Sebastian Alden, who is joined at the club by former Sheffield skipper Ricky Ashworth who starts the season as the Bandits’ top-averaged rider.Rae said: “Seb is a class act, I think everyone has seen that, and this year we fully expect him to continue in the same manner in which he finished 2011.“He is capable of being a genuine No.1, and there is no reason why he shouldn’t be one of the top riders in the Premier League this year, but with Ricky coming in and taking over the No.1 race-jacket at the start of the season I think that will take some of the pressure off him.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

SOMERSET manager Steve Bishop is predicting an open battle for the Premier League title this year – but believes the Rebels should be amongst the contenders.The Oak Tree Arena club started last year strongly but fell away from the pace-setters having suffered injury setbacks, and Bishop is hoping for better fortune in 2012.Bishop said: “Of course it would  be daft to say that I think we can win this, that, or the other trophy when a wheel hasn’t even been turned yet, but I do feel that we have a line-up that has all the right ingredients to be challenging with the best of them for honours.“Looking at the teams that are coming to the tapes for 2012, it appears to be a very open field this year. You can take virtually any team out of the thirteen and make a case for them to be potential Champions.”

(FIXTURES)

SUNDAY MARCH 11:BEN FUND BONANZA: Birmingham 5pm