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LEICESTER have commenced team-building under their new management with the signings of Kim Nilsson and Josh Auty.Swedish star Nilsson joins the Lions having spent the majority of his British career with Lakeside, who are now in the National League, whilst Auty will be going into his third year at Beaumont Park in addition to his SGB Championship team place with Scunthorpe.Nilsson said: “It’s a shame Lakeside could not continue in the top league as I expected to stay there to start with. I could not see any other option at the moment I was informed about their decision to move down until I got asked by Leicester if I wanted to ride there.“From that moment it really felt like an opportunity for me to try something new. I had a great season at Lakeside last year but I think changing track and just doing something different will help me to continue my progress in speedway.“I am now really looking forward to riding for Leicester and doing what I can to make sure the club reach their goals and put on a good show for the crowd.”

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PETERBOROUGH chief Ged Rathbone has praised the generosity of major backers T Balfe Construction.Rathbone, who completed his takeover of the club over the winter, also struck a new two-year title sponsorship package with the Lincolnshire-based construction firm.And he has applauded company boss David Balfe for agreeing to pay the entire five-figure package in advance to finance the purchase of essential track equipment at the East of England Showground.Rathbone said: “Completing my purchase of the club, as had always been the plan, was particularly satisfying as it gives us the opportunity to really build on the good work of the past couple of years.“One of the first parts of that process was being in a position to purchase machinery and equipment which is used in our operations at the Showground.“David very generously agreed to pay his two-year sponsorship up front to allow that to happen. Any sporting club needs good sponsors and great supporters . . . and we're certainly well covered on both of those fronts.”

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LEICESTER have added former World Under-21 Team Cup winner Kacper Gomolski to their new-look line-up for 2017.The 23-year-old Polish star returns to the UK having been a league winner with Poole in 2015, whilst he also had previous spells with Peterborough and Swindon.Gomolski said: “I am glad the new owner of the club (Damien Bates) decided to use me. I wanted to come back to the UK, I know a lot of people asked me about that.“I want be a strong point of the club, but I also want learn British Speedway and the tracks, I still need to build experience on the tracks.“An important fact is my tuner has a base in the UK and racing in the British League will help me to visit him more than normal.”(SPEEDWAY 4)

PETERBOROUGH have arranged a season-opening challenge match against SGB Premiership club Coventry.The Bees, who have several Panthers connections in their riding and management staff, will visit the Showground on Sunday March 19 as both clubs warm up for the new league campaign.Peterborough chief Ged Rathbone said: “I don't think we could have come up with a more exciting Challenge fixture to start the season.“We were approached by Mick Horton a few days ago, and we jumped at the chance to entertain an SGB Premiership team - and Coventry look to be a very good one too.“They have put together a cracking line-up in my opinion and it will be a brilliant test for our lads. It will be our supporters' first chance to catch our new-look team in action and I'm hopeful that plenty of Bees fans will make the short trip over to the Showground as well.”

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SAM Masters has become the third national champion to sign on for Simon Lambert’s Testimonial meeting at King’s Lynn on March 26.Recently-crowned Australian winner Masters joins British Champion Danny King and five-times top Dane Niels-Kristian Iversen in the line-up as Lambert celebrates a decade in the sport.Lambert said: “I am absolutely delighted to have another champion in my line-up. I spoke to Sam soon after his victory in the Aussie series, and like so many others he got back to me pretty quickly with a ‘yes.’“It will be a pleasure to have him at my meeting next month. He’s a funny guy, with a great sense of humour, and I am sure he’ll add some extra entertainment to the day.”