PREVIEW: PETER CRAVEN MEMORIAL, BELLE VUE

BELLE Vue are all set for the second attempt to stage their flagship Peter Craven Memorial at the National Speedway Stadium tonight (Monday).

Bad weather a fortnight ago put paid to the meeting as a season-opener but the Aces still have a strong field in place including treble winner Jason Doyle, home No.1 Dan Bewley and 2022 Aces riders Matej Zagar and Robert Lambert.

Coming into the field since the initial planned running are Chris Harris, Niels-Kristian Iversen, Hans Andersen, Justin Sedgmen and Kye Thomson.

Lambert said: “Belle Vue has always been one of my favourite tracks in the UK and I was really pleased to be able to help put the team in a good position (last season), as I’ve said already.

“But it’s a new year now, and this is one of my first meetings back after a few Polish test matches, so we’ll just have to see how things go, but hopefully I’ll pick up from where I left off. 

“At the same time, it’s a meeting without pressure which means it’s a meeting to enjoy and it will be nice to be able to take in and appreciate the atmosphere in Manchester and at Belle Vue. 

“It’s such a great event anyway but with the line-up they’ve put together it’s a really good way to test your performance early on in the season.”

LINE-UP: 1 Charles Wright, 2 Robert Lambert, 3 Justin Sedgmen, 4 Brady Kurtz, 5 Chris Harris, 6 Matej Zagar, 7 Max Fricke, 8 Tom Brennan, 9 Jason Doyle, 10 Hans Andersen, 11 Kye Thomson, 12 Niels-Kristian Iversen, 13 Tobiasz Musielak, 14 Jaimon Lidsey, 15 Norick Blodorn, 16 Dan Bewley. Reserves: 17 Jake Mulford, 18 Jack Smith.