AFTER a successful Press and Practice day Stoke finally get their season underway with the Pride of the Potteries individual meeting at Loomer Road on Saturday night, 7pm.

Sixteen riders will compete over 20-heats for the title with Championship riders Josh Bates and former Potter Ben Barker being amongst the favourites as will be another former Stoke rider in Max Clegg who has started his campaign well with the Newcastle Diamonds in the Championship and he will also ride in the National League with Cradley. Clegg was rider of the year for the Potters last season and was virtually unbeatable in the closing stages of the season and will be another contender along with the likes of Ellis Perks who rides the Loomer Road track well as does late replacement Joe Lawlor who is currently unattached and looking for a team for the new season and can be a real spoiler on his day as can be Cheshire based Jack Smith.
New home skipper Tom Perry will also be a strong contender for the Potters as is new signing Connor Coles who on his last visit to the Chesterton circuit romped to a maximum while guesting for the club.

Potters team manager Adam Isherwood commented “It is one of the strongest fields we have had for a number of years and there are quite a few candidates for the title and being honest wouldn’t like to predict a winner. Obviously, we hope it can be a Stoke rider and it would be a great start to the season to see a Stoke winner, but some riders have got a few meetings under their belts already and will be match fitter, but you never know. It’s great to see former favourite Ben Barker back here for the meeting who is in good form along with Josh Bates who is a former U-21 Champion and of course Max (Clegg) who is capable for beating most people around here and I hope people come and support and enjoy what should be an absolutely great meeting to start the season with.”

Riding order: Josh Bates (Leicester), Jack Smith (Redcar), Joe Lawlor (Unattached), Corban Pavitt (Stoke), Tom Woolley (Unattached), Max Clegg (Newcastle/Cradley), Ellis Perks (Leicester), Joe Alcock (Stoke), Arran Butcher (Unattached), Tom Perry (Stoke), Shelby Rutherford (Stoke), Connor Coles (Stoke), Ben Barker (Redcar), William O’Keefe (Unattached), David Walinger (Mildenhall), Luke Priest (Stoke)