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PAUL Starke is hoping to help Somerset to a Pairs and Fours double at Peterborough this weekend.The Rebels secured the Pairs title on their home circuit thanks to Josh Grajczonek and Rohan Tungate earlier this month, and they will be joined by Starke and Charles Wright in the Fours.Starke said: “If we can go there and bring back the trophy it would be amazing, and the boys did it in 2014 which was my first year with Somerset.“I’d love to be involved in helping us regain the title this time, and with the team we’ve got I really think we are capable of doing it.“Hopefully things come together over the weekend and we can make it past the semi-finals then do well in the Final.”

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RYE House have been boosted by the availability of Cameron Heeps for this weekend’s Premier League Fours.The 20-year-old Australian suffered a heavy fall in the Rockets’ match at Glasgow last Sunday but has been declared fit to join Edward Kennett, Stuart Robson and Leigh Lanham in the quartet to ride at Peterborough.Manager Peter Schroeck said: “All our boys can ride the Showground track, and we’ll be there to target a place in the Final.“It will all come down to what happens on the day – or in this case the weekend - and no doubt there will be a few twists and turns along the way, with one or two unexpected heroes thrown up for good measure as they always seem to be.“The Fours has always been an exciting event, but this year’s one is being taken to the next level. It should be a terrific show, and a really great advert for Speedway.”

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GREAT Britain boss Alun Rossiter plans to name his team for the World Cup Final this weekend.Rossiter’s men go into action at the National Speedway Stadium, Belle Vue a week on Saturday (July 30) with their opposition to be determined from the three qualifying meetings.The GB chief says he has faced some of his toughest decisions since taking over the role in 2014 but is comfortable with his choices.Rossiter said: “I had initially considered leaving it until the last minute before naming the team, but I felt that wouldn’t be fair on the boys, and this way round those who are in have time to properly prepare.“It’s really the first time that I’ve had decisions to make with a number of options to consider, and that has to be a positive. I’ve been impressed with several riders this season. “In the end I’ve gone with my gut feeling and I will be speaking to all of the squad over the next couple of days to inform them of my decisions before going public.“Naturally there are going to be some disappointed riders because everyone wants to represent their country in a meeting like this, especially at home, but I have to do what I feel is right.“We will be meeting up as a team at Belle Vue next Friday to watch the Race-Off together and then it will be down to work on the Saturday.“The first goal for the Final is to get a medal, and I say that because it’s so long since Great Britain has had one.“But that doesn’t mean the riders and myself shouldn’t be ambitious to do more than that, and with the crowd roaring us on we’ll be doing all we can on the night.”

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POOLE moved into the Elite League play-off places with a comfortable 56-36 win over Coventry at Wimborne Road.The Bees had the individual star of the night in Krzysztof Kasprzak who was unbeaten after losing out to Chris Holder in Heat 1, but the Pirates were by far the more solid side.Chris Holder led the way for the Pirates with 11+1 and reserve Bjarne Pedersen was unbeaten before missing out in Heat 15, whilst Kasprzak scored 13+1 for the Bees.Pedersen said: “That was a good result and I am glad I am settling back into the groove again. “It felt before I was still learning the track here despite my previous experience but things seem to be in place now and I was happy with tonight.”Coventry captain Chris Harris said: “It’s disappointing because you don’t like going anywhere and getting beaten like we did, and especially against Poole with our rivalry.“But fair play to them tonight, they were making good starts and that’s where we were lacking again.”The evening’s other Elite League match between King’s Lynn and Swindon was abandoned after four races due to track conditions following heavy earlier rain. The visitors led 16-8 at the time of the stoppage but the clash will need to be re-staged.Stars promoter Keith Chapman said: “I’m devastated. I did everything I possibly could to give the riders the conditions they wanted after what was a very heavy downpour.“Sadly this was to no avail, but I can honestly say I did my very best to get this meeting on. I would like to apologise to the fans for the frustrating delays, and would urge everyone to please continue supporting us.”Meanwhile Birmingham pulled further clear at the top of the Travel Plus National League with a comprehensive 56-34 win at home to Stoke.The Brummies displayed another dominant team performance as they extended their lead to seven points over their third tier rivals.Reserve Jack Smith starred again for the Perry Barr side with 11+1 whilst Danyon Hume added 10+1. Ben Wilson won three races for the Potters on his way to 12 points.Birmingham boss Graham Drury said: “I seem to say similar things each meeting but every single one of our riders from one to seven were superb tonight and it was another good win."What I think it is important to do is look at the progress of the team at this stage of the season and as a team we're getting stronger and stronger. "Our lower order riders have improved drastically while our heat leaders are maintaining their solid averages.”Stoke manager Malcolm Vasey said: “Birmingham are a very good side and showed tonight why they have lost only one meeting this season. We knew it was going to be a difficult meeting and we relied heavily on Ben (Wilson), Ben (Hopwood) and Tony (Atkin). “We are not making any excuses but it was also difficult with the starting gate failing at the start of the meeting, and we had to use a bungee for the starts which is not ideal but the same for both sets of riders.”

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SWINDON will aim to get back to winning ways on home shale as they host Belle Vue in a mouth-watering clash at the Abbey on Thursday.The Robins could leapfrog the Aces to move up to second in the Elite League table if they claim a fourth successive home win.Swindon will draft in Robert Branford as a guest for Stefan Nielsen at reserve, whilst Belle Vue include former Swindon stars Matej Zagar, Scott Nicholls and Steve Worrall in their full strength side.Robins boss Alun Rossiter said: “The boys seemed much more ready at King’s Lynn before the meeting. We briefly spoke about the Wolves meeting so hopefully we’ve put that one behind us now.“We’ve got to be looking to get back on track with another home win against Belle Vue. We had a good result against them at the Abbey earlier in the season, but we know what a good side they are so we’ll have to be at our best.”Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said: “Obviously we’re going down there to get as much as we can because, as we always say, points mean prizes. But we’ve again got the unfortunate situation of hitting Swindon at a bad time.“One crucial difference between our last visit and this one is that our riding order has changed and I think that it’ll give us more of an upper hand, especially with us being back to full strength.”In the Premier League, Ipswich and Peterborough clash in a local derby at Foxhall.The Witches have won their last two matches to make progress in the league table, whilst the Panthers kick off a testing programme of away matches and bring in Lasse Bjerre to guest at No.1 for the unavailable Craig Cook.The home side track two guests at the bottom of their order with Danny Ayres replacing Joe Jacobs, who is on top-flight duty alongside Cook for Belle Vue, and Connor Mountain stepping in for Ollie Greenwood, who is taking time out of the sport.Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “We want to beat Peterborough as they are our local rivals and like every week at home we have got to win to keep ourselves pushing up the table.“We should get better every week and last week was our best performance at home so far this season and hopefully we can take confidence from that and two wins in a row and build on it.”Peterborough promoter Ged Rathbone said: “We are entering into a very tough run with seven away meetings and just one at home during the next month.“Starting it with a win to go back to the top of the table would be a great boost, but we are probably catching Ipswich at the wrong time.“They have strengthened their team and seen their results improve so we are under no illusions about the difficulty of tonight's meeting.”Sheffield co-promoter Damien Bates believes they have a point to prove ahead of their Knockout Cup quarter-final second leg with Newcastle at Owlerton.The Tigers suffered a 62-28 first leg defeat at Brough Park last Sunday leaving them in need of a miraculous result to progress.Newcastle have drafted in all-action American Ryan Fisher to guest for No.1 Steve Worrall, who is riding for Elite League side Belle Vue, whilst the Tigers operate rider replacement for Jason Garrity.Bates said: “A lot of people are saying its mission impossible and in many ways I understand that.“If we can start well in the first four or five heats maybe we can give them something to think about, and that’s what we’ll be trying to do.“Newcastle have some top quality riders who are always good to watch at Owlerton, so whatever the outcome I’m pretty sure it’ll be a good night of entertaining action.”In the Travel Plus National League, Coventry head to the Isle of Wight but are still without reserve Jamie Halder due to an arm injury, and bring in local rider George Piper to replace him.Storm boss Laurence Rogers said: “It’s going to be a tough one, but the way the boys were performing at Birmingham last week, we might be able to pull something off.“Jamie practiced at my training school at Peterborough last weekend and went very well and felt okay, but then he did two rides at Scunthorpe on Sunday in the MDL and in the second one he couldn’t hold the bike.“So the arm still isn’t strong enough after nine weeks when he was initially told four or five, and I was chasing everywhere for a No.7. George wanted to ride and he knows the track there, so he could be a surprise package.”Meanwhile Max Clegg defends the Julie Lewis Memorial trophy at Redcar as the Bears stage their annual event in memory of their popular former staff member.Former Bears Ben Wilson, Robert Branford, Ben Morley and Jacob Bukhave are also included in the line-up as well as Belle Vue and Edinburgh talent Dan Bewley.

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THURSDAY JULY 21:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Peterborough 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Sheffield v Newcastle 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Coventry 7pmJULIE LEWIS MEMORIAL: Redcar 7.30

FRIDAY JULY 22:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Belle Vue 7.30, Lakeside v Swindon 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Scunthorpe 7.30, Plymouth v Redcar 7.15, Somerset v Workington 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 2nd leg: King’s Lynn v Eastbourne 7.30

SATURDAY JULY 23: PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS WEEKEND: Peterborough 4pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Kent 7.30, Stoke v Birmingham 7pm

SUNDAY JULY 24:PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS WEEKEND: Peterborough 12pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Mildenhall 3pm