Friday feels so good again for PanthersPeterborough Panthers will have the Friday feeling again this year.
Despite the problem of clashes with rounds of the World Championship and a busy calendar of events at their East of England Showground base, the city club will stage six home meetings on their traditional Friday racenight in addition to a Good Friday home and away showdown against Coventry.
Only a home date against Swindon on August 27 will take place on the same weekend as a GP and Panthers will go into that meeting without Kenneth Bjerre.
Panthers will also turn out seven times on their official Thursday race-night with other home fixtures going ahead on Mondays - two of those being Bank Holidays in May and August.
Director of speedway Peter Oakes said: "Speedway in Peterborough started on a Friday back in 1970 and it is obviously pleasing that we can run a few Friday meetings as we celebrate our 40th anniversary.
"Friday was always the traditional Peterborough racenight and it was only the force of circumstance that caused that to change.
"The Showground have been particularly accommodating and we are very happy to take advantage of that. Chief Executive Andrew Mercer has bent over backwards to help the club this winter and appears to like what we are trying to do.
"Some parents are reluctant to allow their children to stay up late on school nights, so attending meetings on Thursdays can be an issue, especially for those that might live a fair distance away.
"But that is not a problem on a Friday so hopefully people will come along and enjoy the racing and other entertainment on offer."
Panthers' new-look side will take to the track for the first time at their Press & Practice Day on Monday March 8. The season will officially open seven days later with an Anniversary Challenge clash.
Panthers will receive a final tune-up in a challenge trip to Eastbourne on March 20 before the serious business begins in April.
That Good Friday double-header against Oakes' former club Coventry provides the first competitive action of a campaign in which the city side are expected to mount a strong challenge for honours.
They then meet highly-rated Poole twice in the space of three days the following week.
May is the busiest month with nine Elite League matches – four at home and five away – and July the quietest, with just three meetings currently scheduled, all of them at the Showground.
Panthers do face a tough run-in with seven of their final 11 matches through August and September being away.
Team boss Trevor Swales said: "We look to have a fairly well balanced fixture list although we have a lot of away meetings crammed into the final five or six weeks of the season.
"We have made every effort to fit the meetings around the other international commitments of our squad although there will be a few meetings when one or maybe two of our riders are missing through World Championship and domestic title meetings.
"It's certainly a tough start with Poole so early but that gives us a great opportunity to dent their record!"
A big date in the diary is a special 40th Anniversary weekend with Swindon visiting the Showground on Friday 11 June and a spectacular 'Anniversary Festival' event over the following 48 hours.
Source: Peterborough ET