Preview: Premier League Riders Championship.

Coventry Speedway (pictured) is the place to be on Sunday afternoon (3.00pm). The cream of the Premier League go head to head all looking to emerge as Premier League Riders Champion 2001.

The top averaged rider from each club is joined by 'wild card' Simon Stead with the field including Carl Stonehewer. He is the current title holder and faces a mad dash back from riding in the Polish Grand Prix on Saturday night.

Stonehewer said: "It's a prestigious title and every Premier League rider wants to win it. When I did it last year it meant everything to me and I would love to do it again at Coventry."

His main opposition is expected to come from Sheffield's Sean Wilson, who was robbed of the title won by Stonehewer last year in highly controversial circumstances.

Wilson is looking forward to Sunday and had this to say: "This is the one I've been waiting for, as soon as I missed out last season I said I would be even more determined next time - and I am.

"The Premier League is hard and that makes it even more rewarding to win the meeting."

But make no mistake - this is far more than the Sean and Stoney show with the majority of the riders easily up to the task of winning. Bjarne Pedersen is burning up the shale in Newcastle and represented his country in the world cup during the Summer. Simon Stead has had a superb season and was fifth in the world under 21 championship.

Other dangers must include the Paul Thorp, Ray Morton, Peter Carr and Paul Fry and Paul Pickering can show anyone a clean back wheel on his day.

It promises to be a highly competitive and entertaining meeting - just as cut-throat as any Grand Prix.

Coventry: Line-up
1. Bjarne Pedersen (Newcastle),
2. Michael Coles (Exeter),
3. James Grieves (Glasgow),
4. Simon Stead (Sheffield),
5. Brett Woodifield (Trelawny),
6. Armando Castagna (Reading),
7. Leigh Lanham (Arena Essex),
8. Paul Thorp (Hull),
9. Paul Fry (Swindon),
10. Ray Morton (Isle of Wight),
11. Adrian Rymel (Berwick),
12. Carl Stonehewer (Workington),
13. Paul Pickering (Stoke),
14. Steve Masters (Newport),
15. Peter Carr (Edinburgh),
16. Sean Wilson (Sheffield).