Good field for Friar memorial.

Speedway at Shielfield Park tomorrow (Saturday) takes the form of the annual staging of the Karl Friar Memorial Trophy, named after the 16 year old lad who worked tirelessly for Berwick Speedway when they returned to Shielfield in 1996. Tragedy struck shortly after when Karl succumbed to the cancer he had fought so bravely for so long, but not before buying his own trophy to be raced for every year.

This is perhaps the highest standard field for this trophy in it's short history, and it's last winner, Kristensen (2002) will have his work well and truly cut out to defend his precious title.

Chris Harris is the pundits' early favourite, and his triumph would be considered a fairly safe bet such is his expertise round the Berwick track, which has seen him take many superb wins over the years including last year's Bordernapoils title over top class World-standard opposition.

Glasgow's Shane Parker will also feature in the eventual top three as his sheer professionalism is certain to shine through, again on a track he has performed exceptionally well at in the past, all of which combines to make the 6 home Elm Bank Bandits' riders task of taking the title all the more tricky.

Having said that, with a class field on show, the racing is sure to be hot and heavy with excitement bristling from each of the 12 qualifying heat, semi finals and the grand final itself.

Berwick have still to announce who their final team man will be, and with the first team event looming large (Saturday 20-3-2004 at home to tip for the League title, Sheffield) the position has got to be assigned very soon.
Peter Waite, Berwick's promoter said, "We had hoped to have signed our number 7 by now, but we are still looking even though we have one name in high up in mind, he can't commit fully at this stage, and we are still one short.

"It's my top priority, and I think we will be releasing a name very soon! In the meantime our 6 lads have the opportunity to ply their talents against top opposition in the Karl Friar Memorial Trophy meeting tomorrow in a meeting I'm really looking forward to, as the racing is sure to be magnificent."

Line-up
Claus Kristensen (Berwick skipper), Josef Franc (Berwick), David Meldrum (Berwick), Michal Makovsky (Berwick), Adrian Rymel (Berwick), Simon Cartwright (Berwick), Emiliano Sanchez (Hull), Ross Brady (Hull), Kevin Little (Newcastle), Chris Harris (Coventry), Shane Parker (Glasgow), Rory Schlein (Edinburgh)