Ermolenko coup for Somerset.

The Somerset Profile Rebels have pulled off a coup by talking track record holder Sam Ermolenko to headline their Best Pairs event on Friday night.

The 1993 World Champion is really looking forward to racing again at the Oak Tree Arena. He said: "After riding in the Somerset Open Championship and breaking the track record first time out I had chain problems and never finished another race. At that time I said to the Somerset co-promoter Laurence Rogers that if there was another booking available to bear me in mind."

"When he rang me last week it didn't take him long to talk me into it!! It's a brilliant set up down there and a truly superb circuit. I've sorted out my chain problems and look forward to helping my partner to victory."

The meeting also includes Newport's Scott Smith with the Aussie admitting a liking for the track too and he forms an Aussie pairing with Reading's Brendon MacKay, a regular in the Somerset second halves, showing impressive form too.

The meeting includes a many as ex-Rebels as possible although Simon Phillips and Gary Phelps are out with injury and miss out. Back 'home' for the night are Nick Simmons, Jamie Holmes, Jamie Smith and Malcolm Holloway who join with the Profile Rebels in the 21 heat formula.

The Best Pairs start the first end of season quartet of clashes that certainly look interesting. The following week (October 4th) it will be a Four Team event featuring Newport, Swindon and an Conference League Star side along with the Somerset Giants.

Dependent on sufficient sponsorship being raised there will be an Inter-League challenge against Poole on Friday October 11th with Tony Rickardsson delaying his departure for the Australian Grand Prix by 24 hours so that he can ride. This is much appreciated by the Somerset promotion who now hope that the pledges of sponsorship will be forthcoming plus raising some more to ensure that the meeting can go ahead and that they can keep prices at normal Premier League levels.

The 2002 season will then draw to a close with the second leg of the Three Counties Triangular Tournament against Swindon and Newport with the final leg at Queensway Meadow on Sunday 20th.

The official Premier League campaign though came to a disappointing end with Rye House staging a most remarkable comeback to turn a twelve point deficit into a two point win.

When the scores were at 36-26 the Rebels fans and management thoughts were turning towards pulling off another superb bonus point just as they had done a week before over Newport. Just two behind at that stage overall all three points looked to be almost in the bag but in the end this was just not to be.

Clearly the Somerset promotional duo of Andy Hewlett and Laurence Rogers realise that they must look at the overall make-up of their side for 2003. It has been a learning curve in their first year in the Premier League with several changes made as the year has progressed. They have started to plan for next season and hope to be able to make a major announcement about the 2003 season on Friday night at the Best Pairs.