BEWLEY, LINDGREN & FRICKE LEAD PETER CRAVEN LINE-UP

Speedway GP rivals Dan Bewley and Fredrik Lindgren will step up their World Championship preparations as they headline the annual Peter Craven Memorial meeting at Manchester’s National Speedway Stadium on March 18.

Great Britain hero Bewley and Swedish top gun Lindgren are the first names to be confirmed, alongside triple Aussie champion Max Fricke and American international Luke Becker.

Bewley races for Belle Vue in the Sports Insure Premiership, while Fricke was a long-time member of the Aces side, before joining Leicester last year.

All four riders are likely to feature for their countries in Manchester later this summer, when the city stages the FIM Speedway of Nations from July 9-13.

Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon is looks forward to seeing a stellar field for the long-running Peter Craven event – in honour of the two-time FIM Speedway world champion.

He said: “We don’t do anything by halves at Belle Vue. It’s go big or go home, and I’m very excited about the field we have put together for this year’s Peter Craven Memorial.

“Each of the four riders we have announced today are more than just big names in the sport. They have skills and talent befitting their international reputation.

“We are privileged at Belle Vue to enjoy such world class racing each week from our ATPI Aces, and it only makes sense that we start off by welcoming some of the best riders in the world to this track.

“Dan knows what it’s like to win this meeting and he is a powerful force at home, but nothing is set in stone and in the past, there have been many dark horses in this event.

“I’m sure supporters will be extremely happy with these guys to kick things off and we can’t wait to share the rest of the field.”