Dates for your diary

Spring has sprung, the countdown clock is ticking and both your FTS Bandits, powered by Keenwood Karpets and GHT Bullets, powered by STS, are putting the finishing touches to their preparations for what promises to be a special season, Berwick’s 56^th.

Current officials and staff and anyone who can volunteer a few hours to help on racenight are invited to the Black and Gold from 7pm on Friday (17 March).

A week later there’s the launch night at the same venue followed by Press and Practice on March 25 and a KO Cup First Leg at Redcar six days later before Shielfield opens its gates for competitive racing and the Bears are in town on April 1.

Before all that Bandits’ skipper Leon Flint is first on-track, appearing in Stuart Robson’s Farewell Meeting at Redcar on March 19 before meeting up with Rory Schlein at Monmore Green the following day for Wolverhampton’s P&P.

RooBoy is back in the Midlands on March 26, racing in Sam Masters’ Testimonial along with Jye Etheridge  and the Aussie duo then don Belle Vue colours when the Aces race at Poole in Steve Worrall’s Testimonial on Wednesday, March 29.

Reserve Nathan Stoneman gets the chance to blow away the cobwebs when Oxford – he is racing for the NDL Chargers as well as the Bandits this season – open the doors for P&P on March 22.