Cases Somerset Rebels begin their 2013 speedway season with the home leg of a Challenge Match against Plymouth Devils tonight (7.30pm).
The Rebels host the Devils at the Oaktree Arena, before heading down to Plymouth for the return encounter tomorrow evening.
Somerset go into the new campaign touted as Premier League favourites by speedway pundits, and new team manager Garry May - he has taken over from Steve Bishop - wants to see his side live up to the expectation.
"I have to admit that I don't like having the tag of being favourites hanging around our necks," said May.
"But I suppose it does mean that the majority of the pundits think that we have got our team building spot on, and of course I would love it if we lived up to those expectations.
"As ever, though, there are many factors that can determine how a team's season can pan out, injuries and how you cope with them being the major one.
"But as things stand I think we have a more than decent septet and one that has the capabilities to be up there once again challenging for honours."
Three of the Rebels septet will be making their debuts tonight.
Australian duo Josh Grajczonek and Nick Morris - who was a member of the Scunthorpe team that narrowly defeated Somerset in last year's Play-Off Final - have joined the club along with British Under-19 champion Stefan Nielsen.
Captain Jason Doyle, Alex Davies, Kyle Newman and Tom Perry complete the Rebels line-up.
Tonight's meeting will be the first chance for Rebels fans to see the riders take to the track, after poor weather forced the cancellation of last Friday's track session at the press and practice day.
Like the Rebels, Plymouth Devils will introduce some new faces at the Oaktree Arena this evening, as well as a new promotional team headed by ex-rider Seemond Stephens.
Only two riders remain from last season, and they are ex-Rebel Cory Gathercole and fellow Aussie Todd Kurtz, although Kurtz's reserve partner Ben Reade made 13 guest appearances in 2012.
Ty Proctor is the new Rebels No.1 following Ben Barker's move to Ipswich Witches, and he will double up with Plymouth while also riding for Wolverhampton in the Elite League.
The 2013 Plymouth side will see another ex-Rebel in their ranks, Mark Lemon, who rode for Somerset in 2003.
The vastly experienced 40-year-old has joined the Devils after spending the past three years with Newcastle, and is the current Australian team manager.
2008 Swedish under-21 champion, Ricky Kling, will not only be making his first appearance for Plymouth, but Friday will also be his debut riding at Premier League level after spending his entire British career to date in the Elite League, most recently with Poole with whom he won an Elite League Championship runner-up medal last season.
The Plymouth side is rounded out with the final new recruit, Chris Schramm, the Essex-born rider having been a frequent visitor to the Oaktree Arena over the years having ridden for the likes of Newport, Reading and King's Lynn.
