SPEEDWAY fans get their winter treat on Sunday as the New Year Classic returns to Hayley Stadium with a host of top name riders.

Newport promoter Tim Stone has assembled a star-studded cast of Premier League riders for Sunday's bumper feast of action with returning champion Michael Coles ready to defend his title as well as Robbie Kessler who first won the title in 1999.

While David Howe is the only Elite League rider who will be at Newport come Sunday, Stone has still managed to whip several Premier League names out of the bag and the racing promises to be as good as last year - but Stone has taken no chances.

While most of us were sleeping off our Christmas dinner, Stone was out working the tractor at Hayley Stadium to make sure the track is in the best possible condition come 1pm on Sunday.

He said: "We had to take the opportunity. Christ-mas Day was dry and because of the recent weather, it was a good time to work on the track.

"It's in good condition. It's as hard and as smooth as a motorway which it needs to be so that the rain will just run off and hopefully it'll make for some good racing this weekend."

Carl Wilkinson is the only confirmed 2003 Wasp who will be racing on Sunday, with next season's other guaranteed riders - Craig Watson and Frank Smart - back in Australia.

But experienced riders such as Brent Werner, Howe, Les Collins, Chris Neath, Paul Clews, Neil Collins, Shaun Tacey and Roger Lobb are not coming to Newport for practice.

Stone has already said that he cannot decide who he thinks is favourite to win Sunday's meeting, but Arena Essex's Leigh Lanham is an outside bet as he bids for his second consecutive individual victory.

Lanham ended the summer season by claiming the Ace of Herts at Rye House and is hoping to secure a double-up berth with an Elite League outfit.

Lanham said: "I'm not going there for second. I want to win, I've enjoyed the meeting when I've done it in the past and I hope we get a dry day for it.

"Tim Stone always looks after me with bookings for individual meetings in the season, so it's good to get something back in the winter."

There promises to be plenty of racing even after the Classic is over with a Conference Challenge race event taking place after the main event.