ANDRE Compton will make history next month as one of the first riders to compete at the brand new Birmingham track.
The Sheffield Tigers' skipper is one of the star names to be booked for the Alan Hunt Memorial Trophy at Perry Barr Stadium on March 21.
Brummies bosses are bracing themselves for a capacity crowd of 6,000 as the sport returns to the second city for the first time since 1986, when current Tigers team manager Reg Wilson raced for them.
And Compton will face great rival Magnus Zetterstrom, the Premier League Riders' Champion.
Said Compton: "I was very pleased to be invited and it's the second successive season I've been racing at a new track on their opening night, as Sheffield opened up Redcar last April.
"It's good for the sport to see new clubs opening, particularly a big name club like Birmingham and I'm looking forward to going there.
"It shows how speedway is continuing to grow; in recent times we've seen Redcar, Scunthorpe, Plymouth and now Birmingham open up."
Sheffield have confirmed their home and away Premier Trophy dates with Birmingham as April 5 and 6.
