NEWPORT Wasps bid to maintain their perfect home start in the British League when they take on Glasgow Tigers in the Premier League tonight (tapes up 7pm) - the first meeting of Wales' weekend speedway bonanza.

Wasps have won all four league outings at Hayley Stadium, but at Arena Essex, a nightmare evening's work, and a vastly-improved performance at the Isle of Wight, losing by one point.

Wasps have won five home meetings out of six against Glasgow, beaten 47-42 in 2000. They also won three times in Glasgow.

Tim Stone, Newport promoter, said: "We are looking to maintain our perfect home record but Glasgow have a good number one in George Stancl who is also riding in the Welsh Open on Sunday.

"They won here two seasons ago, something we haven't forgotten. We're looking forward to a very entertaining pre-Grand Prix meeting."

Last year Wasps had a 48-42 success against Glasgow with the Australian pairing of Craig Watson - 17 points from six rides - and Frank Smart - 14+2 (7) dominating the success.

The highest margin of victory was in 1998 when Newport won 53-37. This could well be an emotional meeting for Smart - his first since announcing that he would be returning home at the end of the season.

No more will the strains of Sister Sledge's hit record of Frankie - a chart topper in the summer of 1985 - be heard drifting across the track to hail another Smart success.

But the most important thing for Smart - working on special T shirts and race jackets for his farewell meeting - is a win. "That's got to happen, but with everyone back we should be all right," he said.

This is the third of six successive home meetings, followed by the Welsh Open on Sunday (tapes up 1pm). And then the tough run will begin with a trip to Newcastle Diamonds followed by Scottish pair Glasgow and Edinburgh on July 3 and 4 respectively.

The two meetings at Newport are expected to bring in an aggregate attendance of 6,000.

*Niels Kristian Iversen, apart from his World Under-21 success in Abensberg, on Monday, reaching the final, has also reached the final of the European Championship at Slany in the Czech Republic on August 30.

*Mavericks are riding at Boston on the King's Lynn track at Saddlebow Road, on Sunday.

WEEKEND DIARY

Tonight: British League, Newport Wasps v Glasgow Tigers (tapes up 7pm). Tomorrow: British Grand Prix, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (tapes up Sunday: Welsh Open, Hayley Stadium, (tapes up 1pm).