Oxford Silver Machine get an early chance to show the nation they mean business when they begin their Elite League speedway campaign tonight.

They travel to meet Peterborough Panthers at the East of England Showground and the meeting is being televised live by Sky Sports.

The Oxford team will be hoping to avoid the engine problems they suffered at Wolves in Monday's 55-38 Airtek Challenge defeat, which condemned them to a 96-85 reverse on aggregate.

New Silver Machine signing Billy Hamill and Travis McGowan were particularly hard hit, managing only four and one point respectively.

Lukas Dryml will be returning to the track where he spent last year, and although he admits it is not his favourite circuit, I expect a bold show from the young Czech.

In opposition will be elder brother Ales, who loves the Showground and is sure to play a big role for the Panthers.

Peterborough have a solid look about them, with new signings Peter Karlsson, Sam Ermolenko and Billy Janniro looking to make their mark.

This is probably Ermolenko's final season in the saddle on English soil, so he will want to go out with a flourish.

Oxford skipper Greg Hancock, with paid 31 points in just two meetings so far this season, will be fully tested by Karlsson in the opening heat, and only a solid all-round performance will see the Silver Machine to victory.

Peterborough: Peter Karlsson, Jonas Kylmakorpi, Ales Dryml, Billy Janniro, Sam Ermolenko, Paul Lee, Henning Bager.

Oxford: Greg Hancock, Travis McGowan, Lukas Dryml, Niels-Kristian Iversen, Billy Hamill, Tom P Madsen, Kjastas Poudzhuks.