Peter Karlsson's Wolves return hailed

Wolves speedway team boss Peter Adams has hailed the return of Monmore Green legend Peter Karlsson to the side - and insists the door is not closed to Nicolai Klindt.

Karlsson, skipper of the title-winning Wolves side in 2009, has already demonstrated his smooth skills with a paid 13-point return in the season opener at Birmingham.

But Klindt may yet return in future seasons.

Adams said: "We have a big rider retained list at Wolverhampton. Every winter when Chris van Straaten and I try to fabricate the team we are spoiled for choice.

"It all boils down to - in the next 12 months do you think that Peter Karlsson is going to be more productive in the team than Nicolai is?

"On that basis I don't think there is any question that Peter has more capability than Nicolai - in the next 12 months.

"Not only that, Peter brings a lot more to the party. He is a born leader and a great captain and very helpful to the likes of Nicolai.

"The door isn't closed to Nicolai. He is a Wolverhampton asset and I'm sure he will feature in the future.

"But we are just looking year-to-year to produce the best result in a 12-month period."

American reserve duo Tyson Burmeister and Ricky Wells are looking to be on the same wavelength this season. The two are friends back home in the States, where they live about 20 minutes' apart.

Before even setting foot in Britain this year they conducted an extensive practice session together at the Paris track in California.

Wells said: "It was actually an under-21 practice for the United States team.

"It was a lot of fun. We're just going to improve and have some good races."

Wells' British career has been bogged down in red tape and he was plunged into the Elite League with Coventry as a 17-year-old, before dropping down a division and regrouping last year with Stoke.

He admitted: "The Coventry thing was a hard situation. You had had the likes of world champions Billy Hamill and Greg Hancock there and I thought I would just follow them.

"I had some high points - and some low points! But I'm not going to have any of them this year."

One of the main challenges for Burmeister will be adapting to the discipline of team riding, although his time with the USA Dream Team will help.

He said: "We'll see how that goes with team riding because obviously at home everything's individual. We'll figure it out!

"Greg Hancock and Billy Hamill started riding with me quite a bit (in California). They were good and taught me a lot of stuff in a short period of time."

Ludvig Lindgren has welcomed the chance to ride as a pairing with his illustrious brother Fredrik.

The elder Lindgren, top of the the Elite League averages in 2009 and 2010, was at his scintillating best with a five-ride maximum in the first leg of the WM Trophy at Birmingham.

And Ludvig, fresh from an arduous training camp with the Swedish national side, reckons he can learn a lot in the No 2 race-jacket which means three programmed rides with big brother.

He said: "I think it will be quite a good pairing. I don't need to worry about him because even if I take him out with a big drive on the first corner, I know he will come on the inside or the outside anyway!

"He can help me a lot. He's skilled, so he can look for other riders. I think it will benefit me."

Battered Joe Haines will go to this year's British under-21 final as defending champion - and yet be without a club.

Redcar had offered him a Premier League berth. But after Haines' winter smash in Adelaide - cracked vertebrae, broken ribs and a punctured lung among his injuries - the Bears looked elsewhere, believing he would be fit.

Yet Haines is now champing at the bit and has already clinched two deals on the continent.

He said: "It's all good, back to normal, I can't complain. My body's fit and I'm ready to roll.

"Luckily I've got a club in Poland who will give me a few meetings and I've just signed in Sweden.

"That will keep me going for now and we'll see what comes up in England — the sooner the better."

After his experience in Australia, Haines feels no pressure to repeat last year's British under-21 title success.

He said: "If I do, then brilliant. If not, I'll still be a Wolves asset.

"If there was some other club in the Elite League that would suit me, then obviously I would take it.

"But Wolverhampton is where I want to be and spend my career. Hopefully one day I can ride here full-time."