SPEEDWAY veteran Mark Lemon insists he won't let his bid for World Cup glory this summer get in the way of his work with Glasgow Tigers.

The 41-year-old Australian will lead his country - and some of the planet's best riders - into the showpiece event in July as their team manager.

But he insists he's just as happy playing a vital engine-room riding role for the Tigers in British speedway's second tier, as he readies himself to take on Berwick Bandits this weekend.

Lemon said: "I've been given the national team position and I'm grateful for it - and enjoy the role.

"But I don't really see it affecting me as a rider, as such. Obviously there are going to be times when it gets busy and I've got a bit more on my plate than I would like, but I've done a few things in the off-season to take the pressure off this year."

He went on: "I've always been team-orientated and I always enjoy the team side of racing. I've never really been one that's excelled as an individual - I've never possessed that self-centredness that's needed to be a champion rider.

"But I've been in some champion teams and that's what it's all about. It's something I can bring to Glasgow and it's no different to what I do with the national team.

"You have Chris Holder, a world champion, and you're working with Chris Holder on a Saturday, and then you're working with Rusty Harrison - a genuine Premier League rider - on the Sunday."

Tomorrow's match in the League Cup is the Tigers' first competitive home meeting of the season, after last week's Workington washout. They've only had one match in the competition so far - a defeat at Workington - and lost in both legs of the Air Fence Challenge against Edinburgh.

But Lemon says there's a "good feeling" around Ashfield and believes the track is "the best it has ever been".

He added: "The club's put together a good team on paper. You need a bit of luck, and everyone seems to be working in the right direction, which is nice to see.

"There are positive vibes around the place, which is what you need to have that success.

"We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but I think the ingredients there right now are good."

Tomorrow's match starts at 3pm. Before then, the Tigers visit Berwick tonight