By John Walsh

Last updated 11:38, Friday, 27 June 2008

KAUKO Nieminen is looking for a big show tonight when he contests the Premier League Best Pairs at Somerset.

Power: Workington's Kauko Nieminen (red helmet) leads Mildenhall's Ricky Ashworth (black and white) and Michal Rajkowski (yellow) into the first corner of heat five

The Workington skipper is lining-up with the Comets’ number one Daniel Nermark in the League’s showpiece event.

Speaking from Denmark , where he had just been paid 11 for his efforts there, Nieminen stressed how important tonight’s meeting was to him.

“As an individual rider, away from the league format with the Comets, this is probably my biggest meeting of the season and I desperately want to do well.

“We were able to reach the semi-finals last year so the first target will be to improve on that and make the final. Then hopefully we can go on and clinch the title,” he said.

Nieminen, below, was partnered by James Wright last year and was the more successful of the two Workington riders.

“I like the Somerset track and always seem to do well there. I’ve even had a few guest bookings down there and I have to say that it is one of my favourite tracks.

Workington have a great record in the competition with Carl Stonehewer successful on four occasions alongside Brent Werner, Mick Powell, Peter Karlsson and Simon Stead.

Hosts Somerset will be fancied to turn track advantage their way on Friday and they will be in the same group as Workington.

The Rebels star Jason Doyle is counting the days to his Premier League Pairs Championship debut. Aussie Doyle is a big hit with the Oak Tree Arena fans in his first season with the club and partners Emil Kramer on home shale.

He said: “I’ve never ridden in this meeting before, it would mean a lot to us to win it but it’s going to be a tough meeting.

“Emil and I have a good understanding and we’re looking forward to putting on a good show for the home fans – the line-up is very, very hard.

"Every time we go to the tapes on Friday it will be like contesting a last heat decider in Heat 15 of a normal league match and, as a result, every heat will be so intense as no team can afford a bad race."