FANS’ favourite James Shanes is relishing the chance to test himself against an array of top stars in Poole’s 70th anniversary meeting.

The Puddletown racer will tomorrow line up against the majority of his Pirates team-mates in the showpiece individual event, as well as the likes of world number seven Matej Zagar and ex-Grand Prix star Niels-Kristian Iversen.

Asked about his inclusion, the 21-year-old told the Daily Echo: “Matt (Ford, promoter) came over to me and said ‘I need to have a chat’. I thought ‘here we go, what have I done wrong?’.

“He turned around and said I was in on Friday. I went over to his office and was looking through the line-up and thinking ‘wow, okay!’.

“It is going to be fun. It is going to be difficult but it’s a good learning experience and, hopefully, it will pull me on that little bit more for the season.

“You can practise every day of the week and feel amazing but it’s not until you get on the line with three other blokes that you know things have actually worked.

“I will finish on Friday and will then know how it has all gone.”