FINISHING touches are being applied to Swindon Robins’ new track ahead of the club’s SGB Premiership opener at home against Belle Vue Aces next Thursday, April 11.

Shale is being applied to the new racing surface this week before heavy vehicles will tyre-pack the track in the build-up to a planned behind-closed-doors practice session.

Rossiter confirmed the circuit’s start-finish line has successfully been moved backwards, while the current raised kerb on the inside line of all four bends will be chamfered off to create a gradual upwards slope leading to the centre green.

The officials’ box in the main grandstand has also been relocated to ensure it is in good view of the start-finish line.

“Once we get the base down, we’ll be happy. A lot of other work has gone on,” said Rossiter.

“We’ve had a bit of wet weather this week, which won’t harm us because the ground is so hard.

“I don’t see the weather being a problem, because the material in there at the moment is quite hard. It will be nice to get some water into the surface, we would’ve had to flood the track anyway.

“The shale is going on this week, once that base is on it will be 24/7 driving vehicles around and around to ensure we have no issues.

“You need the water to bind it together. Tuesday’s rain helped, the fence is nearly up, the base is in. It’s just about the shale going down.”

All four bends have also been subject to a two-metre width extension, to allow riders more room for overtaking.

The Robins boss hopes this move will provide racing of the highest quality and encourage his riders to become aware of manoeuvres from all angles.

It follows the Robins’ turbulent 2018 home campaign, where riders made no secret of their occasional frustration with the racing surface.

Rossiter added: “It (the track) will be unbelievable, that extra two metres on the inside will make for some good racing fingers crossed.”