STOKE Potters' team-building plans for the 2007 season have gathered pace with the confirmed signings of Ben Barker, Rusty Harrison and Jack Hargreaves and a deal put to another big-name rider.
Promoter Dave Tattum said: 'I am very close to bringing in another very experienced rider and am delighted to have two riders of Ben and Rusty's calibre already on board.
'Ben showed up very well for us last season with the Spitfires and had a good Premier league season too with Somerset.
'He's an exciting rider on the track and a terrific lad to have around the pits and he was always someone I wanted to slot in to the team, along with Jack Hargreaves.'
After a season on loan to Redcar, 18-year-old Hargreaves became the first name pencilled in for next season.
He said: 'This is exactly what I wanted and I turned other clubs down to fulfil my ambition of riding for Stoke. I learned a lot last year and now realise I need to work hard on my game.'
Barker says he is more than pleased to be going back to Loomer Road. He added: 'I loved it there last season and I was hoping they would consider me for the Potters side.
'I was over the moon when Dave offered me a place and I can start work on my bikes in readiness for next year.'
Harrison has generally impressed around Loomer Road and was a guest rider for the Potters when they were carrying injuries.
He admitted that he turned down offers from other clubs to ride for the Potters, saying: 'There was other interest but Stoke has always been one of those places that I enjoyed going to and I think it is somewhere that will give me an opportunity to improve my career.'
Harrison, who was Australian Under-16 and Under-21 champion before moving to Britain in 2000, had a difficult 2006 season with Edinburgh before moving back to Workington at the end of the season.
