Drury believes Australian Richard Sedgmen will be a big hit

Birmingham Brummies team manager Graham Drury believes a strong season in the Premier League could secure the future of the sport at Perry Barr.

The club are awaiting planning permission from the City Council to continue beyond 2010.

"That is always the dark cloud we seem to have hanging over us," Drury told BBC WM.

"It does make life difficult with riders asking us if we're closing down in 12 months."

The Brummies have drawn big gates to Perry Barr over the past three years, and the track will also host some of the Dudley Heathens home meetings this season.

We must be successful on the track to make it impossible for the council to say we can't continue Graham Drury

"I must say I'm very much encouraged by the reactions and the letters I've had from the council," Drury noted.

"We must be successful on the track this year to make it impossible for the council to say we can't continue the planning."

On the track Birmingham look to have assembled a strong line-up, and find themselves among the pre-season favourites to claim the Premier League crown.

"What we've tried to achieve this year is to get a balance between youth and experience," Drury indicated.

"We've got the elder statesmen in Steve Johnston and the captain Jason Lyons, but we've got the young Richard Sweetman, Richard Sedgmen and Jake Anderson.

"They're going to adore Steve Johnston - I first worked with Steve 14 years ago and it was always my ambition that our paths should cross again."

The Brummies open the season with the M6 Challenge against Stoke at Perry Barr on 17 March, with the opening Premier Trophy meeting at home to Sheffield a week later.

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