Dean Barker today revealed the hands-on approach which has helped him make a flying start to the season.

The Eastbourne Eagles skipper has piled up 58 paid points in 29 rides ahead of this week's tough double test on the road.

He will need to repeat something like that form as injury-hit Eagles go to Wolverhampton tonight and Peterborough on Thursday in the Elite League.

Barker, who dropped just one point to opposition riders in Friday's 60-32 mauling of Oxford, said:

"I feel absolutely brilliant.

"This is is the first time in four years I've actually started doing my own kit.

"I'm working in the week. Before, I just used to basically bum around all week and not do anything.

"I'm more interested in what I'm doing now and it's obviously paying off.

"I don't want to blow my own trumpet. I just want to keep plugging away as well as I can.

"But before I was getting to a meeting and everything was set up for me.

"I wasn't really that interested. I just rode the bike with what was set up on it and went home.

"I'd become lazy. I took it for granted and I looked at that during the winter.

"I've got a workshop at home, I base myself there and I can go out there in the morning and prepare my own bikes."

Peter Karlsson, who guested for Eagles on Friday but goes against them for Wolves tonight, admits Barker's form has been a surprise.

He said: "Deano is looking really good and making really good starts so we are expecting a tough match.

"It's always hard against Eastbourne because we have similar tracks.

"We had a good meeting last time when we beat Coventry well and the track has been very good for racing."

Eagles will look for big contributions tonight from Barker and inform David Norris and also plan giving as many rides as they can to young Lewis Bridger.

Ex-Wolves man David Howe guests for Nicki Pedersen, who went into hospital for treatment to his wrists today.

Howe is not one of the league's stars but Eagles' options are limited and the hope is his knowledge of Monmore Green can help him chip in with double figures.

Eagles defend leads of two points at Wolves and one at Peterborough and promoter Jon Cook is warning fans not to expect any return in terms of match or bonus points.

But he is happy with the way they have so far ridden out early season injury concerns.

Cook said: "If we can just maintain our home form for the next few weeks we will be okay.

"Every other year when we have had problems we have found ourselves at the bottom of the league and had to fight our way up.

"I'm hoping it will be a lot easier to keep fighting and keep our position at the right end of the table.

"I'm not worrying too much about these two away meetings. That's not being defeatist, it's being realistic.

"We are aleady preparing for our home meeting with Swindon next Saturday."

Adam Shields has taken his first tentative steps since crashing in Poland last Monday.

He was able to get out of bed with the help of crutches on Saturday and hopes to fly to England tomorrow.

His condition will be evaluated on Wednesday and Thursday.

Cook hopes to confirm Karlsson as a guest for the Swindon fixture after meeting him tonight.

Karlsson is happy to ride at Arlington next Saturday providing a flight can be arranged to get him to his meeting in Poland the following day.