Georgie Wood is ready to race for Eastbourne – in the biggest week of his life.

The IT First Eagles heat-leader is in the line-up to face table-topping Birmingham with the National League title on the line.

The rival tracks go head to head at Arlington today (6.30pm) in the first leg of the Grand Final. They meet again at Perry Barr on Wednesday.

Wood, who lives in Kent, missed the first leg of the Knockout Cup final away to the Brummies in midweek with partner Lauren due to give birth to their first child.

The couple's baby daughter is due at any time but Wood has told the club he is prepared to ride at Arlington, knowing he can rush home or to hospital if needed.

Charley Powell returns at reserve in place of Luke Harris as Eagles look to run up a double-digit lead.

They went down by six in the first leg of the cup final and believe that sent out a message to a Brummies side who have been close to invincible this term.

Chairman Martin Dugard said: “George is happy to race. If his partner goes into labour, he is 45 minutes away.

“We would like to win this one by as many as possible. Anything from eight to ten upwards would be good.

“I think we rocked the boat a little with our result on Wednesday.

“Their No.1 wasn’t particularly good but our reserves didn’t do us any favours either and we didn’t have George.

“I think it frightened a few people up there how good we were – and how well we could have done if we had really got ourselves in gear.”

Dugard would love to finish the season with silverware and the Grand Final would be his choice if he had to pick one of the prizes on offer.

He said: “We wanted to go there first in the cup and get ready for the league play-off.

“Birmingham are favourites but we have already seen in the Elite League and the Premier League that the underdogs can win.

“We are quite happy for Birmingham to worry about us.

“If it all goes to plan and they end up winning, as long as we have tried the best we can we can’t have regrets”

Eagles have Nathan Stoneman on standby to guest for Wood in the away leg on Wednesday if he cannot make it.

Brummies have Kent racer James Shanes guesting at No.1 but their obvious threat comes at reserve.

Jack Parkinson-Blackburn and Jack Smith took their maximum 14 rides in the first leg of the cup final and outscored Eagles reserves Harris and Tom Brennan 27-2.

Dugard said: “They are really heat-leaders in the National League, which they will be next year.

“It is always tough when you have them around.

“They are good at Birmingham. They may not be so good at Eastbourne.”