OLD boy Troy Batchelor provided the fireworks on a spectacular opening night for Peterborough.
The Readypower Panthers finally got on track after a winter of uncertainty – and put Elite League champions Coventry to the sword.
The Australian, one of only two survivors from last season’s squad after Norbert Kosciuch was ruled out through injury, picked up the Sharp Retail Systems Man of the Match award as the Panthers won 62-30.
They will take their 32 point lead to Brandon for Saturday’s second leg of the Hokey-Cokey Cup.
And they’ll travel along the A14 full of optimism after a stunning performance that had their fans in raptures.
New boys Nicki Pedersen and Linus Sundström got off to the perfect start with a first race maximum over Bees’ new signing Hans Andersen, who led Peterborough to the 2006 league title.
And when teenage Poland recruit Kacper Gomolski, 18, won his first race in Peterborough colours it was clear it was going to be a night to remember.
Aussie Batchelor won his first two races and dropped his only points to an opponent when he was pegged back to third place in Heat 13.
He said: “Tonight was a really good start for the team and the atmosphere in the pits was brilliant although we need to get a couple of the lads speaking English!
“It was a good start for me personally and I think it’s helped riding in Poland because I’m not rusty.
“I feel really good on the bike. The play-offs is the aim and if we can ride at 80% like we did tonight away from the Showground we will be alright.”
PETERBOROUGH 62 (Troy Batchelor 12:1, Nicki Pedersen 12:1, Krzysztof Buczkowski 9:2, Oliver Allen 9:1, Kacper Gomolski 8:1, Craig Cook 7:1, Linus Sundström 5:2)
COVENTRY 30 (Hans Andersen 7, Kenni Larsen 6, Przemyslaw Pawlicki 6, Edward Kennett 5, Nick Morris 3, Ryan Fisher 2, Richard Sweetman 1:1).