Niels-Kristian Iversen admits he is feeling no added pressure about wearing the number one race jacket for King's Lynn Stars this season.

The experienced Dane re-signed for the Norfolk Arena outfit this summer after helping Lynn achieve a surprise third-place in the Elite League last year.

After losing heat leader Kenneth Bjerre to Peterborough Panthers, team boss Rob Lyon showed faith in the 29-year-old – who held an 8.00 average on Lynn's return to British speedway's elite – by promoting him from number five for the 2012 campaign.

The two-time World Cup winner insists it is business as usual, irrespective of his role in the side, as he looks to help the Stars achieve another memorable season.

Iversen said: 'I've been very excited about the season starting because it's been a long winter. Personally I've been training very hard for this campaign and I've been building some good bikes and I'm hoping for the best really. If I didn't hope for another good season I wouldn't be here.

'I don't see being number one as too much extra pressure. Of course there's a little bit more on my shoulders, but it's nothing that I really think about.

'At the end of the day my job's still the same – it's about scoring points for the team and that's what I'm looking to do, regardless of my role.'

The popular Scandinavian, who also rides for Indianerna in Sweden, Gorzow in Poland and Esbjerg in Denmark, has enjoyed a promising start to life as Lynn's leading light.

He bagged four heat wins on his way to 13, plus one, from five rides during the Stars' comfortable home victory over Eastbourne Eagles in their first fixture of the season before following it up with a solid 11 out of 15 during Monday's narrow defeat in the return leg on the south coast.

Iversen said: 'I don't know how people rate us, but it doesn't matter because we believe in ourselves and I believe we can go far.

'It is a privilege to be number one and for the guys to have confidence in me. However, there'll always be a lot of people who'll tell you what you can't do. I believe in what I can do so I don't think that stuff is too big a deal.'

The Dane's career in Britain has come full circle after he joined Lynn in 2001. He rode for Newport, Oxford, Peterborough and Wolverhampton before returning to Norfolk last year.