SPEEDWAY legend Peter Collins has just released his long-awaited autobiography.

The former Belle Vue and England racer will be signing copies of ‘Keeping it on the Tyres’ at the Lymm Heritage Centre on Thursday, December 15 between 6.30pm and 8.30pm.

Collins, 68, is a familiar figure in the area where he grew up on the family farm in Partington before conquering the world on two wheels.

His 506-page, full colour book, including more than 400 photos, covers his illustrious 17-year racing career that brought him every major honour in the shale sport’s history: one individual World Championship (1976), five World Team Cups and four World Pairs titles.

With 10 FIM gold medals, he remains the most decorated British rider of all-time. Honoured in 2001 with the MBE, the all-action racer known as ‘PC’ is also England’s most capped international with 154 appearances for his country.

After a debut season in grass track, Collins – the eldest of five racing brothers, speedway’s greatest dynasty – rode for Belle Vue from 1971 until the end of 1986. In the winter of 1987-88, he became a co-promoter of the famous Manchester club, leading the rescue mission that saved them from near extinction.

 

Childhood dreams

Childhood dreams

 

“I’ve waited a long while to tell my story and, as none of us is getting any younger, now is the right time,” says Collins, now retired and living with his wife Angela at High Legh.

Father of two Collins became a speedway superstar during the sport’s last golden era of the 1970s, when it regularly attracted five-figure crowds and he earned more per week than the top footballers at Manchester United and Man City. When Collins won his individual world crown in Poland in 1976, he was cheered to victory by a capacity 120,000 crowd.

“I was very lucky to reach my peak during a very special time for speedway, when all the big meetings were shown by ITV, the national daily papers gave it massive coverage, and we had international sponsors.

 

In his heyday

In his heyday

 

“I was born and bred in Partington and the farm where my brothers and I grew up set us on the path to speedway fame. My dad made my first bike – a 98cc James – when I was eight-years-old, and that’s when I began learning to slide round corners.

“We built our own racetrack at Homestead Farm and on adjacent marshland. Most of the other local kids who had bikes and came to race with us also ended up having good careers in speedway or grasstrack racing. The Lymm area has a proud history of producing successful sporting motorcyclists.”

If you cannot make it to the signing at Lymm Heritage Centre in Legh Street, WA13 0DA, copies of the book – priced £20 inc P&P (£5 off RRP) – personally signed by Collins are available from his publisher, Retro Speedway, at www.retro-speedway.com. Or phone 01708 734 502.