The Vintage Speedway Magazine is well worth the £2 this month for an insight into Martin Dugard, who retires at the end of the season.

Although speedway has been good to the man who often wows the Cowley public, he admits that he has never really had it in him to become a world champion.

And as his dad Bob says: "He's had a fair degree of success, and he would have had a lot more if he'd been a little more dedicated."

On his signing for Oxford in the 80s, Martin says: "I didn't really understand who Hans Nielsen was, because I never read the magazines. I don't really follow the sport. I'm a bit of an oddball when it comes to speedway."

*Ipswich have been boosted by a superb comeback for Great Britain Test star Scott Nicholls.

Nicholls scored 12 points in the Intercontinental Final at the weekend and is expected to return to the Witches side in the cup match with Wolverhampton next Thursday.

Meanwhile, skipper Chris Louis is also hoping to be back in the saddle before the end of the month - possibly at this weekend's Czech Republic Grand Prix.

His situation has been complicated by a broken bone in his shoulder.

* The Premier League Riders' Championship is at Coventry on Sunday, September 9.