SPEEDWAY star Scott Nicholls enjoyed revealing what the man behind the helmet is like during the process of putting together his autobiography.

The book, ‘Sliding Through Life’, was launched at the Speedway Grand Prix in Cardiff on Saturday, and has been written with the help of Ian Kirke.

As well as an examination of Nicholls’ glittering career, which has seen him become British champion seven times, the book also deals with the person away from the speedway track.

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Oxford Cheetahs captain Nicholls told this newspaper: “It’s been fun, not just looking back on the racing bits, but life in general. You want to find the balance to keep people interested, but there are plenty of stories and racing incidents.

“It’s been fun, and emotional too, and a really interesting journey. It was a new experience, and with Ian, it was just like two mates reminiscing on plenty of good memories, and that made it a lot easier.

“People who know nothing about speedway will have a good picture of who I am.

“I like autobiographies in general. It’s always interesting to find out where that person has come from and what makes them tick.

“I want people to know about the challenges I’ve had in life, and continue to face. It’s important to make it human.”

To help piece the book together, Kirke would meet with or call Nicholls as he travelled up and down the country to speedway meetings.

Kirke explained: “My writing career started in Covid. I wrote this story and sent it to a few magazines. Speedway was always a keen interest of mine, and I’ve always been a fan of Scott.

“He’s still at the top of his game, and he’s an interesting rider. I’d published a piece in Speedway Star, and he rang me, and told me he really liked my style.

“He said he had a book deal and asked if I wanted to write his autobiography. I was stunned.

“It was strange meeting him for the first time, at this hotel in Windsor, because there I was meeting one of my heroes.

“The way I saw it was that a book is basically just a combination of features. For me, it was a little bit about being in the right place at the right time.

“It’s not necessarily a book about speedway, but more a book about a human being, just like you and I, dealing with relationships, death and everything else.

“The project just took under a year to complete, and it’s something I think fans will find interesting.

“I’ve learnt about the immense pressures these athletes go through, and I’ve had to pinch myself quite a few times. It’s been a humbling and beautiful experience.”

Sliding Through Life can be ordered through the Curtis Sport website.