Speedway world champion Tai Woffinden planning new fundraiser

The Wolves star, who won the world championship last month, lost his father Rob to the disease in 2010 and raised the cash by cycling 138 miles from Wolverhampton to the British Grand Prix at Cardiff this year, arriving on June 1.

He will present the cheque at Scunthorpe Speedway on November 18 – but told fans at an 'Evening with Tai Woffinden' in the Cleveland Arms, Wolverhampton last night that he plans a bigger event next season.

"I've already got an idea for next year, but I'm going to keep that quiet until I know exactly what's going to happen. If everything goes to plan, I'll be doing something which won't be as long, but it will be something where a lot of people can join in."

Woffinden's intensive training programme helped him complete the ride and was also a big factor in his world title triumph, particularly after twice breaking his collarbone.

But he admitted at last night's event that he was not always as dedicated – riding a Wolves match three years ago after three successive boozy nights out. "Went out Friday," he confessed. "On the drink all Friday night. Went back out Saturday night, did the same again. Come Sunday, Polish meeting. The race I should have won, heat one, I came last.

"I was just sat there, feeling so rough. I went out and won the next few heats. Then, obviously, I'd had a good meeting so I went out and celebrated again. Got straight into a taxi to the airport, got to England, got to Wolves. It was against Swindon and I got 12. Peter Adams (team manager) knew that I had been out, so when I asked about heat 15 (where team bosses pick their best riders), he just looked at me with the most disgusted look."

Woffinden, who was 500-1 for the world title at the start of the season, also revealed that Swedish team-mate Jacob Thorssell had accidentally cleaned up by placing a bet on him for the whole series instead of for one GP as he had intended.