Billy the brave ready for lap of honour

Old entertainer Billy Hamill can't wait to jump on a speedway bike for one last time and wow the fans.

The 38-year-old calls time on a glittering career with his farewell meeting at Monmore Green a week tomorrow (Sunday March 22, 4pm).

But while a stellar field including Jason Crump, Greg Hancock and Scott Nicholls contests a full 20-heat individual competition, Hamill will appear for Cradley in a five-heat veterans' mini-match between the Heathens and Wolves.

And he is raring to go. "I wouldn't say I'm 100 per cent, but I've been training for the last couple of months on the mountain bike and running quite a bit," he said. "I got on a speedway bike for the first time in probably a year last weekend and felt very good.

"I got quite a few laps in and I was sore the next day. But I'm excited and ready to go."

Hamill's all-action style made him a great favourite at all his British tracks – Cradley, Belle Vue, Coventry, Oxford and finally Wolves.

But an horrendous litany of injuries finally called time on the former world champion's days in the saddle, including a punctured lung, broken jaw and 11 broken bones in his back – all from one crash.

"There's certainly been injuries throughout my career and a lot of it's my riding style, always go for the gusto," he said.

"There wasn't a year that had gone by when I didn't have injuries.

"I can still ride, don't get me wrong. I felt great on a bike. I felt fast.

"But I'm at a point where my body can't take the abuse any more, and that's when a rider's got to face reality.

"I always ride with my heart. I've always been that type of rider. I've never known any different. And I think that attracts people, when they can see the reality and the genuine, sheer determination.

"I think they can read that – it doesn't matter if you've got a helmet on or not. Right now I can't wait to go out there and entertain."

German ace Martin Smolinski completes the field as a replacement for Adam Roynon, who is slowly battling back following a dreadful pre-season crash at King's Lynn.

Hamill's fellow American Chris Kerr has sorted out his visa problems and was jetting into Britain today.

Jet lag permitting, the 24-year-old Wolf will jump straight on a bike tomorrow to compete in Newport's Prince of Wales Trophy individual meeting. If not, Czech team-mate Hynek Stichauer will step in for his first races on British soil.