'I won't ride again but I am with Pirates in spirit'

Having conquered the speedway world six times to equal legendary Ivan Mauger's seemingly impossible title target, the Swedish superstar jumped sports last year after 17 years on two wheels and is now roaring around in Sweden's version of the Carrera Cup in his £250,000 Porsche.

So few sportsman have switched sporting disciplines and made a success in both - John Surtees remains the only sportsman to have won world championships on two and four wheels.

But don't rule Tony Rickardsson out of anything.

For the first time since quitting speedway, the 36-year old exclusively reveals: n I will never race speedway again; n I want to increase my Porsche racing stable; n I would love to return to speedway in a few years and coach Swedish kids; n My game of Russian roulette which led me to quit two wheels; n My huge admiration for the world championship speedway rivals I left behind.

Rickardsson announced his retirement from speedway in August 2006 having suffered "one concussion too many" last season during the Grand Prix in which he was trying to overtake Mauger's six world titles.

But speaking to the former Poole rider, voted greatest Pirate of all time by readers of the Daily Echo, he now talks in four-wheel mode having switched sports to the multi-million euro world of the Porsche Carrera Cup.

Rickardsson said: "In the Carrera Cup there are 22 drivers from all teams this year over 11 rounds (10 in Sweden and one in Norway). At the moment my team has one car but we are hoping to build that up to two or maybe three next year."

Incredibly for his debut season, he is currently third in the standings, with Cralle Lindholm on 56 points, Edward Sandstroem on 30 and Rickardsson lurking on 29.

He continued: "We are a very inexperienced team and the best we were looking for is perhaps fifth place overall this season, yet at the moment we are just one point behind second place.

"This has only been something I have been thinking of getting involved with over the past year.

"Changing sporting codes is something very few sportsmen have done. I never had any thoughts about racing cars, then in 1998 had a test drive and I absolutely adored the whole atmosphere, but still didn't think any more about it because speedway was my life.

"The whole set-up between driving cars and riding bikes is a completely different lifestyle.

"Racing speedway, I was switching countries like changing clothes. It was an incredible schedule and extremely draining on my stamina.

"Racing the Porsche requires a lot more foward planning, it's more of a business set-up and preparation is everything. Whereas speedway was travelling for an evening job, this is more nine-to-five!

"For example, it takes a day to load the car and equipment and if you don't get that right, everything falls down.

"There must be something about going fast that seems to suit me. I am having a lot of fun driving, but it's an intensely serious business and I am hoping I can continue my current form at such an early stage of my career.

"This is a huge challenge to me, but I remain focused to do this to the best of my ability.

"I've never liked losing much, so the competitive streak is now coming from behind the wheel rather than the handlebars."

Rickardsson, who won six world championships and three World Cups as part of the Swedish team, said quitting speedway last season was inevitable.

He added: "After suffering concussion midway through last season during the Grand Prix, I knew I couldn't carry on.

"Basically I was playing Russian roulette with my body. Having achieved so much in speedway, I just thought I was daft to carry on when medically they were telling me that one more bang on the head and who knows.

"But it's not until I have switched and now watch the Grand Prix speedway as a spectator I realise how brave these boys are.

"I am watching it now and thinking they must be mad! They're throwing their bodies around and it's such a dangerous thing to be doing. I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in throwing my leg over a bike again.

"I saw great my great friend Davey Watt recently, who came into my office here in Sweden.

"One of my mechanics was talking to him and Davey went to turn round to say something to him and had to turn his whole body round to talk.

"I asked him why he was turning round like an old man and he said he had a crash about four weeks earlier and was still suffering.

"I accept in car racing there are some major crashes, but nothing like the regular impact knocks you are getting on a speedway bike.

"I think I will get involved again in speedway in maybe two or three years time, probably to help some young Swedish riders and coach and advise them."

And Rickardsson was full of admiration for today's two-wheeled speedway protagonists.

"I was racing speedway for 17 years and I have only been out of it for a year now, but I cannot praise enough the bravery and dedication of any rider who races speedway for a living."

The fact T-Rick's marketing skills with his sponsors was unrivalled in the speedway, he was able to transport the big companies into his new four-wheeled sport.

He said: "I have been hugely fortunate that four of my speedway sponsors, including Swedish Match, of course, switched sporting codes with me.

"To be honest, I think they were all getting a little bored bringing all their clients to watch me race speedway, so the Carrera Cup has opened up a new window of excitement for them. What I am delighted about is to have recruited a new major sponsor in Scania Trucks."

But the superstar says British speedway still holds a special place in his heart.

He added: "I have great memories of my time with all the British clubs I rode for. I had a brilliant year at Ipswich - especially in 1998 when we won everything - and King's Lynn.

"Poole, of course, holds dear memories for me. I am so pleased I was able to help bring league and cup success for everyone in 2003 and give them a good start to 2004 before having to look at restructiring my schedule."

And Rickardsson admitted he is hugely impressed with the new Wimborne Road line-up.

He added: "When I left the Pirates in May, 2004, the team were at the top of the league and I am thrilled that they are back there after a couple of years where things haven't quite worked out.

"I realise there is a long way to go in the season, but my message to Matt (Ford), Mike (Golding) and Middlo (Neil Middleditch) is: I may not be there in person but I'm there in spirit. Keep the boys going'.

"I'm really hoping that my old Grand Prix rival Jason Crump's arrival at the club will bring the team back up where they belong. Judging from some of his scores already he's had a big influence, which is great."

But he left a final word for those who suggest that one day he might look back and regret not claiming a record-breaking seventh world speedway title to pass Mauger's six wins.

He concluded: "I have absolutely no regrets about stopping when I did. No-one has won more titles than me and I feel happy to have retired from the sport on that note."