MICHAEL LEE is the latest big name subject of the next book to come off the Retro Speedway shelf.

We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement with the former World Champion to publish his authorised biography.

Back From The Brink, written by Retro Speedway’s Tony McDonald and great value at £16 for 352 pages (16 in full colour), will be launched in Cardiff before the British Grand Prix on July 10.

But if you order your copy before July 8 (deadline now extended by one week), it will be personally signed by Michael, the 1980 world title holder and former Boston, King’s Lynn, Poole and England No.1.

McDonald says: “It was great fun working closely with Michael to produce his Mike the Bike DVD, which has been a huge success since it came out late last year, but there are many more different issues to explore throughout this book.

“Michael has crammed so much into his life – not all of it good! – but that just means he has an even more compelling story to tell. He is an intelligent person with plenty of interesting things to say. Mike's not at all boring, so you can bet that his life story won't be either!

“We are always being offered proposals from would-be authors asking us to publish their books but we have to cherry-pick the right ones these days and Back From The Brink is the kind of exciting project we like to get out teeth into.

“One of Mike’s endearing qualities is that he’s such a down to earth bloke and not a prima donna who is up himself. He knows he has made stupid mistakes in the past and he’s not afraid to face up to them, and talk about them in a refreshingly frank manner. That honesty and introspection will shine through strongly in this book as he recalls his highs and, at times, very low lows both on and off the track.”

Other publishers had shown interest in producing a book on Michael but, for various reasons, their plans never materialised – and that’s when we stepped in with a deal that appealed to Lee. Our proven track record in the retro speedway publishing sector has been unrivalled since our comopany began six years ago.

“Everyone seems to have an opinion on Michael,” continues McDonald, “so it made more sense to produce the book as a biography rather than an autobiography solely in his words. Naturally, he has plenty to say and many of his revelations will shock some people, including those who thought they knew him well!

But the biographical approach means I’ve been free to talk to Mike’s family – including his father, Andy, who had such a strong influence on his speedway career, his mother Valerie and his two sisters, as well as close friends. I’ve set out to discover the real Michael Lee and I’m sure readers will be intrigued by what they find inside the 352 pages of Back From The Brink.

“We have obviously also talked to the people who have known him well through speedway, too – the promoters and team managers he rode for, plus past team-mates and rivals at club and international level.

“Michael accepts that not everyone will have nice things to say about him but he is now a much more mature person than the one that went off the rails in the 80s and 90s and is ready to face his critics. This is no whitewash – how could it possibly be? – and I hope readers agree that it is a balanced and objective read.

“Michael has experienced and done some things that he wished he hadn’t – like his problems with drugs which led to him serving three prison sentences – but these were defining periods of his life and he knows they cannot simply be brushed under the carpet. This book has given him the chance to confront his previous demons head-on.”

Back From The Brink is also a story of triumph.

McDonald says: “A lot of people have criticised Mike for his past, and he has certainly brought a lot of that stick on himself, but too many are quick to forget, or overlook, his many great achievements in speedway. It’s debatable how much of his gifted talent he really ‘wasted’. After all, he became speedway’s youngest World Champion in 1980, aged 21, and World Long-track Champion (England’s first) a year later. He won two World Team Cup gold medals, two British Championships and every top individual international and national title in the sport between 1975 and his retirement from racing in the early-90s.

“And then having sunk to the lowest depths in his life, he showed great personal character to claw his way back to respectability and is now making a success of himself as one of the sport’s leading engine tuners. Tai Woffinden, Britain’s newest GP challenger and one of our brightest talents, has put his faith in Michael, as have numerous others who appreciate his skill in the workshop.

“Michael Lee is still writing new chapters in his rollercoaster life. He really has come back from the brink.”

TO ORDER YOUR COPY PERSONALLY SIGNED BY MICHAEL, FOLLOW THIS LINK