IN his second "˜Friday Feature' in-depth interview, MARK PLUMMER catches up with a Premier League captain, a mechanic, a delivery driver and a firefighter all-in-one . . .
RITCHIE HAWKINS has found himself in a fair few emergency situations during a career that has veered from ecstasy to agony. Now he is also part of the emergency services.
The former British Under 21 champion is currently enjoying an unexpected comeback to the sport as skipper of Ipswich. He was tempted back into the saddle early last season by Witches chief Chris Louis as a short-term replacement in Suffolk.
Almost a year on and it has turned into a long-term gig for a man who has more often made the headlines for a catalogue of horror injuries than success stories since lifting the national crown back in 2004.
But Hawkins, 30, is also forging a career away from the track. He has been a retained firefighter at his local fire station in Yaxley, Cambridgeshire, for the past year.
"It was something that had always interested me," said Hawkins. "I grew up a stone's throw from the fire station in Yaxley.
"I'm on call five days a week at the moment and have to drop everything when a job comes in.
"I've been out on a few fires already, but nothing too major. Hopefully it can turn into a full-time job in the future.
"The Fire Service were recruiting full-time staff recently, but I decided not to apply as I'm enjoying speedway at the moment."
That certainly hasn't always been the case for a rider who could be forgiven for feeling he is cursed by bad injuries.
Hawkins suffered severe bruising to his brain in a 2006 crash while riding for Workington after being hit by Glasgow rider Danny Bird. Derwent Park medical staff were credited with saving his life after he was knocked unconscious with a blocked airway.
Little more than 18 months later he was in the wars again when suffering a catalogue of injuries in a horror crash while riding in an indoor meeting in Germany. The damage toll of a crash during an event staged on concrete included two broken wrists, a broken arm, a broken thigh, a broken ankle and internal bleeding.
"I've had career-threatening injuries and you could probably say that bruising to my brain was a life-threatening injury," recalled Hawkins. "I was having the best season of my career in 2006 but the crash at Workington wrecked it.
"Going to Germany in the winter ahead of the 2008 season was supposed to be a jolly boys' outing with a couple of mates. I had some equipment to collect from over there and what I earned in the meeting should have paid for the trip, but it didn't quite work out like that.
"I was in hospital for weeks and then in a wheelchair for another three months after being released. It felt like longer and pretty much wrote off that whole year.
"I'm really proud of the fact I've managed to come through all those injuries to race at a good level again. I don't think too many people could have done that."
By 2012 Hawkins had fallen out of love with speedway after being axed by Rye House. He sat out the rest of that season and wouldn't have been in the slightest bit bothered if he hadn't raced again.
But then Louis came calling and Hawkins couldn't resist a return to the saddle.
He added: "I wasn't making it pay and I really wasn't enjoying it anymore when I got binned by Rye House.
"I started to focus on becoming a full-time firefighter, but then I got a call from Chris asking me to help Ipswich out for a few weeks. I was happy to do that, but didn't really want it to turn into anything longer-term in all honesty.
"One thing led to another though. I rode okay, Chris pleaded with me to stay for the rest of the season and then offered me the chance to go back again this year.
"I'm loving the sport again. We've got five members of the team that finished second in the league last season back again and there is a real buzz about the place. It's an honour to be the captain."
Hawkins scored paid 12 last night (Thursday) as the Witches claimed the scalp of the team that pipped them to top spot in the Premier League on the final day of the regular 2013 season.
They beat double-winners Somerset 53-41 at Foxhall.
Hawkins also finds the time to work as a mechanic for close friend Danny King as well as getting behind the wheel for the Hawkspeed Haulage company belonging to his father, ex-Peterborough star Kevin Hawkins.
"In the past I had relied on speedway to make a living, but that is not the case anymore," Hawkins continued.
"As long as it pays for itself, and I can make a little bit out of it, I am happy. Having other sources of income away from the track takes away a lot of the pressure."
