FORMER international motorbike racer John Raybould will take to the track once again at the age of 71.

The Amblecote speedster, also known as Jack to his friends, will compete in the Classics race at Aintree this Saturday (August 11)

It will be the first time he has raced for four years and the first time he's been back at the Liverpool circuit for 40 years.

He usually takes part in selected parades but will now don the leathers once more when he rides a Matchless G50.

Raybould enjoyed a fine career after bursting on the scene when coming third in the new-comers race at the 1981 Manx GP on the Isle of Man.

He competed in the Formula One and Formula Two World Championship from 1982 to 1990.

Highlights included an eight place finish in the 1984 Classic 500 at the TT and an overall 10th place in the 1987 Formula Two World Championships.

He raced in 10 international countries, at 16 circuits in England and 16 in Europe.

He said: "I'm really looking forward to it now.

"I get to see my old mates and have a catch up with people.

"I never really retired and just carried on doing events like this.

"I haven't been able to do it for a while but it is something I love."

Raybould's biggest challenge came in 2004 when he survived a near-fatal crash at the Alcester GP that saw him put in an induced coma for 16 days.

Despite the long recovery he never contemplated giving up his life-long passion.

He added: "I was just determined to come back from it.

"I couldn't remember what happened and suffered memory loss from the day.

"It took me a long time to get over it but I never once contemplated packing it in. It's great that I still get to ride in events like the one at Aintree."