SPEEDWAY supporters from across Swindon can help celebrate one of the town’s most famous sporting sons this evening.

On what is sure to be a night of high emotions, Lee Kilby will officially launch the biography of his father and legendary Swindon Robins rider – the late Bob Kilby.

Swindon-born Bob was a member of the Robins’ historic 1967 British League title-winning team and is sixth on the club’s all-time point scoring list, having ridden in 445 meetings for the Abbey Stadium side in a career spanning from 1964 to 1983.

Bob passed away in 2009 at the age of 64, and speedway fans old and new can learn about one of the sport’s heroes of yesteryear in ‘To The Heart Of Kilb’, which will be launched at a special event at Supermarine RFC from 7pm this evening.

Lee explained: “It was a real rollercoaster doing it. I started writing in year form, from when he started in 1964 and just went all the way through.

“There were times when I was punching the air in delight when I read about things he had achieved and then other times I was as angry as hell and wondering who to phone because I was so annoyed at something that had happened to him in about 1972.

“I was about halfway through his career when my wife (Debra) said: ‘Can you write the end?’ because that will be the bit about when Dad passed away and I just thought ‘Oh, God.’ “I spoke to my mum (Shirley) and my sister (Emma) and thankfully, I was able to do it and complete the project.

“Dad will always be my speedway hero but because I never saw him ride, I have got no emotional connection to his racing, whereas the bits about him just being Dad, that was immensely difficult to write.

“Ultimately, it’s probably helped me. It’s been a long time since he passed away now and I’ll probably never had real closure on it.”

A host of Robins faces from the past are set to be in attendance at tonight’s event, including four of the surviving members of Swindon’s famous 67 title-winning team – Pete Munday, Mike Keen, Mike Broadbank and Martin Ashby.

Memorabilia from Bob’s career will also be on display and Lee is sure it will be an evening to remember.

He said: “We have got former Robins coming, we have got old bikes and a current bike and a load of dad’s trophies and photographs.

“I started it off as a bit of a personal project to find out a bit more about his career. I was four when he stopped riding so I never knew him as a racer.

“As I started to gather a bit of momentum, a print works in Exeter contacted me and said if I get as far as turning it into a book, they’d love to print it. Lo and behold, less than a year later, it’s done.

“I had a lot of people helping me, but in essence, I started it and finished it and did a lot of it myself.

“The affection is there from everybody and loads of people have chipped in. People have been brilliant in offering little bits here and there and you can’t do it without people helping you so I am so grateful to everybody.”

‘To The Heart Of Kilb’ will be available to purchase from the track shop at the Abbey Stadium or ordered online through the ‘To The Heart Of Kilb’ Facebook page.