Martin Dugard takes centre stage again on Sunday in a bid to make speedway history.

Dugard only rides for fun these days, but he is threatening to snatch former Eastbourne Eagles team-mate Paul Hurry's King of the Bonanza crown away from him.

The Hassocks-based star, who won the British Grand Prix and the world championship overseas title during a glittering track career, will be back in the thick of the action in the eighth indoor event to be run at the Brighton Centre on Sunday.

Dugard aims to become the first rider to win the title for a record third time after victories in the Millennium year and again last year.

And there is nothing that Hurry can do about it after being forced to pull out of the meeting at the 11th hour.

Hurry, who won the first meeting in 1997, was runner-up in 1998, champion again in 1999 and runner-up in 2000 and 2001, planned to take his place in the event just two days before going into hospital for an operation on his shoulder.

But he has been warned by doctors he could do more damage and jeopardise the success of the operation, putting his career at risk, if he rides.

It will be the third year in succession that Hurry has missed the chance of adding to his Bonanza record. Now that elusive hat-trick of triumphs could instead go to Dugard.

The chances of the two masters of the mini-track going head-to-head in Sunday's final would have been a mouth-watering prospect for the fans, who are again likely to number between 4,000 and 5,000.

Nevertheless, the event, which began life high in the novelty stakes but is now an integral part of the speedway calendar, is still guaranteed to end in a six-lap thriller if past occasions are anything to go by.

The fact is the Bonanza is now a serious business. There are riders from five countries, including Russia, Poland and Sweden, involved in Sunday's meeting.

Promoter Jon Cook said: "It's still a lot of fun, but now all the riders are desperate to win. It's hard out there. No one does anyone else any favours.

"It's amazing how popular the event has become. We've had to turn down a lot of riders this year."

The line-up includes another previous winner, American ace Brent Werner, who won in 1998, and new Polish sensation Marcin Rempala.

Rempala made an eye-catching British debut in last season's World Cup final and is likely to be a prime target for England's Elite League clubs in 2005.

Last year's first four, Dugard, Edward Kennett, Bobby Schwartz and Shawn McConnell, are all back. So are Ronnie Correy, who rode in the first meeting, Roman Povazhny and the hugely popular Magnus Zetterstrom.

The Rempala brothers, Marcin and Jacek, are making their Bonanza debuts, as well as Sergei Darkin, Josh Larsen, Stuart Robson and Daniel King.

Hurry's replacement, Oliver Allen, is certain to get a hot reception. Eastbourne fans won't need reminding it was Allen who was involved in a crash with Steen Jensen during the match against Swindon at Arlington in September.

While the main event in the evening is the one which fires the imagination, the afternoon pairs tournament is sure to provide plenty of drama.

The remarkable duo of Schwartz and McConnell, whose combined ages add up to 93 years, will be bidding to win the event for the fifth successive year.

The biggest threat could come from the team of Dugard and Kennett, who were first and second in the individual championship last year.

There are 20 heats plus a final during both sessions. The pairs tournament starts at 1.30 pm and the Bonanza championship at 6.0pm. The Brighton Centre will be open from 11am for a trade and souvenir fair.