JASON Crump has revealed that a major change in his mental approach to speedway has paid dividends - but he's remaining tight-lipped on his secrets to stay ahead of his rivals.

The world champion looked relaxed and focused at the club's press day as the new-look Poole Castle Cover Pirates met the media and the public for the first time ahead of the new campaign.

But the Australian took time to give an insight into the mindset of a world champion by hinting that he has delved into psychology in a bid to improve as a rider.

Crump told the Daily Echo: "At the end of 2003 when I knew I couldn't win the world championship, I felt I had to do something differently. So I made some big changes and luckily for me, they worked.

"Since then I've won a couple of world championships and maybe if I'm lucky, I might win a few more."

When he was initially asked what they were, Crump replied: "If I said what they were, everybody would try and do the same thing so they're staying as my secrets!"

But Poole's record transfer signing, at £28,000, went on to explain how he has adapted how he reacts to the disappointment of defeat.

He said: "It really used to get to me quite a lot when I lost races. It doesn't matter how good you are, you will not last too long in speedway without losing a few races here and there.

"So I realised I had to take a step back and calm down a little bit.

"I still hate losing but now I just try to enjoy myself a lot more when I'm racing. When you enjoy doing something, you tend to be better at it and I'm looking to keep that going this season as well."

Since Crump signed just days before Christmas last year, he has been working hard on the practice track but is now counting down the days until the tapes go up on the new season.

He said: "I'm bored of practice and I'm ready to race now. I've been out myself quite a few times and the guys from Scunthorpe Speedway have been really good to me in letting me use their track whenever I wanted.

"I've already worn three or four engines out by being out there so much already, so now I'm fed up with it and I'm ready to race."