End of the road for Mildenhall.

Mildenhall speedway will go out of business unless a new promoter rides to the rescue in the next week. Dingle Brown, who has run the Fen Tigers in the Conference League for the last seven years, has pulled out -- and two possible takeover moves have not materialised.

Brown said today: "It looks like a lost cause. I'm sad to have to quit, but I have no option thanks to the new regulations governing track safety. I've informed West Row stadium owner Terry Waters that I won't be promoting, and I've had to advise the Tigers' riders to try to get fixed up with other teams.

"Two people got in touch with me when I first said there were difficulties but, despite them promising to get back to me, nothing has happened. There is only a week to go before the Conference League meeting to sort out details of the new season, so there would probably have to be a new promoter in place by then."

Brown was instructed by the sport's governing body, the Speedway Control Board, to make changes to the West Row safety fence, either bringing it in
two metres at the corners, or installing one of the new airbag fences.

The Tigers' boss argued that the first option would ruin the racing at the small Suffolk circuit, while the second was expensive and time-consuming.
Brown asked for some leeway in complying with the new rule, but has not received any.

"I've had people offering to help me meet the cost of the airbag fence which is ?300 a meeting to rent," he said, "but my reason for giving up the promotion is not financial.

"The airbag fence takes a day to install on top of all the other jobs needed to convert from the stockcar circuit. I'm not a full-time speedway promoter -- the crowds at Mildenhall of around 400 or less do not warrant it -- but it can still take a day or two a week to get a meeting on.

"I also have a problem with illness in the family, and I couldn't possibly devote any more time to the speedway. I just hope somebody else can come in at the last minute and save it, but it doesn't seem likely."

Mildenhall, one-time National League Division Two champions, were founder members of the Conference League but attendances dropped off last season when they finished bottom of the table.