Newport Wasps co-promoter calls it a day (From South Wales Argus)

Newport Wasps co-promoter calls it a day

12:20pm Wednesday 15th February 2012 in Sport

NEWPORT Wasps’ continuing feud with the BSPA has cost them the services of Nick Mallett, who has resigned as co-promoter of the 2011 Premier League Knock-out Cup winners.

Mallett’s father, Steve, is still considering whether to pull the plug on the club, which is at odds with the governing body over the starting average of Australian Todd Kurtz.

Newport argue that because he was classed as British for the 2011 campaign, he again qualified for a 2.5% reduction on his riding average when the new team was named shortly after the end of last season.

But the BSPA disagrees, saying Kurtz disqualified himself by riding in his country’s recent under-21s championship.

The row, plus some personal matters, have prompted 24-year-old Nick Mallett to cut his ties with the Queensway Meadows club.

“I simply don’t wish to be involved in this sport anymore after the way this club has been treated,” he said.

“The row with the BSPA has been well documented and I am not going to go into any of the details. But what I will say is that it is a disagreement which I feel could well have been avoided had this club been kept up to date with certain decisions which were made.

“But this is not the sole reason why I am leaving speedway, there are a number of factors away from the sport which demand my attention.

“I work for the family’s haulage transport business (Mallett Transport) and that particular venture must be maintained at all cost.

“Another important fact is that I am also moving house.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a promoter and will be sad to leave behind some very good people.

“I would like to thank everyone I have worked with over the past three years here, that includes the staff, the riders and our brilliant fans.

“It is just a shame that all this has blown up when we finally managed to produce a team capable of winning our first piece of silverware since 1999.

“I plan to continue doing grass-track racing, so I won’t be entirely lost to motor sport.”

At the age of 21, Nick Mallett became British speedway’s youngest promoter when he and his father took over Newport Speedway in time for the 2008 campaign after the club had been closed for 11 months following the death of previous owner and promoter Tim Stone.

However, he fell foul of the authorities in May, 2010, when he had his promoter’s licence withdrawn for a period after he posted controversial remarks about another speedway club online. He was re-instated in January last year.

Before becoming a promoter, he rode at Conference/National League level for Swindon Sprockets, Newport Mavericks, Somerset Giants and Plymouth Devils and he also won the 2008 Cornish 500cc Grass-Track Championship at Newquay.