Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126259
SRA and Oxley still head-to-head in speedway war By Rex Reese For the past four months, there has ' bee n a war going on between members of the Speedway Racing Association (SRA ) board and speedway promoter Harry Oxley. The issue is the I question of money: the riders want more - a 40% cut of the gate while the promoters generally don't want to agree to any sort of raise. The situation became inflamed even more when Oxley decided to part with the SRA to go r acing on his own , leaving riders to either join him or fight out their problems with the SRA. All sides say that they are right. and that the other side is wrong. Currently. riders get $1 ,275 guaranteed purse or 30% of the gate receipts; whichever is greater. Included with the increase in gate receipts, or "overage. " the SRA wants the guaranteed purse to go to $1575 , with the increase - according to board member Louie Kossuth going to the second and third division .riden. SRA board member Sonny Nutter said that Costa Mesa is generally the only track to pay overage. According to Nutter, the riders are seeking a raise in pay due to the corresponding rise in the cost of living and racing. "W e've been running th e same kind of money for nine yean now ." said Nutter. "W e' re not trying to hold anybody up. We'r e just trying to be fa ir." On th e other side of the coin is Harry Oxley, who left the SRA fold , because, according to Nutter, "he couldn't do business with the board." Oxley allegedly remains adarnent in refusing to negotiate with either the SRA or its members, The charge made against him , according to Oxley. it "H ila rious. I've been to a meeting a week for the last three weeks ." He stated that at a jneeting held on April 18. it was the rjden who refused to negotiate. "They said that they were on strike." said Oxley. a' Concerlng rider demands for a 10 % r'lise over last year's cut of the gross 'ga te receipts, Oxley stated that it w~u ld be an impossiblitiy in terms of making ends meet financially . "All I have to do is look at the books. It's just simple arithmetic. " Bu t according to Nutter, Oxley and o!her promoters can spare the extra 10% and still be able to live. -3 Nutter continued to state that th e raise that riders were demanding was fair; yet , he said he didn't want to see the sport suffer at the expense of a "civil war. " " I don't want to go down in history as one of the guys who shitcanned speedway. . .50 I want to see something equitable. " ri One of the issues that has been k icked around in the midst of th e struggle has been what the raise - if it ever comes would cost the spec ta tor. Nutter alledges that Oxl ey has said the riders demanded extra charges for parking and programs , which Nutter denies . To this Oxley . says that "it's almost correct. I said 'if riden were to be paid extra ,' there would have to be a charge for parking ana programs.' " Who is going to ride this season? In this respect, both sides claim to have the upper hand . Nutter claims that there are more "key people" on his side than Oxley's. Oxley claims otherwise. and says that "the strike has done (Continued on page 46) ::::;:; TT and XT500 :~t; ~~I~Yamaha Owners it! ;~t~ We have a completeiIi i ~t~~ line