The future of top-class speedway in Oxford is in doubt due to a planned change of race night for next year.

The Greyhound Racing Association (GRA), who own Oxford Stadium, have announced they are to move Thursday dog racing to Fri- day.

This is traditionally the night for Oxford Silver Machine home matches, and speedway promoter Nigel Wagstaff says he will pull out if speedway is forced to switch nights.

"I'm not prepared to run under these circumstances," Wagstaff said.

"If the GRA come up with a proposal that makes it viable, I might re-consider, but Friday night is bad enough.

"We are not making enough money. I'll work my backside off, but this is the fans' club, and they have had uninterrupted speedway on Friday for more than 20 years."

Oxford is the only GRA-owned track that does not hold races on a Friday.

The GRA will stage Friday night dog meetings from December 1, with Thursday night racing stopping on January 1.

If the financial figures are encouraging, then the GRA may give speedway one summer of Friday meetings before making the switch all year round.

GRA managing director Clive Feltham said: "We've been toying with the idea of switching race nights for some time now.

"Our main business is greyhound racing and we need to be in the Friday and Saturday slot.

"I have seen the figures and we need to make a return for the investment we have made at Oxford.

"I have sympathy with the speedway promotion, but we will try and make it work so that it survives, but the switch is essential for the future of Oxford Stadium.

"Speedway has a hard-core support and gets more or less the same crowd whenever they race."

The GRA's proposals would leave Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays available for speedway.

But Wednesday is the only realistic option as the Speedway Control Board are unlikely to give the Silver Machine permission to race on Mondays or Thursdays, because neighbours Reading and Swindon race on these nights.

Wednesday has always been seen as a 'graveyard night' by previous speedway promoters at Oxford.

As it is a 'school night', youngsters are not able to attend in the same numbers, and Wednesday is also the night that local Aunt Sally leagues play their matches.

Attendances would also be likely to be hit as Oxford United have moved their home midweek games from a Tuesday to a Wednesday.