TERRY Day has backed Harold Doonan’s bid to save the Weymouth Wildcats and has appealed to the landowners of the Wessex Raceway to open up negotiations on the lease.

The club has already missed the deadline to enter the National League and unless a deal is struck with Wessex Delivery Partnership in the near future, the chances of the sport ever returning to the town will be very slim.

Day, who was nearly killed while racing for the Wildcats against Newport last May, has described the recent developments at the Radipole Lane outfit as “gutting” and is crossing his fingers that a solution is found very soon to keep it alive.

Speaking to Echosport ahead of this morning’s Save Our Speedway rally at Doonan’s yard in Lynch Lane, Weymouth (10.30am-2pm)), the 25-year-old said: “It is gutting to see what is happening to the club and I only hope something can be done to save it.

“I am not sure what the guy (Craig Robinson) from Matchams wants to do with it but I cannot see stock cars going around there as it’s too small.

“I think Harold Doonan and his consortium is the best option at the moment. They have the funding in place and more importantly they have the best interests of the club and the sport at heart.

“However, for some reason, the landowners won’t answer their calls, which just seems crazy as the land is just sitting there at the moment doing nothing.”

Day went on to add: “My contract is owned by Weymouth and I have always loved racing on the little track there, so to think it could be no more is a crying shame.

“There is now no National League clubs in Dorset and when you think the Wildcats only won the title back in 2008, it is very concerning to see just what has happened since then to have got to this point.”

Day, who suffered severe concussion on that ill-fated night against the Mavericks, blames uncooperative promoters and the powers that be for the alarming decline of speedway in recent years and is adamant they must start listening to the riders if the sport is to be rejuvenated.

He said: “It is quite annoying when the promoters of clubs and creators of the tracks don’t listen to how the home riders want the conditions. They still expect us to go out and race for next to nothing though. I mean, look at me last year, I was nearly killed.

“Personally, I think British speedway is going to the wall. The people that run it appear to have no grip on reality and think they are doing the best for it when they are clearly not.

“I am certainly not the only one that thinks that and the fact they do not listen more to what the riders say is just incredible.

“At the end of the day, the paying public come to watch us ride and we should be given a bit more of an input on things. But instead all the powers that be appear to be interested in is making money.”

When asked whether he has nailed down a club for the forthcoming season, Day said: “Like a lot of other riders out there, I have heard nothing.

“The fact I was out for most of last year has probably not helped and apart from a chat with someone prior to Christmas, which I was not really interested in, it has been very quiet.”

Day’s close friend Jay Herne was being lined up for a sensational return to the Wildcats this summer under Doonan’s consortium but the Aussie ace now has a team place elsewhere.

“Jay has a spot but it is not really my place to reveal where,” said Day. “The original plan was for us two to link up at the Wildcats but it is not going to happen now.

“However, if Weymouth could run individual and challenge meetings it would at least be something, and I am sure they would be well supported by riders and supporters alike.

“I am still convinced that with the right people running it, the club can survive but until the track is sorted nothing more can be done.”

A collection of vintage speedway bikes will be on show at the meeting at Doonan’s yard this morning, which is expected to attract around 100 fans.

n It is understood ex-Wildcats Jay Herne and James Cockle have joined Newport and King’s Lynn respectively.