Oxford Cheetahs are losing money again this year, judging from the attendance figures just released by boss Steve Purchase, writes John Gaisford.

The average gate for Cheetahs' 15 matches do far this season is 1,100.

If, as we are led to believe, 1,500 is the break-even figure for Cowley, then Purchase has had to bale out the track over the last two years.

It's no secret than he has had to put his hand in his pocket again this year. The big question is, how long can it go on?

Puchase does not have a bottomless pit, and it appears the only racing that could possibly pay at Cowley, is a switch to the Premier League.

Purchase doesn't want that and the fans don' want it.

But if Belle Vue go Premier next year and just one other club follows suit, it could mean the end of the Elite League which would be left with just seven clubs.

Purchase's action at announcing the attendance figures is, I believe, an unprecedented step for speedway at the Stadium.

As far as I am aware, no other track in the country does so, and it's always been a closely-guarded secret.

So let's hope that other clubs follow suit and we can really see the state of the sport in this country.

IN Cheetahs' home matches this season Jimmy Nilsen has top-scored on no fewer than seven occasions, while Todd Wiltshire claims four, Steve Johnston two, with Brian Andersen and Mark Lemon coming out on top once.

Away from home, Wiltshire heads the list with six, Johnston has top-scored five times and, Nilsen and Jan Staechmann one apiece.