Chris van Straaten is not retiring

Wolves promoter Chris van Straaten has shelved his retirement plans.

Van Straaten is embarking on his 25th full season at the Monmore Green helm - this year's race jacket features a silver border to mark the achievement - and always intended to move over after reaching the landmark.

But, after stepping down from a number of promoters association committees last year, the supremo feels "rejuvenated."

He said: "My enjoyment came back. I wasn't listening to other people's problems, I was concentrating on my own business.

"I felt rejuvenated. Eighteen years I've had on committees, six as BSPA chairman and it's very tiring.

"Everybody's got a problem and no matter what time of the day or night, it is the biggest problem that anybody's ever encountered!

"You have to make decisions and it's very, very time consuming. I didn't realise how much it was dragging me down.

"Last year I felt like a spring lamb again."

Wolves have again won the best prepared track of the year award, voted independently by the sport's referees.

The honour represents another triumph for track curator Alan 'Doc' Bridgett, who has taken the honour to Monmore three times in the last five years and been runner-up once as well as winning it with Edinburgh.

n Wolves have confirmed that their intended top five for the 2011 season are Fredrik Lindgren and Peter Karlsson — already declared — along with Tai Woffinden, Ty Proctor and Ludvig Lindgren. Proctor will become a full Monmore asset at the end of February when the third and final instalment of his transfer fee is handed to Redcar.