Nutt has been Clerk of the Course and leading light of the annual Dundrod summer road-racing festival since 1994 and mainly responsible for keeping the event alive.

However, he feels that not enough is being done to make the event, and others like it safer.

There have been a number of fatalities in recent years, the last this August when a flag marshall was killed.

''There has not been as much progress as I would have liked,'' said Nutt, who was the chief mover and shaker within the Coleraine Club who have organised the event for years.

''I have been perturbed at the high incident rate of road-racing in general.

''As far as I can see the future of the sport is limited,'' said Nutt who also resigned as Clerk of the Course of the NW200, Northern Ireland's single most popular sporting event.

''As from Monday night, I am retiring from promoting road racing.

''It is now up to the committee of Coleraine Club to continue the promotion.''

Nutt has been the front man for the UGP and well known world wide in the sport where his entrepreneurial skills are legendary.

It has been through his hard work and contacts that have brought some of the top riders to Northern Ireland.

Tragic incidents

He had also a big input in making sure that enough financial clout was available to keep the event viable.

However, there has been nearly a dozen fatalities in Ireland over the past two years.

The death of well-known local rider Owen McNally two years ago, and the death of flag marshall Gerry Allaway this year, put question marks over the Dundrod event.

Eddie Sinton, Gary Dynes and Andy McClean were other recent tragic incidents at road-race meetings.

However, the death of the legendary Joey Dunlop in Estonia 18 months ago was the biggest single blow to the sport.

Joey's brother Robert said last year, that road-racing was in danger of becoming extinct.

"It does not come from my heart ... it comes from my head. It cannot go on the way it is going," he said.

"There is been a lot of heartache in the past while, but I do not think making changes to appease the powers that be is going to work either."

Nutt will concentrate on other promotional aspects, including looking after his son Marty who is making waves in the short circuit events.

Indeed it could be that area of the sport that may come through as the main outlet for racers in Northern Ireland.