Dundalk Motorcycle Club hosts Memorial Race

On Sunday the 2nd of October Dundalk and District Motorcycle Club hosted a classic motocross scramble at Benagh, Riverstown Dundalk. This was the first time since 1989 that the club ran a motocross event away from its permanent track at Kilcurry, which was built in the late eighties.

Prior to the Kilcurry track being built, the club, which was founded in 1962, had always used local farmers land to host their events.

Race meetings in the past have taken place in Rockmarshall, Gallstown, Tinure outside Dunleer, Donaghmore Quarry, the Bush Cooley, Ardee, Castleblayney and even as far away as Glaslough, County Monaghan. 

For Sunday's event the course was laid out over four large stubble fields, with undulating ground and a steep descent from one field to another. It went across a twisty section in the lower field with a sharp left turn and then up a steep ascent back into the top fields.

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With the weather in everyone's favour the track was in perfect condition, dry with plenty of grip and no dust. This made for some very fast and spectacular racing throughout the afternoon. 

With a lap time of just under two minutes, five lap races were the order of the day.  

Classic Motocross is usually open to bikes from pre-1965 up to pre-1985. At the Riverstown event the bikes had to be post 1984, two stroke only machines.

There were 13 races on the program which included pre 1985 bikes and the EVO's, with classes for expert, senior and novice riders, A,B & C classes as they now like to be called.

Each competitor on the day had four races that included the grand final. That was a handicap race, with the novice riders starting on the front row of the grid, followed by the seniors and finally the experts.

The grand final race took place in the memory of one of the club’s former members, Raymond Monahan who passed away around this time last year.

Originally from the Carrick Road in Dundalk, Raymond joined the club back in 1978 and continued racing on and off until the mid 2000's. Some of Raymond's family were in attendance on the day and presented trophies to the winners which they had sponsored in Raymond's name.

On the day It was like stepping back in time some thirty years or more, as competitors and spectators alike from times gone by met face to face again for the sport they all loved so much.

Stories were told and memories recalled about how fast they used to go back in their heyday and only wishing they could go half as fast today.

Spectators and motorcycle enthusiasts were in awe at the beautiful display of Bultaco classic motocross bikes that were on show in the large marquee, which dated back as far as 1962.

The collection of Bultacos belongs to Johnny Kelly, who is the Dundalk club’s longest serving member at present.

Competitors travelled from all over the country for the event and with the exception of none, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the days racing on a fantastic old school track in a brilliant location. 

The event took place on the Clarke family's land and the Dundalk club are very grateful to them for allowing the use of it to host the classic event.

Raymond Monahan memorial Race trophy winners: 1st place Tadhg Heaney (Strangford), 2nd place Luke Stockdale (Dungannon), 3rd place Ian Coates (Dublin).