The best of Irish motocross head to Tandragee this Saturday for the North Armagh’s “Tandragee 40” race. Of those headlining the list of entries is Kawasaki’s Gordon Crockard and Yamaha’s Graeme Irwin as they bid for the extensive prize fund on offer.
The North Armagh Motorcycle and Car Club Off Road Section Ltd are promoting a unique motocross event at the spectacular Tandragee Motocross Park this Saturday 21st April 2012. The event is part of the promotion of the Tandragee 100 Road Race which the Club is promoting on Friday 4th & Saturday 5th of May, hence the decision to call the event the Tandragee ‘40’.
The race format will use a ‘Fastest 40’ style event, where all riders qualify together, and the fastest 40 race together, the next fastest 40 etc. The prize fund will only be payable over the total results of the three races on the day, with the solo winner picking up £250.
The event will also see a unique and exciting ‘Superpole’ qualifying session, where the top ten qualifiers will have one flying lap to set their final time for gate pick. With all ten on the track at staggered intervals, this is sure to be an action packed spectacle for spectators.
Local businessman, Ervine Fairley, owner of Fairleys Garage, Moore’s Lane Lurgan, has stepped in to sponsor the ‘Superpole’ and the winner of the Superpole session will receive £75, second qualifier will receive £50, third place qualifier will receive £25, this is on top of any prize money they win in the main race.
The Club are extremely grateful to Ervine, a longstanding supporter of the Club, through his son Jonathan, and a motorsport fan generally; his garage in Moore’s Lane Lurgan supplies the full range of automotive services, and offers a fast, efficient, and keenly priced service to the motorist.
JAR Honda's Wayne Garrett will be hoping to claim the top prize on Saturday
This event has also attracted most of the top names in Irish Motocross, with GP winner and multi British Champion Gordon Crockard on the No Fear/Norman Watt Kawasaki 450f, British Championship race winner and multi Irish & Ulster Champ Graeme Irwin on the Samsung Yamaha 250f, British Championship runner and Irish Champion Stuart Edmonds on the Tyco by TAS Suzuki 250f, British Championship regular and multi Irish & Ulster Champion Wayne Garrett on his JAR Honda 450f, Ulster Champion Richard Bird on the Suitor Bros/Norman Watt KTM, Gary Gibson on his Tyco by TAS Suzuki and many others, this will be an exciting days racing with three races each.
Supporting this event will be a race for Quads, and also, a supporting Sidecar race, as the Club is working hard to promote this discipline, and with Neil Campbell and Ross Graham having a bit of competition with teenager Gary Moulds and Shane Taylor, this will be an exciting support race.
Also on the programme is a fun event from the past, a Club members handicap event, as the Club seek to reward loyal Club members with a bit of fun, with local men like Gareth Mulligan from Laurelvale, leader of the Ulster and Irish Clubman’s MX1 Championship, Jonathan Fairley from Waringstown, Colin Cairns from Dromore, and Cliffy Bailey from Loughbrickland in action, slowest rider off first, chased by the fastest rider leaving last, or ‘off scratch’, and there will also be a presentation to the Club member who won the £200 sponsorship draw at last month’s meeting.
All in all, and exciting, and different days racing for fans and riders, a great family day out, with entry for spectators only £5.00 per adult, under 14’s free, the track is on the Tamnamore Rd near Laurelvale, and Superpole and racing due to start around 11.00am.
Malcolm Beattie
NAMC&CC ORS Press Officer