Emotional day of racing
Horsham Motorcycle Club community paid tribute to late junior motocross rider Maggie Stacey in an emotional day of racing on Sunday.
The cub hosted the inaugural Maggie Stacey Memorial Ladies Race as part of its two-day MX Amateurs meeting, which started on Saturday.
President Cory Watts said it was a fitting tribute to Maggie, a Horsham Motorcycle Club member from Sea Lake, who died in December, aged 15.
He said Maggie’s brother Jack and cousin Matt Hill led riders in a lap of honour ahead of the race.
“We also had a guard of honour with spectators and Maggie’s family and friends, at the end,” he said. “All the girls rode really well, in the spirit of Maggie.” South Australian competitor Tarja Morris won the inaugural trophy for clubman riders.
On Saturday, a Bronte Holland memorial race was a highlight of the card. Melbourne’s Josh Cachia won the 125cc race. Mr Watts said Horsham club members performed well in senior and junior teams races. “We had a couple of great days of racing,” he said. “We were lucky because the weather was great. We had all positive feedback on the track changes we made and how the event was run.”
Mr Watts said entries for the two-day event were significant, double last year’s figure.
“We had 280 entries this year, up from 140 last year, so the club was really happy with the number of riders,” he said.
“We had a lot of younger kids from South Australia and also a lot of younger senior riders, those who have just stepped up to senior level.
“There was a lot of extra interest because of the MX Nationals next month.”
Horsham Motorcycle Club will host rounds one and two of Australia’s premier motocross competition, MX Nationals, on April 4 and 5.
The same weekend, the club will welcome the best junior riders from across Australia, New Zealand and France to contest the FIM Oceania Junior Motocross Tri-nations Cup.