Fox family determined to fight change

LAST HURRAH: Founder and life member of McNamara Park the late Laurie Fox's passing has spurred his grandson Matt Fox into following his footsteps. Matt is pictured with his daughter Sophie who he hoped would grow up track-side at McNamara Park as he did.
LAST HURRAH: Founder and life member of McNamara Park the late Laurie Fox’s passing has spurred his grandson Matt Fox into following his footsteps. Matt is pictured with his daughter Sophie who he hoped would grow up track-side at McNamara Park as he did.

THE desire to remain at McNamara Park still stands for the Mount Gambier Junior Motorcycle Club despite the passing of life member Laurie Fox.

Mr Fox’s grandson Matt Fox has the passion and determination for motorsport just like his grandfather and wants to continue his legacy with one last plead.

Matt has been around McNamara Park’s motocross for as long as he remembers and has many fond memories growing up alongside family and friends.

He is current a committee member and competitor at the junior club and hopes the facility can be used for years to come.

Originally McNamara Park was developed for the Mount Gambier Motorcycle and Light Car Club.

However, after some years the club split into two – one focusing on road racing and the other on motocross.

In recent years the now-named Mount Gambier Motorcycle Club has expressed its desire to remove the motocross fraternity from the complex by June 2018.

The motocross track takes up just a small percentage of the large block of land and the club hopes to remain in its current location and improve its facilities into the future to help with the development of junior competitors.

Matt Fox – who has been a committee member for more than a decade, as well as president for a year – stressed the importance of the motocross facility staying put.

“This is the last straw and I don’t want Pa’s (Laurie Fox’s) death to mean nothing,” he said.

“I have raced there since I was three.

“I have always been a member of the club and Pa got me started.

“It has been through the family, Pa raced and so did my uncles.

“My mum raced and my brothers and sisters also.”

Fox said the problems string back to the one club splitting ways.

“From what I can see and what Pa has told me, back in the day both clubs were one,” he said.

“We split into two because one club couldn’t handle all of the disciplines, it was too much work.

“So they started a sub-committee, which was pretty much the same club just split into two.

“When they were paying money it was for the upkeep of the property, but since then it has turned into a rent.”

Fox said he believes both clubs should own the property, as they started as one fraternity.

“The property was owned by the Motorcycling and Light Car Club, but because the two clubs were made it has turned into them and us,” he said.

“I want people to know that we are all the same club really and we all own the land really.

“Originally the Motorcycle and Light Car Club owned the property so once we split it almost looks like we rent or we are leasing it.

“It is only because of the bit of paperwork they own it.

“It shouldn’t be like this, it should be for everyone and that is what Pa was trying to express.”

If the club is forced to relocate it could take years to find a facility that meets both the council and club’s requirements.

“Motorcycling South Australia came down for Pa’s funeral and they weren’t happy about the way things were going,” Fox said.

“The club was originally made for everyone and I can’t see how kicking us off can better the property.”

The road racing club hopes to develop into the standard of the Phillip Island facility, which is known Australia-wide.

“They want to be a Phillip Island,” Fox said.

“It could be big, but I think we are better off working together.

“Don’t get me wrong, I am not out to dis anybody and Pa wasn’t either.

“As a founder he was just unhappy with the way this has occurred, he wants it for everyone.”

Many road racers roots come from a motocross track as age restrictions limit how early competitors can take to the bitumen.

Fox stressed if the two clubs worked together as they did in “the early days” it would benefit the sport, region and most importantly the competitors.

“We should be working together as a team,” he said.

“The property is big and there is enough room for everyone.

“Once upon a time it was like that, the club helped us extend our track when we hosted a national round.”

Fox hopes the road racing club can come around to the idea of supporting one another on the one site.

“It is about what the property was meant for in the first place,” he said.

“Pa was upset there is a selected handful of people who are controlling everyone.

“Not everybody in that club knows what is going on and a lot look over and think we are hooligans, but we’re not.

“We are just as welcome to be there as they are.”

Fox said he understands the club wants to continue to improve, but does not see the benefit in forcing the junior fraternity off the land.

“I have honestly talked to a lot of people who aren’t happy in the club now, they are starting to see it,” he said.

“Pa put all this effort into a complex and this is how it is turning out.

“I think he found it hard to stand up for himself because he was a part of both clubs.

“He didn’t want to look like the bad guy.”

While the motocross fraternity hopes to remain at its current location, Fox said the club has had no choice but look at other options.

“If it ends up being the right move for us to leave, so be it,” he said.

“But it is all about the fact the clubs are meant to be even, it was never a property intended for one and not the other.”

Fox described the road racing club as a group of “dictators”.

“We wanted to put up new club rooms and were hoping to make the site a great place,” he said.

“But they have just made things harder and harder.

“That is why some people have started to give up.”

If relocation is the only answer, Fox said the club will run grass tracks until it finds a suitable site.

There has been options, but nothing the fraternity believes is suitable as of yet.

“If we can stay and move forward as a club it would be ideal,” he said.

“This is basically a last hurrah to try and get people to realise how important this track is.

“Pa would like McNamara Park to be a motor sporting facility for all disciplines.

“But if not, we will get something happening, but it is all going to take time.

“In the meantime, we will use the facility until we are no longer allowed.

“In the end that is our right.”