SOME form of normality returned to McNamara Park on the weekend, with a coaching clinic attended by a group of Adelaide riders keen to join the Mount Gambier Motorcycle Club (MGMC).
William Strugnell returned to the track at the weekend to ply his coaching credentials, along with Lee Banks, assisting the likes of young South Australian Declan Carbery.
Carbery – who hails from Victor Harbour – has been a regular at the track in the junior ranks on a 125cc machine, but has now made the jump to a 600cc Suzuki Supersport at just 15 years of age.
He has been riding since he was three years of age and road racing since he was 12 .
Carbery has been a member of the MGMC since the first day he rode at McNamara Park four years ago and since then has won three South Australian junior road race state championships, two
junior Master of Mac Park events and two junior Easter Cups.
He has made the jump to a 600cc machine so well, he has been selected by Motorcycling Australia for advanced training.
MGMC committee member Andrew Vause said the young rider showed impressive pace around the iconic circuit on the weekend.
“The lap record around Mac Park is about 1:08.5 seconds and he was doing about 1:11 in the wet,” Vause said.
“He is certainly an up-and-coming rider – if you can do 1:11s around Mac Park in the wet you are doing well.”
The riders made the trip south to utilise the track after the Australian Superkart Grand Prix was cancelled at the venue due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vause said it was unusual but welcome to have a group of 10 riders come to the track and now want to become members.
“I think what they see will be able to race where they can be part of a real club and have a fellowship with their fellow racers,” he said.
“I think the big track at Tailem Bend has taken that away somewhat.
“They can race at our track, stay for a barbecue and a beer and it is a bit more of a community, a bit more fun to be involved in a total atmosphere.”
Vause said riders in attendance included current club member, Millicent’s Chris Tyler, along with Adelaide’s Jamie Banks, who is also keen to join the ranks and shows plenty of pace.
But he said to have Strugnell as a member with his racing and coaching experience was a real bonus for the younger riders as they look to improve their times.
He said it would complement the work undertaken by Levi Day, who runs coaching clinics when home from England.
“Levi’s coaching days are unbelievable – he has Josh Waters, three-times Australian Superbike champion at the track,” Vause said.
“To have someone like Strugnell as a member guarantees he will be at all the meetings
“On the weekend he was over helping young Declan set his bike up and showing the riders some of the lines around Mac Park.
“They would have a chat about what they should be doing, then follow Strugnell around.
“He would build the pace up over a couple of laps, trying to get the guys to follow his line.
“They learn so much in a couple of days it drops their lap times dramatically.”
Much money has been spent at the facility in recent times, with the track widened, run-off areas improved and new viewing platforms.
It was all part of a plan to ensure the regional circuit remained relevant, even with the larger Tailem Bend circuit up and running.
“I guess all the money from club-raised funds, the council and government grants has come to fruition when you get these guys join the club and want to be part of the community down here,” Vause said.
“It is the effect the committee has been trying to achieve, to re-establish Mac Park as a premier track.
“The worry when The Bend came online was we would be obsolete, but now a lot of people want to come back and race at a club track.”
Despite the coronavirus causing havoc across all sport, the McNamara Park committee still plans to run its big events later in the year.
“We are still planning to have the Australian Historic Championships in November,” Vause said.
“We are expecting the borders to be open so we have not cancelled that meeting.
“The Master of Mac Park is our premier race and that is still planned as it normally would in October.
“They will be the first two races of the new season.”
With many riders coming from across the border in Victoria for those events, Vause said the committee struggled with the idea of going ahead.
However, he said with the talent of riders in South Australia, the Master of Mac Park would certainly live up to expectations, even if a full SA grid.
“Hopefully they open the border and we can get some of those guys to come over and race,” Vause said.
“If it does not open we are fully prepared to run the Master of Mac Park with just South Australian guys if we have to.
“We are pretty sure we have the numbers to run a good meeting.
“There are good South Australian riders who do not usually race at Mac Park because they have other commitments with ASBK (Australian Superbikes).
“Even if we only run with South Australians, people will see one of the best fields, probably 10-12 A-Grade riders, which will boost the racing calibre no end.”
Vause said the meeting may also include the Adelaide Superkart Club after the cancelled Grand Prix, which would add to the spectacle over the weekend.
Overall Vause said the club was “going in all guns blazing” for the upcoming season as if the borders will open and everything will be back to normal.
