King of the Corner

Saturday September 25 is the day the North of Ireland Motorcyle Club (NIMC) based in Londonderry will revive the annual "King of Kilfennan" Barley Stubble Grasstrack race - however it will now take place in the Nixon’s Corner area.

The event for many years was always the largest and most prestigious barley stubble grasstrack in the North West area if not in the Province as a whole. Traditionally it was run in years gone by, as the name would suggest, in the Kilfennan area, or more specifically in the barley fields off the Crescent Link Road.

However, with the amount of development around the Crescent Link in recent years, the availability of land suitable to run this race has greatly diminished, so much so, that the event was last run in 2001 and has not run since.

This year the NIMC have decided to resurrect this event with many competitors vying for the coveted title and trophy, though a spokesman said it “may be more appropriate to call it The King of the Corner (rather than King of Kilfennan) as it will run this year in a barley field at Nixon's Corner thanks to the offer of the use of a field by landowners David and Robin Canning.

A spokesman for the organisers said: “Barley stubble grasstracks were always fun and relaxed, however no less competitive, events, held in the Autumn time as the fields became available after the barley was cut. They are almost a separate discipline of their own and signified the winding down of the Motocross season heading into its winter break.

“This year's race will be a Club type race featuring Adult Solos and Quad bikes. For anyone with an MX bike that is tempted to give racing a go but finds the prospect of the modern MX tracks too daunting, this would be the ideal event to either come and test the water on a beginner friendly track, or even just come along to spectate and see what the fun and excitement of barley stubble grasstracks are all about.”

With the NIMC being the local Motocross Club based in the Maiden City, expect to see all the local MX riders from the area competing.

The neighbouring MX Club, the Errigal Club will also be running further barley stubble srasstracks possibly at the same location or close by on Sundays October 3 and 17.

On Saturday, practice starts at 9.30am, with racing at 11.30am.