Narrabri Dirt Bike Club’s MX season kicks off at the Newtown Park track | PHOTOS

Narrabri Dirt Bike Club’s 2025 season motocross series roared to life at the Newtown Park track on Sunday as more than 70 riders kicked off the new season in style.

Visiting riders travelled from across the North West to compete in the opening round alongside local riders who were eager to defend their home turf and showcase both their skills and speed.

The small but hard-working NDBC committee and the volunteers who assisted on and off the track helped make the club’s first raceday since August 2022 day a success, and the exciting racing was the icing on the cake.

Club president Michael McDougall told The Courier that it was the perfect way to kick off a brand new motocross series.

“It was everything we could have hoped for really,” he said.

“The support from the riders was amazing. I was blown away.

“Everyone showed up and had a good time, and we got more than I thought we were going to get.

“We had 70 entries when ridernet closed on Saturday afternoon and a few more came and signed up on the day.

“The support from our senior riders especially, they are the over-16-year-olds, was amazing. I don’t think the club’s ever had that many seniors on a raceday that I can remember.

“The all powers and our junior lites were our two biggest classes of the day, and seeing them come out of the gate and race to the first corner is a rush like no other.

“There were actually a lot of people that were even surprised we existed, so it was good to show them that we are here and they can come and race in Narrabri.

“Heaps of the riders came up to us and said it was a good day and they loved the track.”

McDougall thought the track held up well across the day and the racing itself was great to watch.

“When the first race happened, you could just feel it was going to a great day and that we are back,” the NDBC president said.

“All the committee and volunteers’ hard work had finally paid off.

“We’re very excited for the next round. Hopefully all the riders go and tell their friends about round one and we get even more next time.”

There were 12 divisions in action, all of which included a two-lap practice run and three four-lap heats.

Points are awarded after each heat based on where each rider placed to determine the overall winners at the end of the day, and there were several local riders who raced their way to podium finishes.

Nate Harris won open all powers and senior B-grade, Jack Lehmann won 65cc 7-years-under-12-years and placed third in 85cc standard wheel 9-years-12-years, Hunter McCauley won 85cc big wheel 12-years-under-16-years, Beau Fitzgerald and Ryley Williams ended up second and third, respectively, in senior C-grade, Nathan Suckling was third in senior A-grade, and Sarah Bolton and Jay McDougall placed second and third, respectively, in 65cc 10-years-12-years.

A full list of the podium finishers in each division is as follows:

Non-competitive 50cc riders:
Myles Dudley-Smith, Angus Pekins, Edward McDougall, Eloise Hunt, Vegas Loder and Niklaus Loder.

Div two 50cc 6-years-under-9-years:
First – Lawson Rule, second – Robbie Coombes, third – Noah Hutchings.

65cc 7-years-under-12-years:
First – Jack Lehmann, second – Robbie Coombes, third – Lawson Rule.

65cc 10-years-12years:
First – Jake Coombes, second – Sarah Bolton, third – Jay McDougall.

85cc standard wheel 9-years-12-years:
First – Thomas Hathway, second – Harry Mahne, third – Jack Lehman.

85cc big wheel 12-years-under-16-years:
First – Hunter McCauley, second – Lewis Rule, third – Jordi Cummins.

Junior lites 200cc-250cc 4st/100cc-150cc 2st:
First – Tyler Phillips, second – Chuck Thomas, third – Kade Perry.

Senior C-grade:
First – Ethan Baldwin, second – Beau Fitzgerald, third – Ryley Williams.

Senior B-grade:
First – Nate Harris, second – Sam Rutherford, third – Josh Bell.

Senior A-grade:
First – Chris Thomas, second – Jaxon Page, third – Nathan Suckling.

Open all powers:
First – Nate Harris, second – Jaxon Page, third – Chris Thomas.

Veteran class 35-years-and-over:
First – Ron Passfield, second – Brent McLiesh, third – Josh Bell.

Next up for the Narrabri Dirt Bike Club is an RPA day on Sunday, May 18, and the second round of the MX series will be held on Sunday, June 22. Rounds three to five will be held on July 20, August 31 and September 28.

A half-day RPA event and the awards presentation will wrap up the season on Sunday, October 12.