WAUCHOPE born, champion motorbike racer Mick Kirkness’s offer to coach at a junior ride day at Greenhill Speedway on Saturday ended with a trip to hospital after a huge crash left him with injuries to both arms.
The coaching day, hosted by the Macleay District Motor Cycle Club (MDMCC), was almost over when Kirkness decided to turn a couple of laps before putting the bike away.
Disaster struck as he rounded the turn into the main straight with the bike flipping end over end, throwing Kirkness arms-first onto the track.
A trip to Kempsey Hospital confirmed a fracture to his right wrist and a dislocation of the left shoulder.
The injuries have left him in doubt for the upcoming Australian Dirt Track Titles at Old Bar Raceway near Taree on June 7 and 8.
Kirkness started racing at age 13 and was traveling to bigger events by 15. He won two Australian Dirt Track Championships before heading to the U.S.A to race against the best dirt track riders in the world. In 2009 at the AMA flat-track series he took out the Rookie of the Year award. He is perhaps best known for winning the inaugural Troy Bayliss Classic at Taree in 2013 as well as its predecessor, the Twig Light Classic the year before.
Kirkness was also planning to compete in the Australian Supermoto Championships in Proserpine, Queensland the week after. Preparations are continuing for the 2014 NSW Junior Dirt Track Championships, to be raced at Greenhill on July 5 and 6.
The MCMCC will be hosting its final club race day this Sunday, June 1, before the NSW title event.
Greenhill Speedway is just off River St in Greenhill, near the water tower.
Practice and racing from around 10am, admission is free and canteen facilities are available.
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