Three generations celebrate 45 years of Tipperary Raceway
Eleven racing families united at Rosegreen to mark 45 years of Tipperary Raceway
Three generations from 11 racing families came together on Saturday, June 20, to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Tipperary Raceway, marking a significant milestone for one of Ireland's best-known short oval racing venues.
The special occasion saw grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren gather at the Rosegreen circuit, where many families have been involved in the sport across three generations.
Tipperary Raceway, located close to the village of Rosegreen near Cashel, is Ireland's premier short oval track. The venue hosts several international racing classes alongside its own local competitions, with six or seven classes taking part on most race days. A typical meeting features up to 21 races.
Speaking to the Tipperary Star, founder John McHugh said the anniversary was the ideal opportunity to recognise the families who have supported the track over the decades. To mark the occasion, Mr McHugh borrowed a flat-bodied truck from Buttimer's in Cahir and arranged two large flat trailers behind it.
"I had the grandfathers up on the front one. And then I had their sons and the children on the back trailer and we drove one lap around the track and it looked amazing," he said.
"It has been 45 years since we opened the track. It's the 45th anniversary. I thought it would be a nice idea to have the three generations of drivers who have been racing on the track," he said.
Mr McHugh built the race track in 1981 after first establishing the Tipperary Hot Rod Club around seven years earlier. Originally from Aghyaran, near Castlederg in Co Tyrone, he said hot rod racing was already well established and popular in Northern Ireland before he moved to Tipperary.
"I was building for the Ronan group in Rosegreen. I got Jack Ronan interested in racing and we went together to buy a car. There are three racetracks in Northern Ireland and there was none here. So I talked Jack into funding it provided I would do the work."
A 14-acre site was purchased in Rosegreen, which had previously been an old quarry, and it was developed into a quarter-mile tarmacadam oval with a concrete wall perimeter.
Mr McHugh said today's national hot rods are specially built racing cars capable of reaching around 100mph in second gear and now cost approximately £40,000, compared with only a few hundred pounds when racing first began at the venue.
Reflecting on the origins of the sport, Mr McHugh said hot rod racing has its roots in Daytona, before expanding into the major racing spectacle it is today. He noted that the man credited with founding NASCAR, Bill France, had family roots in Hillsborough, Co Down, where his grandparents origintaed from.
Following the opening of Tipperary Raceway at Rosegreen, Mr McHugh and Jack Ronan received an invitation from NASCAR to visit Daytona, a memorable acknowledgement of the development of short oval racing in Ireland.
The next race will take place at Tipperary Raceway at 4p.m on Saturday July 18, where the people of Tipperary can get a chance to see this unique sporting offering up close.