6th Billy Hutton Memorial Scramble, Bells Hill Crossgar

th August will mark the 57^th Annual Bell’s Hill event, this year the event will incorporate the 5^th round of the Ulster Motocross Championships as well as the Billy Hutton Memorial Scramble writes Andrew Huddleston. In the Premier Mx1 Championship class the Billy Hutton memorial Cup will be awarded to the best placed rider. The main championship classes have been blown wide open, with the season ending injury to Wayne Garrett at the last round at Seaforde on 13^th July. With Wayne out of the Mx1 class, Richard Bird leads the title hopefuls on 175 points just 17 points of  the championship lead, with David Gorman on 155 and Tommy Merton on 154. Richard Bird must be the favourite to lift the Billy Hutton after finishing was 3^rd in 2009 and 2^nd in 2010. Robert Hamilton the 2006 & 2010 Billy Hutton winner is in 9^th place in the championship after missing the early rounds, Robert will want to get his name on the trophy for the third time. In the Ulster Mx2 Class for Mx2 Expert and Semi Expert riders Tommy Merton is just 24 points behind the injured Garrett on 173 and has a 42 points advantage over third place teenager Ryan Adair 131. Tommy will want to maintain his championship challenge as will as going for the overall, at one of his favourite venues, winning at Bells Hill in 2000 and third last year. This year’s event will run the Ulster Championship race format with the following cups being awarded per class Premier Mx1 Expert Riders Billy Hutton Memorial Cup *  Semi Expert Riders Henderson Cup *  Clubman Mx1 Riders Stronge Cup *  Clubman Mx2 Riders Andrew Rose Bowl *  Mx2 Expert & Semi Expert riders Bill Hutton Memorial Cup Bells Hill Crossgar has been used since 1952 and had been famous for the Tommy Stewart Scramble. It has always attracted the crème de la crème, 1957 BSA team included the Famous Taft Brothers along with Brian Martin BSA who later became the BSA Racing Manager, European Motocross champion Vic Allan, Bob Wright & Roger Harvey now Mx Coordinator of Honda Europe. The Bell’s Hill always had a reputation for being the toughest with competitors coming from near and far to take on the Hill, Washboard & the Bog. In 2006 the club put up the Billy Hutton Memorial Trophy in memory of Mr Billy Hutton the land owner at Bell’s Hill, who passed away in December 2005 after a short illness. The Hutton family have allowed the Knock Club to promote their Tommy Stewart Scramble at Bell’s Hill since 1952. This makes Bell’s Hill the oldest running Motocross venue in Ireland. Winners of the Billy Hutton Memorial Scramble 2006  Robert Hamilton 2007  Mark Jones 2008  Gordon Crockard 2009  Gordon Crockard 2010  Robert Hamilton A full racing programme will start at 11am with Laurence Spence as Clerk of the Course for this the 57^th year of racing at Bells Hill.]]>