Online spectator booking system on the cards as Cookstown chiefs confirm 2020 plans

By Aaron League UK Clubsport

BOSSES of the Cookstown 100 have moved to quash any rumours as they announce their intention to push forward with plans to run this year’s road races.

And if government restrictions continue into late summer for spectator events, they are even looking to introduce an online booking system for fans to limit trackside numbers.

CDMCC chiefs at the head of the organising club spoke this afternoon with intentions of halting the rumour mill, which looks to be in full swing just over 24 hours after the Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT was slashed from the 2020 calendar.

As the Irish road racing world, and the bike racing scene as a whole, looks to be waning to less than 50 per cent of its original stock of meetings for 2020, Cookstown organisers are adamant they will forge ahead.

A statement from CDMCC Chairman John Dillon reads:

Our plans still remain the same to run on the 11th & 12th of September 2020. We have sought our Road Closing Order and our Permit from Mcui UC on [this] date.

The club continues behind the scenes to put in place, pre book and arrange everything that it takes and that is needed for our event to take place on the above date. The club could have cancelled this year, but it continues to prepare for September to give riders and spectators something to look forward to in the midst of these hard times.

Although we will be taking advice and direction from various organisations and will have to abide by any legislation currently in place at the time of event, we are hopeful that with graduate eases of restrictions due to commence in ROI that NI executives may also align with the these measures, and we will get to provide both riders a venue to get a spin out in 2020 and spectators a chance to see some racing from the guys who always put on a great show.

As no one knows exactly how this will all work or what the situation will be at the time of event. We as a club will do everything we can, right up to the last to try to make this happen in September.

A possible other option which is being looked at is, that if the event can be run with limited numbers directed by government, that the club will provide an online booking system, to which spectators will be able to pre book access to the event. This will only be an option and put in place if directed by relevant organisations.