( Baylon McCaughey at Kells Road Races 2019. Photo: Barry Cregg )
For a lot of competitors in any sport of any level there has to be a time
when the proverbial boots, jersey, saddle, helmet, gloves or whatever the case
may be have to be hung up for good at some point. The problem is that this can
be an easy or willing thing to do or for some and impossible for others. The
real problem is not giving up something they love doing but finding something
to replace it. Some stay away from the scene they were in completely or some
get involved in it even more. The latter can be certainly said for one man.
( Baylon gets to grips with his first bike in 1976 and also had a short career as a Spice Girl. Photo: Baylon McCaughey personal collection. )
Baylon McCaughey is a native of Cookstown, Co. Tyrone and for his sixty
years so far on this earth he has been into and involved with motorbikes.
Coming from a town steeped in motorcycle sport with the annual road races
taking place there each year it is no wonder the bug was caught early on. He
made his first trip to see the heros of the day racing through his home town
with his late father Tommy when he was three years old.
The young toddlers eyes were opened wide to this new loud, noisy, smelly,
exciting world of motorbike racing.
(Baylon first competitive outings where on grasstrack and motocross meetings. Photo Baylon McCaughey personal collection)
“ I suppose my earliest memories of racing would be when I was about three
years old when my late father Tommy who was always a great road race fan
brought me to the Cookstown 100 races when it was on the old Orritor circuit.
Dad had this old Ford Thames van and a friend who was with us was a joiner and
had made a platform to put on the roof of the van so they could stand and watch
the races on it. So they were up on it watching and I was left in the van, when
I heard some guy come off and I went mad to see what was going on so they had
to put me up on the platform with them so its been a way of life since.”
A butcher by trade didn’t always lend kindly to his real passion as
saturday being the busiest day of the week, often clashed with road races after
spring came each year until autumn came in. The only Saturday’s that he could
get off were for the Cookstown 100, North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT.
“ I was more interested in the roads side of racing than short circuits,
when I was growing up as there were more of them near us. It was only when I
started getting Motorcycle News magazine that I really opened my eyes to the
sport, as that was a big thing to get at the time as you could read up on all
the other tracks over in England.”
It is worth mentioning also that the award ‘Man of the Meeting’ which is
given out at the end of each road race today was setup by Baylon’s father Tommy
who in 1973 stumped up £100 (the equivalent of £1200 today) for the rider
deemed to deserved a bit more for his efforts on the day.
( Baylon McCaughey at Kells Road Races 2019. Photo: Barry Cregg )
The natural progression was to try and find a way into racing, but these
were the days when your job was main priority to keep as there weren't many
going round. Unlike today where you see the top riders having started racing in
mini-motos before they started school! Different times and also a different
philosophy too as Baylon while he enjoyed a twenty-five year run at racing it
was always for fun and not to try and make a career out of it.
His first race on two wheels was not on tar but grass, and competed in
local grasstrack events to begin with on a 250 air cooled EMC and
eventually to a RM250 Suzuki in events all over the North of Ireland. While he
enjoyed these events it was tarmac racing where his heart lay.
“ I started out doing grasstrack's all over the north usually on a Wednesday
or Friday night, and also did the one and only hill climb organized by the
Dundalk MCC. I won three classes that day and as it was only run the once, I
still hold the fastest times for the 400cc, Production and 1000cc classes!”
By late 1986 a usual trip to the Aghadowey race circuit in county Derry, to
watch the days races as normal, turned out to be a not so usual day after all,
but one which would change his mind for the next twenty- five years. It is when
Baylon threw his leg over a bike for the first time to race on a circuit as he
laughingly recalls.
(Baylon in action on his 350 LC Yamaha during his first race at Mondello Park in 1987. Photo: Baylon McCaughey personal collection.)
“ I can talk about it now but I couldn’t talk about it at the time, but I
went out to Aghadowey one Saturday to watch the last round of the championship
and two of my mates were racing in the production class and were lying first
and second. After the race the boys started joking, saying ‘ you should be out
there racing etc etc. So a couple of weeks later I went to Aghadowey again for
a club championship round and in those days they used to do handicap races
after lunch and I was sitting in Davey Campbells van when he said he wasn’t
feeling well and that I should go out for him instead. I said ‘sure I have
never raced before let alone around here!’ to which he replied; ‘ well if you
don’t do it now you will never do it’. So I put on Davey’s leathers and helmet
jumped on his RG500 Suzuki and lined up on the grid beside George Farlow of all
people as Davey had already finished second to him earlier in the day! The
warm-up lap was the first time I ever went around Aghadowey! Of course George
lapped me but I was able to stay with him down the straights so it gave me an
inkling that I could do this racing craic!”
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| (Baylon competing in the Production class on his Yamaha 350 at Nutts Corner and Mondello Park. Photo Baylon McCaughey collection.) |
For 1987 a 350 LC Yamaha was bought for £700 after his grasstrack mechanic
Davey Rea sourced it from a local guy who’s son that had ran off to England after
he realized he could not afford the repayments! The first round of the short
circuit championship that year was held in Mondello Park in county Kildare on
St. Patricks weekend. It was also held on the original circuit layout and it
wasn’t Baylon’s first day out too as former 250 GP winner Jeremy McWilliams was
also starting out on his racing journey. The bike was kept for the 1988 season
but with work done by the late Kevin Owens father of former racing star Phelim.
“ I kept the bike but Kevin put on his own TZ700 Yamaha carburetors on to
the engine and changed the ignition as well as doing some work to the engine
during the winter months. The bike became a missile but it didn’t handle, but
because I hadn’t much experience anyway I knew no better and just rode it the
way it was. I raced it in Mondello and finished fourth and thought I was in
with a chance at Kirkistown on Easter Monday but crashed on the first lap of
practice after the front mudgaurd tucked in and threw me over the handlebars
and to make matters worse I got hit by Terry Bailie who clipped my helmet and
sent me spinning down the back straight!”
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| ( Baylon in action at his beloved Aghadowey. Photo Baylon McCaughey collection.) |
It was a few weeks later in Mondello when he got back on the bike more to
see if he still wanted to race and he still enjoyed it and decided to carry on.
By 1989 Mark Hamilton set up a street-bike championship which was looking to
be the way to go for racers who wanted to do it on a small budget and it proved
successful as Baylon finished sixth in that years championship. By now he had
gained more experience and started to show promise and challenging the front
runners and this led to him buying a 250 Kawasaki KR1S which was only the
second to come into the country as Stephen Ferguson had bought the other. By
1991 and with a season under his belt, Baylon when made it to the top step on
the KR1S at Aghadowey of all places. The circuit where it all began five years
previously and not only once but twice giving him more confidence and to start
taking it a small bit more seriously.
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| ( Baylon in action on his Kawasaki KR1S at Nutts Corner in 1990. Photo Baylon McCaughey collection.) |
“ During this time I also did some drag racing, quarter mile stuff which
was mostly organized by Cork MCC. I competed at places like the Phoenix Park in
Dublin, and in Enniscorthy in county Wexford, mostly in the 400 class and won
quite a few of those.”
By 1994 the 250cc Kawasaki became a 400cc Kawasaki which was purchased from
former road racer Fran Morrison. It took some time to adjust back from riding a
two stroke for so long but by the end of 1996 things were starting to fall into
place. The bike was going well and Baylon’s riding was improving also as stead
result started to come in regularly, and by end of season at Aghadowey he beat
Dave Guiney to win the last championship round in the Supersport 400 class.
 |
| ( Baylon in action on his KR1S Kawasaki at Nutts Corner. Photo Baylon McCaughey collection.) |
“ Things weren’t so hot for a few years but by the end of ’96 I started
riding better and won at Aghadowey and my confidence got better and I thought to
myself I could have a good go at this next year”
With a couple of weeks to go before the opening round of the 1997 season at
Nutts Corner, an accident in work meant racing might be put on hold as a back
injury was preventing him to do anything let alone race.
“ I hurt my back at work a couple of weeks before the first race and by the
middle of the week prior to it I still didn’t have the engine in the bike. So I
got my mother to help me put it in a one night in the shed at home! We got to
Nutts Corner on the Saturday and managed to get four laps of practice in. It
was very cold that day and I decided to put on wets where everyone else had
dries on. I ended up walking the first race as my tyres would heat up quicker
so I got the jump on them then, but for race too everyone had wets on but I
still won but not by as much as the first race.”
 |
| ( Baylon in action on his ex-Fran Morrison ZXR400 Kawasaki at Mondello Park during his championship winning year. Photo Baylon McCaughey collection.) |
From that first round the winning streak kicked in big style as Baylon had
a fantastic year on the Kawasaki, taking victory sixteen times and also the
championship. Mondello was the worst race of my life as all I had
to do was finish it and I would be champion, and it went on for what seemed
like forever as I went out for fun, I didn’t enjoy that part of it.”
A step up to a 750cc Kawasaki for the new production class that year and
finished third in the championship. A mixture of 600 cc and 100cc bikes
followed in the next few years with some success finishing mid table against
the likes of top stars of the time like Hilton Hinks and John Niland. Also at
this time the Irish Bike Endurance team was setup to race at Snetterton in the
UK and in the 400cc class Baylon joined a team of Simon Turner, Mark Arnott,
Mark Hamilton and Matt Niland. Their best result was second and their worst was
fourth so not a bad run al in all.
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| ( Baylon on his way to take his only road race win at his home race the Cookstown 100. Photo: Baylon McCaughey personal collection) |
By 2002 a new form of racing caught the eye of Baylon. Supermoto was the
two wheeled version of rallycross. With the machines looking similar to
motocross bikes but with road race tyres on them. There has never been a duck
in sight that took to water like Baylon did to these new machines qualifying
for the ‘A’ Final at the first race held at Nutts Corner by the Killinchy MCC.
Not only that he beat non othe rthan Jeremy McWilliams in a repechage final in
the process! By the years end he finished in the championship to Ross Dunleavy
who was half his age and also a Grade A motocross rider. 2017 was his final
year in Supermoto finishing on a high by winning the production class and
runner-up in the ‘B’ Class.
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| ( Baylon leads Jeremy McWilliams at an early Supermoto event at Nutts Corner in 1991. Photo: Baylon McCaughey personal collection.) |
Baylon has a unique statistic where he has been the only rider to have been
asked to partake in both Honda and Suzuki’s 50th isle of Man TT anniversaries.
As with all good things they have to come to an end. By 2011 Baylon had
been racing twenty-four years with one piece of the jigsaw missing and it was
also very fitting when on the 30th of April 2011 Baylon took the chequered flag
to take his one and only road race win in the Support ‘B’ race. A race which
was dedicated to his late father Tommy.
So as the 2012 season approached it was time to take stock and see if racing
was giving him as much pleasure as before. So it was decided that on April 1st
2012 at Mondello Park, Baylon would throw his leg over a race bike for the last
time.
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| ( Baylon in action during his final race at Mondello Park in 2012. Photo: Joe Connolly.) |
“ I decided that twenty-five was a nice round figure, and I also started at
Mondello and I wanted to finish at Mondello . It was lovely that they gave me a
lap of honor that day too, it meant a lot and still does to this day.”
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| (Baylon during his lap of honor at his final race meeting at Mondello Park in 2012. Photo: Joe Connolly) |
Having been involved in the sport here for so long he has seen a lot of
changes and a lot of people come and go, races come and go, but still holds the
same love for the sport. From the time he watched his hero Brian Steenson race
when he was young to other local riders like Richard Britten, Jeremy
McWilliams, Matt and John Niland, Ryan Farquhar, as well as the Laverty’s,
Rea’s, Dunlops to name but a few and can lay claim to have beaten a few of
them!
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| ( Baylon crosses the line for the final time on his lap of honor at his final race at Mondello Park in 2012. Photo: Stacy Wogan.) |
I wondered from all his experience what is the difference in racing in
Ireland now to when he started?
“ It probably sounds a bit silly but there is too much money involved in
it now, its too serious too. One time boys could go out for a few beer on a
race weekend and have a laugh but that’s all gone now and while there is still 'the craic' in the paddock now it isn’t the same as it used to be. I do believe a
cheaper for of racing is needed here. The expense of putting on a road race
meeting too is killing clubs as the insurance is so high. The likes of the
North West 200 and the TT while are still great but have started to cater less
and less for the ordinary man.”
Although the leathers were hung up he was not walking away from motorbikes
or racing, as he had been involved previously as secretary of the Cookstown and
District MCC in years gone by. Baylon has done so much for the sport from marshalling
to writing articles for race programmes for numerous clubs, to helping out
riders as they start out and he is also a keen photographer.
“ I miss racing but maybe not on the wet days! But on a good day, then yes
the want to be out there remains. I made a decision to quit at twenty-five
years. Im one of the very lucky ones to say I have won races, won an Irish
championship, won a road race and retire with no broken bones or lasting
injuries.”
( Baylon showing that he shares the same visits to the Isle of Man as James Chawke's race number at this years TT. Photo: James Chawke)
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| ( Baylon with the 'King of the Roads' Joey Dunlop. Photo: Baylon McCaughey personal collection.) |
Did you hear the one about the ex-works Irish
rider and the Castrol Oil man?
“When the Faugheen 50
returned to the road race map again, about ten years ago, I booked into a wee
guesthouse, near the circuit. When I returned on the Saturday night after the
practices, the owner asked me, was I at the bikes, I replied, yes, and he said
he used to work on the "Continental Circus" "(that was the race
scene in the 1960’s)
We got talking and he
told me worked for Castrol Oils as a rep, his nickname on the Grand Prix scene
was "Castrol Bob"
Anyway, we enjoyed the 'craic', and during the following year kept in touch.
The following year I
again booked myself into his guesthouse. I showed him a book that I had found.
In it had a photograph of Bob with Tommy Robb. I gave him the book, and he was
gobsmacked!
I
told him that the Ulster Grand Prix was the following week at Dundrod and that
there would be a classic parade at it, and there might be a few old bikes he would
like to see. He agreed to go so I
returned the favor and put him up at my house, took him to the UGP, and showed
him around the paddock etc.
Now unknown to Bob, I had secretly arranged for him
to meet his old friend Tommy Robb, and likewise Tommy, who also knew nothing
about this. So we got the teas and sat down beside these two gentlemen, and for
a second, Bob and Tommy were both speechless when they looked at each other when
Tommy shouted out Castrol Bob!!!!!!, well, it was worth a million pounds to see
these two guys faces! I was a proud person that day as I reunited two friends
after 40 years!”
You are likely to find Baylon anywhere, as I
did in the middle of nowhere in county Donegal at the car rally one year but one thing is
for sure that you will have a good yarn and a laugh with him. You will definitely find
him on the Isle of Man in June as to date he has been going there for the TT
for the last forty-three years!
You are likely to find Baylon anywhere as I did in the middle of nowhere in
county Donegal at the car rally
one year but one thing is for sure that you will have a good yarn and a laugh
with him. You will definitely find him on the Isle of Man in June as to date he has been going there for the TT for the last forty-three years! Sadly he has endured some poor health in the last few months and is currently
recovering from heart surgery, but hopefully that is all behind him now and he
will be back to full strength again soon.
 |
| ( Baylon with Tommy Robb, left, and Bob Reeves 'Castrol Bob'. Photo: Jim Lee) |
A story like that sums up Baylon who would do anything to help someone out. Im sure I am not the only one in wishing this
gentleman the best of health in the future, as both the road race and short
circuit paddocks have been a poorer place with out him around them.
