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The Citizen, 2016-09-22, Page 21 PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016. McHardy's motorcycle wins gold at vintage event Provincial recognition Roger McHardy's 1961 500cc Norton Domiracer brought home several top finishes from the Vintage Road Racing Association's Vintage Festival last month. (Shawn Loughlin photo) By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Local motorcycle enthusiast Roger McHardy has had his creation honoured provincially through the Vintage Road Racing Association (VRRA) for the second year in a row. McHardy of Brussels has crafted a 1961 500cc Norton Domiracer that won gold in a handful of categories at the VRRA's Vintage Festival at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in August, including the prestigious Warwick Cup. The event is held annually just north of Bowmanville, east of Toronto. This is the second year in a row that McHardy's bike, driven by Kitchener's Paul Brubaker, topped the Pre -1965 500cc, Period 1 500cc and Period 1 Open classes, while also winning the Warwick Cup. The Warwick Cup is the cornerstone event of the weekend. It is open to 350cc and 500cc British motorcycles and it's named in memory of Doug Warwick, a former racer and one of the founders of the VRRA. While McHardy and Brubaker have won the classes and the Warwick Cup the past two years, McHardy has also come home from the race with gold before, winning it a number of times since the mid- 1990s. McHardy has been interested in motorcycles since he was a young man and has attended the Vintage Festival every year since it began in 1 9 9 2 , returning home "about half the time" with the Quite the team Kitchener's Paul Brubaker, shown, rode Brussels' Roger McHardy's 1961 500cc Domiracer to several gold medals at the Vintage Road Racing Association Vintage Festival. The above photo is from Grand Bend. (Scott McHardy photo) Municipality of Huron East Property owners are reminded that the due date for the third installment of property taxes and utilities is September 30, 2016. P. Michaels Finance Manager -Treasurer race's top prize. He says it's the major event of the year and he always makes a point of being there. Since he was a teenager growing up in Scotland in the 1960s, McHardy says he's been interested in motorcycles and he has continued to follow his passion ever since. The bike in question has undergone major improvements over the years thanks to McHardy, who says working on motorcycles is his absolute passion. "It's just a hobby. Some people golf, Jim [Armstrong — Brussels aviation enthusiast and a good friend of McHardy's] has his airplanes. I do this," he laughs. The 1961 Norton, McHardy says, has the distinct claim to fame as the first pushrod engine motorcycle to travel at over 100 miles per hour. Only a handful of the motorcycles were made and McHardy was lucky enough to get his hands on one of the bike's frames from New Zealand. That frame was the backbone of one of McHardy's previous motorcycles. The frame eventually cracked and McHardy was able to build a new frame on his own. The rules for VRRA races are simple, McHardy says, stating that as long as the motorcycle looks like it did the year it was first manufactured, mechanics are free to make any improvements "under the hood" they'd like. It's under these rules that McHardy has handcrafted a number of one -of -a -kind parts, including a new crankshaft. When the motorcycle was first made, McHardy said, it would have Barrier Free Entrance at Brussels Legion Saturday, September 24 starts at 2:00 p.m. Guest Speakers and Ribbon Cutting Door Prize Draws -- Everyone Welcome! Light Lunch and Entertainment travelled at 38 horsepower. After McHardy spent years putting his personal touches on the machine, it now travels at 58 horsepower — a significant upgrade. McHardy is retired now, but it was when he was working at ATS Automation in Cambridge that he met Brubaker. The two men hit it off and realized they had very similar interests. McHardy's previous rider was had been seriously injured and would no longer ride, so Brubaker stepped in and took his place and the partnership has been rock solid ever since. In an interview with The Citizen, Brubaker says it has been thrilling riding a motorcycle with so much history (the original motorcycle is two years older than he is). The quality of the machine, he says, is very high, which is a testament to McHardy and the hard work he puts into it year-round. Things weren't always smooth on the bike, however. Brubaker says there was certainly an adjustment period when he first began riding the British motorcycle after years of riding Japanese bikes. The gear -shift boxes are on opposite handles on the two bikes, which definitely involved some getting used to, he said. It didn't take long though, McHardy says, until Brubaker took to the bike "like a duck to water". Which, in this case, is more than just an expression. McHardy says that Brubaker does some of his best work on a wet track — conditions which normally cause some riders to race a little more cautiously. Brubaker says he's always excelled in wet conditions and it likely started when he was a young rider and he preferred driving on wet road. When it was raining, he would make a point to go out and ride, which led to a great familiarity with the conditions. As the years have gone on, McHardy says, there is the constant challenge of improving the bike that has kept him competitive and coming back year after year. "You can always do something to make them better," he said of motorcycles. "They're always a work in progress." The racing season is now over for McHardy and Brubaker, but they'll be hard at work in the shop, hoping for another crack at the title in 2017. The season begins in June in Shannonville, followed by a July event in Grand Bend and then again by the annual Vintage Festival in August held near Bowmanville. NEWS FROM BRUSSELS At the Branch Heaman entertains over 100 By Jo -Ann McDonald The Brussels Legion Branch hosted Saturday afternoon euchre with nine tables at play. Winners were: first, Mac and Lillian; second, Anne Laidlaw and Joyce Hodgins; third, Norm and Darlene; lone hands, George and Deanna Bacon; low, Bush Whittard and Olave Little. The Machan family reunion was held at the Branch on Saturday afternoon. They had a nice crowd and a nice get-together with lots of potluck food. Hosts were Dianne Machan and Jim Alton. The Sunday night dance had a great crowd of 107 people enjoying the music of the John Heaman Band. Dances are every two weeks. Brussels Farmers' Market Friday, September 23 2 pm - 6 pm Downtown Brussels Food: Market Management Music: Jacco Vandenbriunhorst on accordian - has played markets in Holland Weekly Vendor Draw Winner Erica Crawford Make a difference in the lives of girls.,. and they'll make a difference in yours. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? VOLUNTEER o GIRL 2 -,GUIDES Are you an 18+ year old woman? Interested in working with and making a difference in the lives of girls? The 1st Brussels Girl Guides are looking for Leaders for the 2016-2017 guiding year. Email or call Maddy Deitner at maddeitner@hotmail.com or 226-622-0090 if interested!