Remembering those now passed.MACKAY'S motocross community is mourning the loss of one of its outstanding competitors and supporters, Steve Dinsdale.
Dinsdale, 46, died suddenly on Wednesday night of natural causes.
He has been one of Mackay's outstanding motocross riders over the past several decades and is the father of Joel, 14, who has competed internationally and was set to win several titles at the national championships last year before being injured in a fall.
Dinsdale took up motocross in 1977 at the age of 12 and quickly proved his talent by winning numerous Central Queensland titles.
He went on to win nine Queensland titles and took out Mackay's most famous race, the iconic King of the Beach at Grasstree, three times.
He took a break from motocross in 1986 to start a cane-harvesting business, and went on to become one of the most successful harvesting contractors in the Mackay district.
At one stage he was regularly harvesting more than 100,000 tonnes, mostly in the Marian district.
He made a comeback to riding in 1987 when he placed fourth in the Australian Mr Motocross Series, which could be described as his major achievement in racing.
But, his continued involvement in all aspects of the sport is probably his greatest achievement.
He served as president of Mackay and District Motocross Club and has represented Motorcycling Queensland's junior sub-committee.
In 2006 he started CQ Dirt Bike Training in partnership with Lindsay Eden, which still operates at tracks around the district.
“From that he gained great satisfaction in seeing the standard of motocross rise in the Mackay district,” Eden said.
“He took great pleasure in seeing the riders he mentored improve and do well in the sport.”
One of them is his son Joel, who raced in the world junior motocross titles at New Zealand and France over the past two years, and is a nominee for Mackay's Sport Star of the Year awards, being presented by the Daily Mercury at Harrup Park Country Club tomorrow night.
Joel broke his collarbone at the Australian titles last year, but is preparing to again compete in 2011 as a member of Yamaha Australia's national junior development team.
Bullet Bikes in Mackay has been a long-term sponsor of both Joel and his father.
Dinsdale's wife, Peta, has also been heavily involved in motocross at all levels and in supporting Joel at race meetings across Australia.
Dinsdale also leaves another son, Brock, 20, and daughter, Natasha, 22.
http://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/motocross-mackay-steve-dinsdale/779275/