2018 was no ordinary year for the Bulldog Riders MC Inc., as the Millington, Mich., club celebrated its 70th year of existence.

As the club’s Secretary Stephen Phillips will tell you, the Bulldog Riders MC Inc. has grown from humble beginnings to about 100 members and hosts AMA-sanctioned motocross events on its club grounds.

He said the club is named after Mack Trucks’ famous mascot, since many of the original members drove trucks for a living.

Phillips said the club was formally incorporated in Feb. 1, 1951 and chartered with the AMA in 1952 to start hosting AMA-sanctioned competition events.

The club organized events at various venues before several of its members purchased 19-acres of land that continue to serve as the club’s grounds.

It is Phillip’s understanding that the club held enduros, trail rides, hillclimbs hare scrambles and ice racing events in the 1950s, prior to motocross’ rise in popularity in the United States.

The Bulldog Riders MC has put a strong emphasis on safety in the current design of its approximately 1-mile motocross track. It replaced several double-jump sections with tabletops, making the track ridable for racers of all ages and skill levels.

“The crew of Bulldog Riders club prepare the facilities prior to each event to ensure a positive experience on and off the track,” Phillips said. “The track will suit riders at all levels from kids to pros, and everyone in between.”