Gordon Crockard will miss his home Grand Prix at Moneyglass

The course will host next week's Grand Prix of Northern Ireland and the Motocross of Nations next year.

"We are trying to take the sport to a new level and there is nowhere else in Northern Ireland where we can do that.

"We have 350 acres here and we expect 50,000 people at this event next year so it's worth it," said a spokesman.

"It is a massive event of great prestige which will attract a huge number of spectators," added Peter Thompson.

The Northern Ireland round of the world championship has been held at Desertmartin for the past two years and Cookstown club spokesman Alan Longman expressed surprise at the move.

"We have a purpose-built track just down the road at Desertmartin and we have held two world rounds at a cost of �200,000," said Longman.

"I am asking and our club is asking if this vast expenditure is a good use of public money when Desertmartin is recognised as one of the best tracks in the world."