Beach
Races

Chris McGregor,
the sand and the Hold Fast spirit

Opening photograph: Ivo Ivanov. From the media library archives; not a photograph of the 2026 event.

An old machine, a line drawn in the sand and a flag dropping. Beach Races have a rare power: they bring an entire era back to life. With Chris McGregor, the rider we support at Hold Fast, this culture has a face, a motorcycle and a number: 1188.

The sand as a playground

A Beach Race begins long before the start. It begins in the workshop, while searching for a part, adjusting a setting and wondering whether the machine will be ready. On the beach, that work becomes visible: stripped-down motorcycles, old engines and riders bringing what they have built to life.

The TROG, The Race of Gentlemen, in Wildwood in the United States, is a reference point for this scene. Rømø in Denmark and the Normandy Beach Race in Ouistreham give it a European presence. In Japan, the Sand Flat’s bring their own perspective on machines and builder culture. The locations change; the desire to put these old machines back in motion remains.

An exacting selection, down to the details

The exclusive nature of Beach Races starts with the machines allowed to enter. Their age, components, silhouette and the consistency of their build all matter. A motorcycle does not earn a place on the start line simply by looking old.

However, each event has its own regulations: “Before 1934” is not a rule shared by all Beach Races. At Rømø, the 2026 requirements specify, among other things, a period-correct appearance and major or performance-related components no newer than 1947. This selection protects a precise mechanical identity. Read the official Rømø requirements.

For spectators, this is also what makes the event so compelling: differences in preparation you can see, engines you can hear and stories you can understand by looking closely at a machine.

Chris McGregor: a man, a WLA and the number 1188

In his interview published by Ivo for Imagefactory Studio, Chris describes himself as an American who maintains, repairs and customises buses. His motorcycle is a 1942 Harley-Davidson WLA, originally intended for the US Army. He explains that he modified and tuned it to find every possible gain in speed.

His number, 1188, refers to the aces and eights of the “dead man’s hand”, associated with Wild Bill Hickok. For Chris, this reference is mainly about choices: taking the risk of setting off, crossing oceans and meeting other enthusiasts on distant beaches. Read his account in “Speed Is My Religion”.

Chris McGregor and his Harley-Davidson No. 1188 — Chris McGregor, No. 1188. Photograph: Ivo Ivanov / Imagefactory Studio, “Speed Is My Religion” series. Archive photograph, separate from the 2026 result.

Preparing motorcycle No. 1188 on the sand – archive photograph — Before the start, the mechanical work. Photograph: Ivo Ivanov. From the media library archives.

Rømø 2026: Chris’s results

The official Rømø Motor Festival 2026 results give the following figures for Chris McGregor:

Rømø Motor Festival 2026 – motorcycles
Race number	1188
Registered motorcycle	1942 Harley-Davidson WLA 45, flathead engine
Listed position	18th
Listed best speed	79.8 km/h
Motorcycle field	56 entries, 51 timed

These figures correspond to the organiser’s motorcycle ranking by best speed. They are not a class title or a record of wins in head-to-head races. Over an eighth of a mile of sand, they provide a concrete reference for this outing on the WLA.

From European beaches to a story still unfolding

Chris’s connection with these European races dates back at least to 2019. An American Rider report on the first Normandy Beach Race describes his participation in Ouistreham after Rømø, riding his WLA with help from Steffen Gödecke of Harley-Davidson Hamburg. This account documents a participation and a human adventure; it does not provide a ranking that would support a claim of victory.

Chris McGregor beside WLA No. 1188 — Around motorcycle No. 1188. Photograph: Ivo Ivanov / Imagefactory Studio, “Speed Is My Religion” series. Archive photograph; location and edition to be confirmed.

Why Hold Fast belongs here

We support Chris because his way of living motorcycling reflects the Hold Fast spirit: a love of old machines, manual work, lasting parts and encounters that make you want to get back on the road. Style grows out of this experience. It accompanies hours in the workshop, journeys and gatherings among enthusiasts.

Ivo’s photographs let us look at this culture at a human scale: the rider, his machine and the work around the engine. This is what we want to tell at School of Cool. Follow Chris, understand his preparation and keep an accurate record of his races.

See you on the sand. Hold Fast.

Also discover: our feature on Japan’s Sand Flat’s and the Hold Fast prisoner pants.