Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
When you look back at this past year in Canadian motocross there are many great stories and many great performances. In both the amateur and pro classes, we all witnessed riders push their limit on the racetrack while battling for moto wins and championships. Even though it was a shorter season than we’re used to seeing, it didn’t lack any of the great race action that we’ve been accustom to seeing in Canada. As I’ve done for the past six seasons, this is the time of year that I sit down to compose my annual Golden Elbow Awards that celebrate the memorable moments from the past year. Whether it was Dylan Wright’s Championship-winning rookie season in the 450 class, or Jess Pettis returning from injury to captured his second 250MX Title, there were multiple moments worth talking about. With just over a month remaining in 2020, I’m going to take the next few weeks to celebrate this year’s Award winners.
Event of the Year- Week At Walton Raceway
Even though there were a lot fewer events in 2020 than in years past, as I’ve mentioned a few times over the past number of months, these events certainly didn’t lack quality or energy. Of the events that took place this season, there were definitely a few that stood out. One event that caught everyone’s attention this year was the opening round of the AMO Racing Ontario Provincial Series at Gopher Dunes. As you may remember, this was the first race of 2020 in Canada and it featured almost 700 entries. With the Covid-19 Virus hitting us hard in March, the start of our race season was delayed until June. In fact, at one point it looked as if racing or any sports were even going to happen in 2020. Thankfully, Governments at all levels recognized the importance of sports, and certain regions were allowed to begin competitions. Due to the hard work of AMO President Ryan Gauld and Ontario being one of the first regions to ease their restrictions, the gate dropped for the first time in 2020 at Gopher Dunes. It was a momentous occasion and even though the race was on Ontario soil, the entire country celebrated the return of racing.
Other unique events that were introduced during this crazy Covid year were doubleheader national events at Walton Raceway, Sand Del Lee, and the final two SXTour races at Gopher Dunes. Each one was cool in their right and my congratulations go out to Brett Lee, Kevin Tyler, and Derek Schuster for allowing their cherished venues to hold these incredible events.
With all of that in mind, my pick for the Event of the Year goes to Walton Raceway and one of the most glorious weeks in Canadian moto. I’m talking about the 2020 Walton TransCan and the two rounds of the Triple Crown MXTour Series that were bookends to intense four days of amateur racing. It all kicked off on the Saturday with the opening motos of Round 2 of the MXTour Series. The following day the pro riders battled through some deep Walton Raceway mud to finish their final two motos. It was an entertaining two days of racing and a great precursor to what was to come.
The next day, families from across Canada began arriving at Walton Raceway for a week of fun and competition. For months, it looked like the TransCan might not happen due to the Covid-19 restrictions and the fact that more than a few local residents weren’t thrilled at the thought of hundreds of people travelling to their neighbourhood. But in the end, the event went off without a hitch and it turned out to be an amazing week of racing. As they have been for over 25 years, amateur champions were once again crowned on the Walton Raceway stage and everyone went home feeling great.
With the Walton TransCan over, it was time for the pro riders to hit the track again as Round 3 of the MXTour Series took place on Sunday. Unfortunately, Mother Nature unleashed some more rain overnight, and for the first half of the day, the Walton track was a muddy mess. However, the racing was still entertaining and the pro riders gave it everything they had. One of the best moments from the week was watching Tanner Ward win his first-ever pro-national as he took the overall at Round 3 in the 250MX class. Tanner, who hails from nearby Woodstock, Ontario, grew up racing the Walton TransCan and is even a multi-time TransCan Champion. To see him come full circle and take home a pro-national win at the same track that he competed at as a child was inspiring, especially for all of the amateur riders who stuck around to watch their pro heroes compete.
I guess it’s one of those events where you had to be there to get a real sense of just how amazing it was. If you weren’t able to attend the 2020 Walton TransCan this summer it’s certainly understandable given the severity of the Covid-19 Pandemic. However, for those who were there, I believe most will agree that this event had them feeling like they we at one big (socially distanced) family gathering. In the future, we may see doubleheader MXTour events at certain tracks, but I’m not sure if we’ll ever see an event like we witnessed this summer at Walton Raceway. That is why I’m picking the week at Walton Raceway in August as the Golden Elbow Event of the Year for 2020.
