Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
Like Sands Through The Hour Glass
By Chris Pomeroy
Imagine for a minute that you’re sitting on top of a dune looking out over a pristine, bottomless sand oasis that is just waiting to be explored. No, I’m not talking about a beach in the Caribbean; the only water in sight at this place is either the water that comes from the in-ground sprinklers when they’re turned on or Lake Erie that sits about 30 minutes to the south. I’m talking about Gopher Dunes Raceway in Courtland, ON.
All around the globe there are famous sand tracks that make headlines whenever it’s time to race on them. Tracks like Lommel, Southwick, and yes, Gopher Dunes have all become well known due to the sheer brutality of their conditions. Thanks to Gopher Dunes becoming a host to one of the rounds of the Canadian Pro Nationals back in the mid-2000s, some of the top riders in the world have lined up there over the years. When sand specialist John Dowd came to Gopher Dunes for the first time in 2006, he called it the most difficult sand track that he’d ever ridden on. After a long day of racing in the tough conditions that Gopher Dunes always presents, most riders are simply happy to have survived. That is a phrase that has been thrown around events at Gopher Dunes since the track’s inception, “Just happy to have survived.”
Prior to Gopher Dunes opening its door in 1988, Ontario didn’t have many legitimate sand tracks. Wilberforce had one but not far under the sand was the mineral rich bedrock of Halliburton County, so the track didn’t always get that rough. Also, with it being so far north, it sometimes had snow on it until late April. Gopher Dunes’ location was perfect, and from the moment the track was open for business, riders began to flock there. For 30 years now it has become the hub of springtime riding in Southern Ontario as it’s always the first track open for business when the cold winter begins its retreat. Yes, over the years practically every Ontario rider has made their first laps of the season in the sands of Gopher Dunes.
My first trip to Gopher Dunes was soon after it opened in 1988. Prior to the gates opening at Gopher Dunes, Ontario didn’t have many sand tracks. Back in those days if you wanted to ride in sand you had to travel to tracks in Michigan such as Baja Acres or Bulldogs M/C. But when word spread that there was a new riding facility opening just south of Tillsonburg, my family and I quickly made plans to load our bikes to see what this new sand track was all about. Other than the friendly face of then owner Frank Schuster greeting us at the gate with a big jovial “Welcome to Gopher Dunes,” I don’t remember too much about my first laps there. For a kid who had spent most of his youth riding in gravel pits and on less than perfect practice tracks, the original Gopher Dunes track was as good as any at the time. With its clean and flat paddock area, parking was easy, and with the famous sound barrier sand berm that encompassed the track, it provided a perfect vantage point to watch everyone ride. Those early days at Gopher Dunes were a lot of fun, because who didn’t like playing in the sand?
Since that first ride at Canada’s most difficult track, there has been enough unforgettable moments that I could probably sit down and write a book. In October of 1990, Gopher Dunes was the site of my first win after breaking my femur four months earlier. That day I held off Jeff Surwall and Brad King to get back into the winners’ circle. It wasn’t a big day in the grand scheme of things but it was a special day for me. As we moved through the rest of the decade, the Ontario Provincial Series paid numerous visits to Gopher Dunes. It was not only enjoyable to win a few of those events but it was also an honour to compete against top Canadian riders like Carl Vaillancourt, JSR, Marco Dube and Marty Burr. Each one of these legends loved racing in the sand as it brought out their inner toughness. As the ‘90s turned into the millennium, Gopher Dunes continued to evolve both as a track and as a facility. An elaborate trail system through the surrounding woods was added, and with that Gopher Dunes became a favourite destination for not just Ontario’s motocross fraternity but a large number of off-road riders and trail enthusiasts. Within a few years Gopher Dunes was a riding area for riders of all ages and riding abilities. When the Canadian Pro Nationals made their way to Gopher Dunes in the mid-2000s, the deep sand circuit was put on the world map and quickly made its reputation as one of the planet’s toughest tracks.
Out of all of the fond memories I have from Gopher Dunes over the years, my favourite one is from the fall of 2012. During that time my son was just five years old, and although he’d been riding for a few months, he had never experienced what it was like to line up behind a starting gate. With Gopher Dunes hosting the final race of the 2012 season, my son was determined to have his first ever race at this famous track. So there I was, taking my son to the starting line at Gopher Dunes the same way my father had taken me 24 years earlier. It was a real “Life is a circle” moment and one that I will never forget. I think that is what makes tracks like Gopher Dunes so special. It’s not just about the racing that takes place on the track, it’s the moments leading up to the races as well as the moments away from the track. With thirty years of memories already in the bank, I can’t wait to see what the next three decades hold. Perhaps one day my son will be taking his young son to the Gopher Dunes starting line. With a track and facility that is ever growing and improving, I think anything is possible.
