Greetings! Welcome to another edition of the Monday Gate Drop Column, which as always is brought to you by the awesome people at Yamaha Motor Canada. Next week, I am headed to ClubMX in South Carolina for the media launch of the new 2027 YZ250F. This completely redesigned 2027 YZ250F has a ton of new features, and we will breaking everything down after we ride the bike on Wednesday. Finally, with this being the week of the 2026 Walton TransCan, today’s Gate Drop Column is actually a story I wrote for this years official TransCan program. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you have a great week. Also, good luck to everyone this week at Walton Raceway.
The Little Blue Truck- 32 Years Of Memories
By Chris Pomeroy
The year was 1994, and I was on my way to my first ever Walton TransCan. The world felt different then. The MLB had just announced a strike, cancelling the remainder of the season and wiping out what was likely the Montreal Expos’ best and perhaps, only shot at a World Series title. Forrest Gump topped the box office, Mariah Carey’s Without You held the #1 spot on the radio, and the economy was slowly clawing its way back from the recession of the early ’90s. For Canadian Pro Motocross riders, the biggest shift was happening at home: the old guard of the CMA had finally stepped aside, and the CMRC was now running our National Series. Even though the CMRC was still in its infancy, with Nationals only in Ontario and Quebec, the sport felt like it was finally trending upward as we all headed toward the final round at Walton Raceway.
In those days, the CMRC Pro National finale ran in conjunction with the TransCan, with motos all week long and again on Sunday. Early that week, Mother Nature unleashed her worst, turning Walton’s grassy surface into a muddy quagmire. Back then, the track began the week with a green layer of grass on top, so when the rains came, the conditions became nearly unrideable. Every parent and mechanic knows the pain of cleaning a bike after a mud moto; patience, determination, and hundreds of gallons of water. As brutal as those early motos were, they were unforgettable, or I wouldn’t still be talking about them now.
My first trip to Walton wasn’t just memorable because of the racing; it was the sheer scale of the paddock. I’d only ever known the old Amateur National format, a rotating Saturday/Sunday event that moved across the country each year. Families from Ontario couldn’t always make it to BC, and vice versa, so “best on best” rarely happened. Bringing everyone to one facility for an entire week was a brilliant idea, and the fact that it’s still going strong more than 35 years later is nothing short of remarkable.
But beyond the racing, one memory from 1994 has stayed with me more vividly than most. It sits on the west end of Mt. Forest, in the driveway of a small house. Depending on your route to Walton, you might pass through Mt. Forest, I always did. Back then, purse money in the Pro Nationals was scarce as the series recovered from years of mismanagement. Most of my income came from AX and SX races in Quebec. To get around, I had my parents’ Ford box van and my own 1989 Mazda B4000. It wasn’t pretty, but it got me where I needed to go. My dream truck, though, was a 4×4 Toyota, the kind everyone wanted but few could afford.
As I drove through Mt. Forest that week, there it was: a blue Toyota 4×4 sitting in that driveway, the exact truck I dreamed of owning. It looked perfect. Every time I passed it, I slowed down just to admire it. And here’s the part that ties it forever to Walton’s history: that same truck has been parked in that driveway for 32 years. It doesn’t look as fresh as it did in 1994, few of us do, but every time I drive to Walton, I see that truck and think about my first TransCan.
Since that muddy week in 1994, Walton Raceway has given me and my family countless memories. In 1996, Walton hosted the first ever televised National in Canada. It was a bittersweet day, I pulled both 250 holeshots and even led for a while, but couldn’t seal the win in front of my friends and family. In 1997, I battled Blair Morgan, Marco Dubé, and Team Green’s Nick Wey for a podium, my best Walton National finish. Racing a Pro National at Walton is unlike anything else in Canada. The deep ruts, the punishing roost to succeed, you must be smooth, precise, and brave all at once. And when you do find success, especially as an Ontario native, the feeling is unmatched. Even now, I love walking the paddock on Sunday, seeing old friends and familiar faces. Walton is a race and a reunion wrapped into one.
For the first 19 years, Walton was about racing. But in 2013, it became something more. That was the year I raced as a Vet rider and the year I became a Moto Dad. My son Ayrton lined up for his first TransCan on a PW50 in the 50cc 4–6 class. It was an unforgettable week. He dominated the Strider races, we joined the track building competition, ate dinners under the tent, played Bingo, watched Walton’s Got Talent, and soaked in every moment. If you ever want entertainment, ask a five year old to describe a lap around Walton Raceway.
It was also the first time my parents experienced motocross as Moto Grandparents, no stress, no financial strain, just pure enjoyment watching their grandson race. My dad told me afterward that being at Walton brought him back to when he used to take me to local Ontario races in the late ’70s, including Walton Raceway itself. That year changed me. I saw the same passion in my son’s eyes that I’d felt growing up. The old saying “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” echoed in my mind. I finally understood the stress my dad carried: packing the truck, prepping the bike, watching the schedule like a hawk. But the memories you make? They’re priceless.
Over the next several years, Ayrton moved from 50cc to 65cc to 85cc, and I raced Vet 40. My mom stopped attending, but my dad came whenever he could. If he missed it, he wanted a full debrief. Walton became a family tradition; something we wouldn’t miss for anything. When my dad passed away in December 2023, I dedicated my 2024 Plus 50 TransCan Championship to him. Ayrton honoured his biggest fan by winning his final Open Junior moto and earning the Wiseco Most Improved Rider Award.
Now, in 2026, we head back again. Ayrton is 18 and racing his first Pro National at Walton. He doesn’t look anything like the little kid who won a 50cc participation award in 2013, but the fire inside him is the same. I’m back for another year in the 50 Plus class, hoping for redemption after last year’s struggles. And my wife, Bernadette, who was with me at that first TransCan in 1994, will be there again, cheering on her boys and keeping all of us fed.
A lot has changed in 32 years, but so much has stayed the same. Walton still brings families together from across Canada and the USA. It’s still where memories are made and champions are crowned. As someone who has been there almost since the beginning, and who has worn many hats over three decades, my advice is simple: do your best to enjoy it. You’ll have highs and lows, but you’re building memories that will last a lifetime. Trust me, in 32 years, you’ll look back and wonder where the time went. And like that little blue Toyota, the Walton TransCan will still be there, standing the test of time.
