Walton Raceway
| Home of the TransCan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | One Km east of Duff's United Church at Walton, Ontario, Canada |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 |
| Coordinates | 43°40′45″N 81°17′16″W / 43.67930°N 81.28769°W |
| Owner | Chris & Judy Lee |
| Operator | Tite Racing Promotions Inc.[1] |
| Broke ground | 1970 |
| Opened | 1972 |
| Major events | Closed course offroad motocycles, ATVs and trucks |
| Website | http://www.waltonraceway.ca |
Walton Raceway is an off road vehicle motorsport park located just outside the hamlet of Walton, part of the Municipality of Huron East in Huron County Ontario, Canada.[2] It is on a 200-acre site which includes several ponds, wetlands, reforested areas, hardwood forest, rolling hills and an agricultural acreage owned by the Lee family since 1965.
The race track began operating in the early 1970s as the home track for the Maitland Dirt Riders club. During that period, CMA sanctioned motocross events were organized and were held at the track in the early 1990s.
In 1992, the concept of a multi day Grand National Championship was implemented for the first time. It was modeled after the Loretta Lynn US national championship held annually in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. It is currently called the TransCan Grand National Championship.[3] The TransCan is acknowledged as the biggest outdoor motocross in Canada[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Scheduled for 13–17 August 2019.
Walton Raceway has been a featured location for television production since 1995 on TSN and subsequently on Global TV, Sportsnet, FUEL TV and ESPN2. A Rick Mercer Report feature was aired on CBC in 2009 in which Rick Mercer is given a quick course in how to ride and then sent out to compete with a group of youngsters.
Each year the Huron Tourism Association (HTA)[11] recognizes a member who has demonstrated leadership, creative invention, partnership initiative, community impact and excellence in the tourism industry. In 2011, following nomination[12] by the Municipality of Huron East, the Tourism Development award[11] was presented to Walton Raceway.
In 2012, Walton Raceway welcomed new additions to the property in order to provide further opportunities for outdoor adventure. An expanded and diversified range of activities includes RC truck racing, truck mud bogs, closed course truck racing and the Edge of Walton Challenge Course.[citation needed]
Edge of Walton[edit]
The Edge of Walton was created to encompass ongoing environmental efforts and promotion of community health. The Challenge Course features a 45 ft high ropes tower in addition to multiple low ropes elements, creating a challenging environment full of unique movement opportunities. The programs facilitated through Edge of Walton also promote environmental advocacy. The Challenge Course, located on Walton Raceway property, is surrounded by multiple ponds and wetland area, housing many ecosystems that are often a feature of the nature programming provided to visitors. Edge of Walton Challenge Course is a stimulating environment that allows local youth and adults to explore their physical potential, team-working skills, and creativity in an outdoor setting. The physical component is accompanied by the focus on environmental pursuits, as visitors experience the sustainability movement created by Walton Raceway and Edge of Walton.[citation needed]
Notable participants[edit]
- Mike Alessi
- Jolene Van Vugt
- Travis Pastrana
- Blair Morgan
- Jean Sebastien Roy
- Dusty Klatt
- Jason Lawrence
- John Dowd
- Julien Bill MX3 World Champion
- Mike Jones
- Andy Bell
- Seth Enslow
- Tucker Hibbert (multi time champ at X-Games )
References[edit]
- ^ [1] business profile
- ^ "Google Maps"
- ^ "Parts Canada TransCan" Retrieved 5 January 2012.
- ^ [2] Huron Expositor Aug 2009 Dan Schwab Article covering event
- ^ [3] Offroad Motorcycles magazine Dan Paris editor
- ^ [4] Motocross Performance Magazine Ryan Gauld editor
- ^ [5] RacerX Magazine TransCan race report 2010
- ^ [6] RacerX Canada Moto show from Walton 2008
- ^ [7] Direct Motocross event wrap up 2009
- ^ [8] Canadian Motorsport Racing Corp. The "Big Show" at Walton Raceway
- ^ a b [9] Tourism Development award
- ^ [10] Huron East award nomination