In constant motion at the track
Jim Allen
“Anyone who thought of Jim Allen as a pretender to the roadracing crown in Canada in the past would have to adjust their assessment of him after the Spring Trophy races at Mosport.” These were Ken Morgan’s comments in 1973 adding, “Allen’s…
Determination or stubbornness got him back on the track
Chris Evans
Unlike most competitors who win the big one in the prime of their career and with support from the factory, Chris Evans on June 30, 2002, won his first AMA Pro National ½ mile event at Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, Ohio, (his favourite…
Coming back to competion after a broken back
Albert Irwin
When you hear the name “Bert Irwin” you will most likely think “enduros” since this form of competition was Bert’s passion and one in which he was very involved and very well known. Not only did Bert compete in the International Six Days…
“There was nothing you could do but hang on!”
Al Johnson
It was England’s loss when Al Johnson emigrated to Canada in 1955. For five years prior, he had earned recognition in the fields of motocross, grass track, road racing and had competed at a newly paved-over grass track called Brands’ Hatch…
Racing started as a family event and it has never changed
John Kehoe
Speedway is an exciting, high speed form of racing providing a great show from start to finish. From a clutch dropping standing start, the 500cc methanol fuel machines with no brakes and one fixed gear, accelerate from 0-100 km in just 3…
A 5’1” 100 pound girl called “Butch.”
Muriel Kelly
Muriel Kelly (Blackborow) born in 1934 and raised in the west end of Hamilton, Ontario came to love motorcycles kind of by osmosis. Her Dad owned a large bike complete with rigid forks and an oil or gasoline powered headlamp, which he rode…
Instilling discipline, self confidence and sportsmanship
Jim Kelly
While Jim loved all phases of motorcycle competition and was a fierce competitor, he never lost sight of the truth that the joy should be in the act as much as the result and club field days or hare and hounds were as important to him as…
Three National titles on three different makes of motorcycles
George Morin
Kawasaki sponsored George Morin but he raced in other classes that they had no machine to enter so they approved his entry of several different makes. In 1977, at St Felicien, Quebec the Kawasaki KZ1000 won him the Expert Open Production…
A bicycle frame, a Jacobson lawnmower motor and wheelbarrow wheels...
John Ranger
Popular Mechanics magazine was the place to look for innovative gadgets and machinery; do it yourself projects for the man who was a little handy with some tools and in 1967, that’s how John Ranger’s first bike came to be. His father,…
“The Sparks boys are here!”
Robert and Bryan Sparks
Historical records state that Billy Mathews was the first Canadian to win the Daytona 200 in 1941 but he wasn’t the first Canadian to win a National American event. That honour goes to Bob Sparks who in 1939 won the Langhorne, Pennsylvania…
Born into a family with a passion for bikes
Ted Sturgess, Sr.
It’s a huge asset, if you want to become involved with motorcycles, when your family also has a passion for bikes and owns a motorcycle shop on top of it. Ted Sturgess, born in Hamilton in 1920 was the son of Herbert “Pops” Sturgess who…
Shaping the future of off road motorcycling in Canada
Warren Thaxter
Very few men have had such a profound effect in growing the sport of off road motorcycling in Canada as Warren Thaxter. His influence runs deep touching almost every type of off road, trail and adventure riding currently happening in…