Hall of Fame Associations

Canadian Motorcycle Association - Class of 2006

admin — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 13:55:36 +0000

Canadian Motorcycle Association - Class of 2006 admin Fri, 09/29/2017 - 09:55

The beginning of organized motorcycle sport on a national level in Canada

Established in 1946, the Canadian Motorcycle Association (CMA) was in essence the beginning of organized motorcycle sport on a national level in Canada. This is where it basically all began and for six decades, the CMA has continuously provided the forum from which numerous Canadian motorcycle competitors developed and honed their skills in virtually every competitive discipline. It is in this area where the CMA shines and stands alone! Many of these Champions excelled not only in competition in Canada, but also on the International stage, proudly displaying the maple leaf and doing both themselves and Canada proud!

As a point of interest, take a look at this random selection of Champions who have emerged from the CMA ranks. Some names will be more recognizable than others. They are all nonetheless, proven champions! The list is in random order and by no means inclusive, it does however graphically illustrate the depth of talent that developed and blossomed under the CMA banner.

Weekend after weekend throughout the year, each and every year there are CMA organized events of all types providing the opportunity for riders to participate in the sport of their choice. Thanks to the professionalism and stability of organizations such as the CMA, our sport has developed into a widely accepted, family oriented sport and very much a generational one! It’s not unusual to see the tradition move down the family line. Readily recognizable names such as the Sehls, Duhamels and Sharplesses among others come to mind.

Any organization is fundamentally, no more or no less than, a product of its’ people. The CMA got off to a good start with its first president Ted Buck. Ted amazingly, still works a check crew at the annual Corduroy Enduro every fall! It (the CMA) has endured like any organization through good times and bad and has been fortunate to be guided through the years by an excellent succession of dedicated stewards. Joe Godsall of Vancouver BC is current CMA President, (2006) and Marilynn Bastedo, for many years, it’s very capable full time General Manager.

The late Ron & Eve White (both Inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 1995), were prominent players in the 1950 and 60’s and may be credited with aligning the CMA with the International Motorcycle Sport Organization the FIM.

By any measure, this CMA/FIM affiliation must be viewed as a significant and substantial contribution to the Canadian motorcycling scene that has produced many benefits. This important affiliation has enabled many of our well known competitors to compete Internationally. It has also brought numerous world champions to Canada! Names like Roger DeCoster, Sammy Miller, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Phil Read, and Bill Ivy to name a few. Not only have many Canadians had a chance they might not otherwise have had to see world class racers in action but Canadian riders have had the opportunity to compete against them in our own country.

CRCA – Canada Race Communications Association - Class of 2009

admin — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 20:01:01 +0000

CRCA – Canada Race Communications Association - Class of 2009 admin Thu, 10/12/2017 - 16:01

There is no more honourable job in motorsport than the one done by their members

The 50th anniversary of the Canadian Race Communications Association is a landmark in Canadian motorsports. CRCA enjoys a long and honourable history of dedication to trackside safety that began in March, 1959 and continues to this day. It has made possible the last half-century of competition on two, three and four wheels, up to and including world championship motorcycle and Formula 1 auto racing. Without CRCA’s trained volunteers at trackside, these events simply could not happen.

Safe and smooth operation of a race weekend can never be taken for granted, but the presence of a well-trained marshalling crew assures the event organizer that any incident will be handled immediately and in a professional way. To the casual spectator, their presence is barely noted, but every racer is keenly aware of the marshals vigilant response to anything that happens on-track.

CRCA from Northern Ontario Motorcycle on Vimeo.

CRCA prides itself on the long history of service that began in Toronto under its first president, Harry Johnson. The association’?s 2009 president, Marty Cooper, estimates that over the intervening five decades, members have donated 350,000 hours of volunteer work to ensure the safety of all concerned. They’ve served trackside at events such as the Players 200 of the 1960s, the Can-Am and Trans-Am series of the 1970s, the one and only world championship motorcycle grand prix in 1967, today’s Parts Canada superbike championships, the VRRA vintage motorcycle festival, the 24-hour motorcycle endurance races of long ago, RACE Superseries events of today, the Molson Indy? the list goes on and on.

The racing circuits of today didn’t exist when CRCA began. Its first event was at the Harewood Acres track near Lake Erie, on the site of an abandoned airport built for Second World War pilot training. Two years later, Mosport opened and CRCA came into its own, adding a timing and lap scoring division. It held the contract for marshalling at the Canadian Grand Prix until the final Formula 1 race held there in 1977. In the same year, the organization was instrumental in setting up flag stations at the new Shannonville Motorsport Park and, almost 30 years after that, they performed the same role with the new Calabogie Motorsports Park to ensure that issues of visibility, track coverage and marshal safety were all properly addressed.

In addition to annually recognizing the contributions of its own members, CRCA gives rider of the year and driver of the year awards to the chosen competitor who best exhibits sportsmanship, dash and colour. Motorcycling recipients have included Michel Mercier, Michael Taylor, Frank Trombino and, last year, Jodi Christie.

In the words of Canadian Automobile Sport Club Ontario region president, Scott Ellsworth, There is no more honourable job in motorsport than the one done by the members of the Canadian Race Communications Association.

Joseph and Vera Godsall - Class of 2018

Vada — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 23:21:12 +0000

Joseph and Vera Godsall - Class of 2018 Vada Thu, 01/24/2019 - 18:21

Their major claim to fame is as the saviours, more than once, of motocross activity in British Columbia

When you say Motocross to an enthusiast in BC, they will automatically think – Joe Godsall. Being a competitive motocross racer, Joe understands the value the sport brings to the younger participants and their families as well as encouraging the competitive drive in the older generation and has promoted the sport for many years.

Born in England, Joe road raced on the ACU circuits until they moved to Canada in 1963. They became involved in Canadian motorcycling, particularly motocross, while raising a family in White Rock, BC. Joe was the 1981 CMA Vet Junior National Champion.

Impressed with the quality of the events being organized, they decided to get involved with the CMA and both were elected to the CMA BC Region Board, where Joe served as President and Vera as Region Secretary. Each of them attained the status of CMA National Referee, overseeing many events, positions they still occupy to this day. Joe became the BC board member for CMA National and served as Vice President and then President from 1989 to 1997 and from 2001 to present time. He served on National Committees and both he and Vera were willing to assist the organization in any way possible. Joe holds FIM official’s credentials in Environment and Trials. Both Vera and Joe are lifetime members of the CMA.

But perhaps their major claim to fame is as the saviours, more than once, of the motocross activity in British Columbia.

The Agassiz Motocross Club was formed in 1972 and became affiliated with the CMA. Laurence St. Pierre, president of the club, with Joe and Vera’s assistance, built a motocross track. When the track was in danger of closing, they worked to obtain a lease renewal under the CMA banner. Every race weekend Joe and Vera attended the events offering assistance wherever needed. Although they lived eighty miles away, they would drive out at 6AM to spend the day preparing the track often until 10 at night, and back at 7AM the following day to put on the racing. For the last 34 years, they have been doing this consistently with never a complaint. Joe has also implemented many track improvements including back falling start gates and an underground watering system. They also introduced CMA motocross schools at Agassiz to improve off road skills for motorcyclists.

When motocross was suffering under harsh economic pressures, they gathered together interested parties and formed a not for profit club (now known as the Lower Mainland Motocross Club) who were permitted to run events at the CMA Agassiz track until they obtained use of a track at Mission.

When we were losing clubs due to financial pressures, Vera organized a race herself to fill the void. She also formed a group, Hi-Tech Racing to organize CMA motocross events in BC.

Both Joe and Vera were very active in producing the CMA Super Series, one of the most successful motocross series, with events taking place at all tracks in the Province.

Joe and Vera are always willing to assist organizers in whatever capacity is needed at events and have donated many thousands of hours of volunteer time to the sport. Vera volunteered to run the Aldergrove Competition Motorcycle Association Tuesday night mini motocross track for many years at the Little Rock track. Vera rode her bike to work daily, 100 km round trip, including during the winter.

The British Columbia Oldtimer’s Motocross Club (BCOT) was formed in 1974 and is a member of the International Old Timers Motocross Association which consists of 12 clubs on the West Coast: California, all of the north-West states, British Columbia and Alberta. The BCOT run 4 events each year at the Agassiz Track: 3 practices and an International Race which attracts up to 200 riders and their families from the United States and Canada. The BCOT is now celebrating its 44^th year as a Motocross Club. Without Joe and Vera’s help over the years, the club would not be as successful as it is now. They help out tremendously from preparing the track to playing a major role in the International event. The Godsalls have always promoted motocross in British Columbia, done whatever they can to allow the sport to grow and are dedicated to preserving this pattern. They are well respected in the motorcycling community and their goodwill and dedication are irreplaceable.