Eight Down, One To Go - it's time for the 'Big Show' - the Parts Canada TransCan at Walton Raceway

Another Monster Energy Motocross Nationals season has come and gone
except for the ╲Big Show╡ at Walton Raceway in Walton, ON this
Sunday, August 21. With a number of foreign guest riders in the mix,
including Julien Bill, reigning MX3 World Champion, it promises to be
another showdown of epic proportions.

Although more often than not the MX1 and MX2 title hunts have been
decided by the time the national tour gets to Walton, the TransCan
Grand National is anything but an afterthought to a season that got
underway in early June. It has become the most renowned motocross
festival in the country, attracting more than 1,000 entries and 25,000
spectators.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the 2011 Parts Canada TransCan
offers another four days of amateur national racing from 50cc to
Vintage. As always the icing on the cake will be the closing round of
the pro MX1 and MX2 Nationals. Also at stake in the MX1 class is the
prestigious ╲King of Walton╡ title, the winner of which is
acknowledged with the presentation of the Excalibur-like ╲Walton
Sword╡.

Walton is the crown jewel of the CMRC pro and amateur national
schedule. Winning Walton is the Canadian motocross equivalent of
winning the Indy 500. Winning the TransCan is about bragging rights
and joining a roster of former victors that include the likes of
homegrown talent Ross Pederson, Jean Sebastien Roy, Marco Dubé, Darcy
Lange, Blair Morgan, Dusty Klatt, Colton Facciotti, Marty Burr and
Simon Homans.

American winners of the TransCan include Nicholas Wey, Ray Sommo, Paul
Carpenter, Gavin Gracyk, Sean Hamblin, Josh Woods, Derrick Fisher,
Michael Willard and Tucker Hibbert.

The Walton TransCan Grand National was the first major CMRC motocross
initiative when the sanctioning bodyâ•˙s Mark and Jan Stallybrass
partnered with Walton Raceway owner Chris Lee to put on the event.
Although they conceived the TransCan as a ╲celebration of
motocross╡, little did they know it would fan out into the
╲classic╡ it has become today.

╲We had a bold vision, thatâ•˙s for sure. A lot of people thought we
were dreamers, if not crazy,╡ said CMRC President Mark Stallybrass.
╲At the time we did the first TransCan, motocross was very unstable
in Canada and going through a precedent setting transition. We were
the new kids on the block and we wanted to create a cornerstone
national for our organization. An annual Walton TransCan would be that
event.╡

Although the TransCan lost money the first five years and took another
five years to make it a truly viable event, it experienced a gradual
but steady growth curve. The turning point came in 2001, when vandals
set fire to the Lee familyâ•˙s barn during that yearâ•˙s running of
the TransCan.

Where many an individual would have packed it in, Lee decided to take
the 10-year old event to a new level instead. Fighting a personal
battle with cancer during this period, Lee regrouped and did a lot of
soul searching about his future as a key player in Canadian motocross.

Lee sold off his manufacturing business, bought out the
Stallybrassesâ•˙s interest in the TransCan, and focused on dedicating
most of his energy to marketing and promoting his baby, as well as the
top-flight venue itself. This year alone Walton Raceway will have
hosted 29 motorsport events by the end of the racing season, in
addition to the TransCan.

╲Who knows, if it hadnâ•˙t been for the fire I might not have made
the decisions I made. It could have been the end of the TransCan, but
adversity only makes me more determined to not throw in the towel. I
made a commitment to myself to make a financially feasible business
out of the TransCan,╡ Lee said.

╲Mark and Jan were instrumental in the early years and very
supportive after that as well. It was a lot of work and tough going
financially. At times it seemed hopeless but we were so passionate
about motocross we persevered. Despite the struggle we knew that what
we were doing had to be done. It just felt right.╡

Since the mid-90s the TransCan has attracted a number of special guest
riders from south of the border as well as Europe, to bang handlebars
with the series regulars. The 2011 edition of the TransCan is no
exception, with the return of Hungaryâ•˙s Kornel Nemeth and the
Canadian debut of Switzerlandâ•˙s Julien Bill.

Nemeth, who is no stranger to Canada, will ride for Team Rockstar
Energy Troy Lee Designs OTSFF Suzuki. He will take over an injured
Bobby Kiniryâ•˙s bike. Kiniry, who won Walton last year, broke his
collarbone during practice at Round 8.

Nemeth, a multi-time Hungarian National Champion and former top
European freestyler, campaigned three rounds of the Monster Energy
Nationals in 2009 aboard a Royal Distributing KTM Canada ride. Last
year he did the entire tour, again for KTM, finishing runner-up in the
MX1 Championship to Dusty Klatt.

In 2009 and 2010 Nemeth was among the top runners at Walton. He
battled his way to second overall on the strength of 2-2 motos in his
debut year; third overall on the strength of 2-4 motos last year.

Nemeth, who won at Sand Del Lee in 2010, said he is looking forward to
this one-off Canadian race and going for a podium finish.

Meanwhile, Julien Bill, a multi-time Swiss National Champion, became
the first ever motocrosser from Switzerland to win an FIM World
Championship. The Geneva native accomplished the feat this year,
hammering down the title in the MX3 class (formerly 500cc).

Although he has raced in the United States, this will be Billâ•˙s
first appearance in Canada. He will be riding as a privateer on a
stock bike. Because Walton resembles many a European GP track, Bill
should feel right at home and be in contention for the MX1 win,
regardless of what machine heâ•˙s riding.

Also competing at the Parts Canada TransCan on Sunday is young
Canadian phenom Cole Thompson. The Brigden, ON native, who is making
his pro debut, wrapped up his amateur career with a win in the 450 B
Stock class at Loretta Lynnâ•˙s in Tennessee earlier this month.
Thompson has also won a number of amateur championships in Walton.

While Yamaha Red Bull Blackfoot Fox Racingâ•˙s Colton Facciotti has
already clinched the MX1 title, with his teammate Dusty Klatt as
runner-up, the MX2 Championship wonâ•˙t be wrapped up until the first
moto.

Unless Blackfoot Yamahaâ•˙s Tyler Medaglia scores no points, and his
archrival Royal Distributing KTMâ•˙s Kaven Benoit wins both motos,
Medaglia will repeat as top dog of the volatile MX2 class.

As in the MX1 points chase the MX2 elite will be pouring on the gas in
a last-ditch effort to improve on their current rankings, especially
when it comes to the top-10, where nothing has been written in stone
yet except for the 1-2 occupied by Facciotti and Klatt.

If you are unable to attend Round 9, you can still take in the action
by going online at www.mxpmag.com <http://www.mxpmag.com/>
and join host Brian Koster for MXP Magazineâ•˙s live podcast starting
around 11:45a.m. local time.