1984-1986 Moto Park Grand Prixs

By the late 70’s the Golden Years of Canadian Motocross had come to an end, as did the boom years of Motorcycle Sales in Canada. The last Motocross Grand Prix had been held at Mosport in 1979. During the mid 80’s thru the mid 90’s sales of Motorcycles plummeted from more than 100,000 units per year to as low as 20,000.

Carl Bastedo had been successful in promoting both a series of National Consumer Motorcycle Shows throughout Canada starting in 1977 as well as Supercross starting in 1980 at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. Bringing a World Championship Motocross Grand Prix back to Canada was a natural evolution in his mind.

Any Motorsport event requires major sponsorship in order to be successful, this is the way it is all over the World. The Supercross events actually took in more in sponsorship than they did at the gate. The financial success of the Canadian Grand Prix was doomed from the beginning as Yamaha Canada was the only major company to sponsor the event.

In spite of this, a great event was put together in 1984 on an extended Motopark track. Hundreds of loads of dead sand carved out of a “honey hole” found on the property re-surfaced the entire track. Huge D8 bulldozers where brought in to reshape the woods at the south end of the property revealing huge hills and drop offs which where a part of any GP track of the era.

Hospitality wasn’t generally a part of the travelling GP Circus at the time and Motopark was one of the first to introduce a deck overlooking the track with décor and waiters serving up Steak dinners for the local and GP VIP’s in attendance. The Township Reeve and council members where in attendance and Ontario’s Solicitor General arrived for the opening ceremonies via Helicopter which landed in the front yard of Carl’s house.

More than 3,500 spectators paid to get in bringing total attendance close to 5,000. It was the most people seen at a Motocross race in Canada since the great 500cc GP at Copetown in 1975.

All the buzz in the pits was how Canada’s Ross Pederson would fare against the GP regulars, 13 of whom made the trip. Chuckles throughout the pits as the Euro’s looked over Ross’s RM500 “Motocross” bike. On the track it was a different story as Ross challenged many of them finishing top Canadian in 4th place while Glen Nicholson, also on the RM500, was next Canadian garnering 10th.

The podium at the 1984 Grand Prix of Canada was made up of Belgian riders. The victory went to Georges Jobe (Kawasaki) followed by Andre Malherbe (Honda) and Eric Geobers, also on a Honda.

In 1985 the FIM requested that Motopark run a non points paying 250 c.c. GP as the US GP at Unadilla was the following week and they felt the European riders would like to spend the week prior acclimatizing themselves to North America. Only 4 Euro’s made the trip led by Gert Jan Van Doorn who battled with Ross Pederson taking first in Moto 1. Van Doorn suffered a flat tire in Moto 2 allowing Pederson to take the win and become the first Canadian to win a Canadian Grand Prix. American Honda’s Darryl Shultz also showed up in 1985. Shultz finished with a DNF in moto one and 3rd behind Pederson and Doug Hoover in moto 2.

Financially, the Grand Prix’s proved to be to much of a drain and Motopark informed the CMA in the fall of 1985 that it would not run another 500 c.c. World Championship round in 1986. The CMA felt obligated to produce the event and took the production over with agreement that the event would be held at Motopark.

The last Motocross Grand Prix in Canada was held in sweltering heat. The event was well produced but poorly attended. On the Podium in 1986 were Belgians Andre Malherbe, and Eric Geobers while Great Britain’s David Thorpe rounded out the top 3. Top Canadian that year was Doug Hoover and Glen Nicholson in 9 and 10th. Ross Pederson was not entered, I suspect he was injured.

It was the end of an era and the entire World GP Circuit went into a slump during the late 80’s and 90’s as Motorcycle Sales World wide continued to plummet. Slow market growth in the late 90’s led to a revival of the GP scene in early 2000.

32,607 Responses

  13. UKRNET — це простір, де український контент поєднує аналітику, сервісність і ком’юніті. На https://ukrnet.org/ ви знайдете новини, статті про бізнес, технології, здоров’я та суспільство, добірки сервісів і корисні огляди. Платформа публікує практичні матеріали для щоденних рішень: від вибору техніки й меблів до юридичних порад і безпеки. Зручна навігація за рубриками, регулярні оновлення та акцент на верифікованих джерелах роблять UKRNET надійним путівником інформаційного дня. Долучайтесь і підписуйтесь на розсилку, щоб не пропустити головне.

    Reply

  16. https://milohevs948.theburnward.com/meet-the-countertop-contractors-shaping-americas-homes-in-2025

    Did you know that in this year, only around 2,000 companies earned a spot in the Top Countertop Contractors Ranking out of thousands evaluated? That’s because at we set a very high bar.

    Our ranking is transparent, constantly refreshed, and built on more than 20 criteria. These include feedback from Google, Yelp, and other platforms, affordability, communication, and craftsmanship. On top of that, we conduct 5,000+ phone calls and 2,000 estimate requests through our mystery shopper program.
    The result is a benchmark that benefits both homeowners and fabricators. Homeowners get a reliable way to choose contractors, while listed companies gain prestige, online authority, and even more inquiries.

    The Top 500 Awards spotlight categories like Veteran Companies, Best Young Companies, and Value Leaders. Winning one of these honors means a company has achieved rare credibility in the industry.

    If you’re searching for a countertop contractor—or your company wants to earn recognition—this site is where trust meets growth.

    Reply

  28. Terrific work! This is the type of information that are supposed to be shared across the internet.

    Disgrace on Google for now not positioning this submit higher!
    Come on over and talk over with my website . Thank you =)

    Reply

  33. Всем привет!
    Меня зовут Станислав и я обожаю смотреть онлайн мультсериал Южный Парк на сайте https://southpark-online.info
    Там много интересных серий, которые Вам понравятся.
    Присоединяйтесь!

    Reply

  36. Сотрудничество с компанией НАПЫЛЕНИЕ РФ, специализирующейся на поставке редкоземельных материалов для различных методов напыления, открывает перед вашим предприятием двери в мир качественных инноваций. Работа с нами гарантирует не только доступ к премиальным продуктам, но и возможность заказа требуемого количества.

    С широким ассортиментом продукции на основе редкоземельных материалов, от мышьяка до циркония, компания НАПЫЛЕНИЕ РФ готова удовлетворить потребности самых разных заказчиков. Каждый продукт сопровождается необходимыми документами, удостоверяющими его происхождение и соответствие заданным критериям.

    Кроме того, НАПЫЛЕНИЕ РФ понимает важность профессионального взаимодействия и поддержки на каждом этапе партнерских отношений. В нашем лице вы найдете не просто поставщика, но и партнера, готового предложить квалифицированную помощь и поддержку, опираться на ваши конкретные потребности и адаптировать условия поставки под особенности вашего производства.

    Выбирая сотрудничество с НАПЫЛЕНИЕ РФ, вы гарантируете себе плавное и бесперебойное снабжение ценными напыляемыми материалами, позволяющее вам без остановки реализовывать самые передовые и технологичные проекты. Ваш бизнес получит крепкого союзника, с которым текущие трудности превращаются в завтрашние успехи.

    Наша продукция:
    Плоская мишень распыления Cegd сплавов

    Reply

  39. Заказать диплом любого ВУЗа!
    Мы предлагаембыстро купить диплом, который выполнен на оригинальной бумаге и заверен мокрыми печатями, водяными знаками, подписями официальных лиц. Документ пройдет любые проверки, даже при помощи профессионального оборудования. Достигайте цели быстро и просто с нашими дипломами- hitman.getbb.ru/posting.php?mode=post&f=16&sid=4eece4a00cc8ee9bc428aa892665c187

    Reply

  49. https://postheaven.net/viliagupvb/how-contractors-can-boost-reputation-through-national-rankings

    Who doesn’t want of having a stunning countertop that elevates their kitchen or bathroom.

    Did you know that in this year, only 2,043 companies earned a spot in the Top Countertop Contractors Ranking out of thousands evaluated? That’s because at we don’t just accept anyone.

    Our ranking is transparent, updated regularly, and built on more than 20 criteria. These include reviews from Google, Yelp, and other platforms, quotes, customer service, and craftsmanship. On top of that, we conduct 5,000+ phone calls and 2,000 estimate requests through our mystery shopper program.

    The result is a trusted guide that benefits both homeowners and fabricators. Homeowners get a safe way to choose contractors, while listed companies gain prestige, SEO visibility, and even new business opportunities.

    The Top 500 Awards spotlight categories like Veteran Companies, Rising Stars, and Most Affordable Contractors. Winning one of these honors means a company has achieved rare credibility in the industry.

    If you’re searching for a countertop contractor—or your company wants to stand out—this site is where quality meets opportunity.

    Reply

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *