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.

34,885 Responses

  12. Сотрудничество с компанией НАПЫЛЕНИЕ РФ, специализирующейся на поставке редкоземельных материалов для различных методов напыления, открывает перед вашим предприятием двери в мир высококлассных инноваций. Партнерство с нашей компанией гарантирует не только доступ к премиальным продуктам, но и возможность заказа любого необходимого объема.

    Обладая обширной линейкой продукции на основе редкоземельных материалов, от мышьяка до циркония, компания НАПЫЛЕНИЕ РФ готова удовлетворить потребности самых требовательных клиентов. Каждый продукт сопровождается необходимыми документами, удостоверяющими его происхождение и соответствие стандартам качества.

    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 надежного партнера, с которым сегодняшние вызовы превращаются в завтрашние возможности.

    Наша продукция:
    Тигель высокочистого молибдена

    Reply

  18. Work smarter, not harder with https://lifelong-online.com/. Lifelong designs premium office essentials—from CNN-featured chair wheels that glide smoothly without mats, to ergonomic laptop stands and heavy-duty dual monitor mounts. Built for comfort, posture support, and workspace organization, every product is engineered with durable materials and universal compatibility. Whether at home or in the office, Lifelong helps you create a more productive, ergonomic, and clutter-free setup—so you can focus on what matters most.

    Reply

  20. Normally I don’t read article on blogs, but I wish to
    say that this write-up very pressured me to check out
    and do so! Your writing taste has been surprised me.
    Thanks, very great post.

    Reply

  31. Hey everyone,

    I’ve been diving into the world of online casinos lately, and I’ve gotta say — it’s way more exciting than I expected. At first, I was totally unsure. I mean, how do you even believe in an online platform with your money, right? But after spending hours researching (and trying out a few dodgy sites so you don’t have to), I figured out a few things that set apart a legit casino from a complete fraud. First off, if you’re new to all this, here’s the golden rule: **licenses matter**. If a casino doesn’t have a proper regulatory certificate (like from the MGA or the UK Gambling Commission), just close that tab. No bonus is worth the trouble of never seeing your funds again. Also — and I know no one wants to — check the terms. That’s the only way to know what kind of hidden traps they’ve slapped onto those so-called “generous” bonuses.

    Now, let me share a site I’ve been playing on these last few weeks. It’s been a breath of fresh air. The interface? Super easy to navigate. Payouts? No waiting around. And the game selection? *Wild*. Slots, live dealers, blackjack, even some oddball options I hadn’t tried before. Check it out here: luckystar login . What really impressed me was the support team. I had a tiny issue with a bonus not working, and they got back to me in like 10 minutes. Compare that to other sites where you’re just ghosted by support — yeah, not worth it.

    Also, if you’re into bonuses (and who isn’t?), this place offers some awesome ones. But here’s the trick: don’t just chase bonuses. It’s smarter to get reasonable terms than a huge bonus you’ll never be able to withdraw. I’m not saying you should go and bet the farm — please don’t. But if you’ve got a little extra spending money and you’re looking for a fun way to unwind, online casinos can totally deliver. Just stay sharp, control your bankroll, and don’t treat it like a side hustle. It’s for fun, not for a paycheck. Anyway, just wanted to drop my experience here in case anyone’s interested or trying to find a trustworthy place to play. If you’ve got your own go-to sites or even some wild losses, I’m all ears — love talking shop about this stuff.

    Good luck out there, and don’t let the house win too much ??

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Diplomi_ygki Cancel reply

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