Colin Fraser: Flat Track Canada National, Georgian Downs, Barrie, ON, Saturday September 14th

Current Flat Track Canada National Champion Tyler Seguin was in control at the seventh national of the season at Georgian Downs, earning a solid win to force a final fight for the 2024 crown next weekend, Saturday Sept 21, in Niagara.

Four months after the winning the opening 2024 National round at the Shannonville Flat Track next door to the opening Bridgestone CSBK National, round eight at Humberstone will now determine the next number one.

At round seven at the Georgian Downs horse race and gaming facility just south of Barrie, ON, on Saturday night, September 14, T. Seguin had an impressive showing for the Evans family squad. Through two restarts, he controlled the feature Expert Open class on a seasoned Rotax framer, earning a solid win and moving to within just three points of the championship points lead.

Last season, Seguin clinched his crown with a solid effort at Humberstone, and this year’s race will be the final event at the soon-to-close, tight auto venue.

Heat Two Novice Open start leaders at Georgian Downs with CSBK rookie Pro and second race flat tracker Andrew Cooney (No. 3 Suzuki) wide from No. 19 Honda of Eric Orosz and points leader No. 23 Honda Daniel Dorst.

While Tyler Seguin stayed calm and front and centre in the Pro pack, championship chase leader Don Taylor had a crazy night. Early in the program, two-time FT Canada number one (2013 and 2014, sometimes retired since then) Taylor attracted attention his old Harley leathers, riding his classic XR750Vv-twin – a machine not seen in Georgian Downs for a decade, back when Steve Beattie was on the way to his number one.

To say the arrival of the big Harley was popular with the fans would be an understatement.

“This is the first time I’ve ridden this bike on this track,” explained Taylor to the crowd of the XR, at dusk, pre-race. “The last time I was campaigning the Harley I was hurt when we went to Georgian Downs in 2016, so I didn’t race. This is probably the last time I’ll race this bike.”

While Dad Don fought his way to earn second in the Main, earlier in the program son Ryan Taylor was in control of the 50cc Chain class on his No. 54 KTM.

Unfortunately, Taylor’s recently repurchased formerly factory supported racer didn’t survive the heats, and he was forced to return to a machine that has also yielded much career success – a classic Sehl Rotax framer.

This forced Taylor to start on the penalty line for the main event since he hadn’t raced or practiced on the Rotax, but five other Experts joined him at the back with similar issues, including Dustin Brown (three times number one), Fred Duchesneau, Trent Pickle and Brandon Seguin, who had issues on the warm-up lap, ran to the paddock and then suffered a chain issue with a borrowed bike.

At the start, Tyler Seguin sprinted out front with New York’s Justin Jones second on his DTX Husqvarna, battling Brandon Seguin and Dominic Beaulac on another borrowed Sehl Rotax framer.

On lap 8 the Bieger Honda of 14-year-old sensation Liam Caskie from Brantford, ON, went down in turn three, forcing a red flag. The first in-line restart yielded more drama in the north end of the venue, this time Taylor crashing and mashing the rear of his Rotax. None the less, Taylor again made it to the back of the grid for the third start.

Prior to the third restart of Flat Track Canada’s National Main event at Georgian Downs, Championship points leader Don Taylor awaits a back of the pack start on his battered Sehl Rotax framer; note the broken off left number plate!

The next race started with Seguin and Jones banging bars in turn one, but soon Seguin would re-take control for the third time. Taylor charged through the depleted pack to get into a solid dice with Jones for second, the title contender earning the spot with a last lap pass. Jones would get third, after earlier winning a great race in the DTX division on the same Husqvarna, ahead of Tyler Seguin (Honda) and Beaulac (GasGas).

Long-time Picotte Performance supported Beaulac was a solid fourth in the main, holding off American Brandon Newman’s KTM. Sixth belonged to Dave Pouliot (KTM) from Brown and fellow former champ Brodie Buchan in his first Canadian start of the season.

With just one national left to run, Taylor still heads the points standings, but his lead has slipped to just three points, 140 to 137 over Seguin, with 23 points available for the Humberstone win. Jones has 117 points, meaning a three-way tie and then rulebook tie breaker might be a concern next weekend.
“It’s not over until it’s over,” smiled victor Seguin post race. “When the pressure is on, you do what you have to do. I really want to thank Chris and George Evans, they’re so dedicated, and my sponsors like Parts Canada, Thor, Alpinestars and of course my family.”

The second last event of the 2024 Flat track Canada National Championship tour on Saturday night, September 16, at Georgian Downs south of Barrie, ON, featured an impressive performance in the Expert Open class by Tyler Seguin on his No. 1 Evans Rotax, moving the reigning Champ into title contention with one race left to run at Humberstone near Port Colborne.

Taylor admitted that “I didn’t know we’d all be back there on the fourth row,” for the first start. Explaining his restart crash, Taylor stated that “it can get really small out there, it was crowded, there were about four of us all tied up, and I lost the front tire. We were fortunate to be able to make that next start.”

Taylor also thanked the Sehl brothers and his at track tech, former road racer Steve Ball.