New Lowell motocross racer earns spot at national championships
Ben Kongmany just made his dream come true. The nine-year-old dirt bike racer has qualified for the largest amateur motocross race in Canada, the 26th Annual Walton TransCan Canadian Motocross Grand National Championship at Walton Raceway. Kongmany, a New Lowell resident, has earned one of just 42 qualifying positions in his classes and age group.
“The Walton TransCan Grand National Championship at Walton Raceway is the event every motocross racer in the Canada aims to compete in,” said Brett Lee, event manager. “A win at the TransCan Amateur Grand National Championship gives a rider instant national notoriety and can serve as a springboard to a career.”
Most of Canada’s top professional motocross racers, including 2014 Canadian Motocross Champion Colton Facciotti, Tyler Medaglia, Jess Petitis and Kaven Benoit, have won TransCan Canadian Motocross Grand National Amateur Championships at Walton Raceway at some point before becoming professional. It will also feature top Americans Matt Goerke, Dillon Epstein and past Walton champ Joey Crown.
With the help of sponsors who help pay his way to the races, Kongmany has had the opportunity to pursue his dream. He has won many races in the last four years and competes nearly every weekend with AMO Racing Association. Kongmany won Toronto Supercross at the Rogers Centre in January and went on to compete in Las Vegas at Sam Boyd Stadium in the Monster Energy Cup Supercross event. Kongmany placed fourth. He was the only Canadian at that event.
Kongmany will make the journey to Walton Raceway along with his parents Jessica Jamieson Kongmany and Anthony Kongmany. The amateur races run August 14-17, with the Rockstar Triple Crown MXTour pro final happening August 18.
Kongmany is just one of the hundreds of racers who spent the last three months qualifying for the TransCan. The top finishers in regional qualifiers earn a berth into the Walton TransCan Grand National Championship race at Walton Raceway. Racers may enter a wide variety of classes, from 50cc Peewee classes for children as young as four years old, all the way up to a Plus 40 and Vet division for riders over 40 and 50 years old.
