Fox Racing Canada Presents Stories Revisited: The Drummondville Flyer- Carl Vaillancourt
*Editor’s Note: This Mike McGill story on Canadian MX Legend Carl Vaillancourt was written several years ago. Since then, Carl’s son Elliot has continued to climb the ladder in Freestyle Mogul Skiing and should have a good chance of being on Team Canada at the next Olympic Games. Carl also just return to riding his dirt bike after taking a year off, and he’s been training and hanging out with Jess Pettis. It’s great to hear that Carl and his family are doing well, and I hope you once again enjoy this incredible story on one of Canada’s best ever riders.
Quebec has always been a hotbed for all kinds of motorsports. Fans in La Belle Province have always had a passion for any kind of racing, which shows with the number of great international competitors they have produced over the years. Of course, we all know Gilles Villeneuve and his son Jacques made it to the pinnacle of all motorsports in F1. Many top Indy Car racers hail from Quebec and, of course, are competitors of the two-wheeled variety, both on asphalt and dirt. The Duhamel family were legends on both road and dirt. Marco Dube was a multi-time National Champion, and some would argue that perhaps our greatest motocrosser, our GOAT, so to speak, Jean Sebastien Roy, is, of course, a proud Quebecer. No discussion of Quebec and Canadian motocross greatness would be complete, however, without including one of the all-time greats in his own right, 5-time National Champion Carl Vaillancourt.
The now 50-year-old Vaillancourt was inducted into the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2016. I actually beat the Hall to the punch on this one and inducted Vaillancourt into “Mike’s Canadian Motocross Hall of Fame” for MXP Magazine back in May of 2014. Perhaps not quite as prestigious, Vaillancourt’s dominance of Canadian moto in the late 80s and early 90s made him a first-ballot shoe-in for the award, without question.
The Drummondville, Quebec native Vaillancourt started his two-wheeled odyssey by ripping around the local gravel pits on the outskirts of his hometown or on weekends at the family cottage. Carl’s older brother Pierre was the driving force behind the family’s introduction to dirt biking, but Carl was also understandably eager to get in on the action. When his older brother started racing locally Carl would tag along and tear up the pits on his trusty little Honda MR50. “I was the ultimate pit rider back then,” chuckles Vaillancourt. “I was that little brat that almost runs you over when I’m ripping around your trailer all day long.”
Eventually, Carl started racing locally in the schoolboy class, and his father, who was himself a hockey player and had never been into bikes, quickly caught the motocross fever. The young Vaillancourt proved to be a bit of a natural and started winning a few races right off the bat. Injuries are, unfortunately, a major part of the sport of motocross. A fact that we are all too aware of, and Carl was no exception to this rule. His racing career had barely even started when it was derailed by a string of rather serious injuries. A nasty broken arm at the age of 11 was followed up by not just one but two broken legs in short order, in 1982 and then again in 84. Understandably, Carl’s parents, or his mother, were beginning to think that motocross may not be the sport for their son. “My mom was freaking out a bit” remembers Vaillancourt. “She suffered from it. My dad was still into it, but I was even questioning myself, and we all agreed at this point and said, “That’s it, you’re done.”
It looked like the motocross career of Carl Vaillancourt may have been over at the tender age of 14, but the family held onto the bikes, and by the end of the 84 season, all healed up, Carl was starting to get the itch again and, as we all do, thought, “hey why not try a couple races and see how it goes.” Fortunately, things went well this time, and the family was back in the racing business. Proof of their newfound commitment to the sport came in the winter of 85 when the Vaillancourt’s packed up the new motorhome and headed south to Florida to train. Carl raced the entire Florida Winter AMA Series that year and won the highly competitive 250 B-Class Championship.
While he was now entirely back into the racing scene, Carl went on to elaborate, saying, “My mom was always scared I would get hurt again. She didn’t watch me race that much because she was so nervous. She would never watch a start, but she supported me.” 1985 turned out to be a great season for Carl. Upon his return to Canada, he dominated the 125 and 250 intermediate classes, winning the Provincial titles for both in Quebec, and he followed that up by winning both the 250 and 500cc classes at the Intermediate MX Nationals in Lethbridge, Alberta.
On an interesting side note, Vaillancourt’s career took an unusual turn when it came to the subject of injuries. I’ve interviewed many ex-professional motocrossers over the past number of years and a common theme among them is always injuries. Over the years, the injuries have stacked up and generally take a real toll on the riders both physically and mentally. Vaillancourt, however, was a bit of an exception to that rule. While he sustained two separated shoulders and a broken collarbone during his Pro Career, along with the injuries early in his amateur career, he was somehow able to stay relatively injury-free through the course of his professional career. “Yeah, it happened kind of in reverse for me,” he states. “I guess I was lucky. My knees are fine, my back is fine. I speak with some of my old friends like JSR, and they are always talking about how sore they are, and I’m good. No pain. I see a lot of people with sore backs and messed up knees from their racing days, and I don’t have any major pain that keeps me from doing anything in particular.”
Vaillancourt moved to the Pro class in 86 at 16 and immediately began mixing it up with the top Pro riders in Canada. The Pro field was pretty stacked in those days and Carl was battling with the likes of legends such as Doug Hoover, Jeff Surwall, Al Dyck and of course Ross Pederson on a regular basis. Carl finished up a very impressive 7th overall that season and the future was looking bright for the “Drummondville Flyer.”
During his career Carl did a lot of racing south of the border and even secured a few Top 100 overall rankings.
Vaillancourt credits a lot of his success in motocross to the amount of time he spent both racing and training south of the border in the US. “I wanted to race a lot in the States” recalls Vaillancourt. “My sponsors weren’t crazy about it because it was hard on my equipment, but I loved to ride, and I rode a lot, which helped me improve.” Over his years of racing and riding in the US, Carl developed many strong relationships that he still maintains to this day. “Guys like Mike Treadwell, John Dowd, and Keith Johnson. They were all like a second family to me. I would stay with them when I was down in the Southwick area. Carl even acted as a mechanic and man-friend for his old pal, fifty-five-year-old John Dowd, this past summer when Dowd raced the Deschambault National. Johnson also raced and had Treadwell manning the pit board for him.
“It was only a five-hour drive from Drummondville down to Southwick, so when nothing was going on in Quebec, Vaillancourt made the trip and raced the Spring Series and the Southwick National on several occasions. In fact, Carl’s exploits south of the border were quite impressive and garnered him some serious attention from a few of the factory teams at the time. Racing the US circuit AMA Outdoor Nationals, Carl nailed down a few top ten results (Budds Creek 1992 and Gainesville 1993), and in the AMA Pro Supercross series, he boasted a career-best 5th place in the 125 class at the 1989 Atlanta SX. “That 5th in Atlanta was a real highlight for me” admits Vaillancourt. The 125 class was really stacked that year. (Damon) Bradshaw, (Mike) Kiedrowski, and Denny Stephenson were all in the class, so there was some serious factory talent. I was very happy with that result, and I qualified for the East / West Shootout that year in Dallas and placed 9th overall, I believe.”
Vaillancourt’s results opened some eyes in the US. “Of course, getting a factory ride in America was always the ultimate goal,” recounts Vaillancourt. “But back in those days, the satellite teams like Planet Honda, who JSR rode for a few years later, just didn’t exist yet. So, something like that wasn’t even an option. I heard that Pat Alexander from Factory Suzuki was interested in me, but I guess that was just pit gossip. Nothing ever came from it.”
At the time, Carl was racing between 40 and 45 weekends a year, not to mention practice. That’s a lot of riding, and through most of his career, he was on Honda’s sponsored by his local dealer Drummond Moto. Vaillancourt clarifies that, during his professional career it was always through Honda Canada and Drummond Moto. This relationship lasted from 1982 all the way through until 1992 when the Honda budget dried up, and he switched to Kawasaki for one season. Vaillancourt goes on to state that during the late 80s and early 90s when he was in his prime, it was not unusual for him to go through a dozen bikes during a season. “What can I say, I loved to ride and I rode a lot. They would wear out,” he laughs. To the average amateur or even professional rider, this may seem like a tremendous number of bikes for one rider to go through, but there was also a financial aspect to it as well, explains Vaillancourt. “At the time my deal was 50% below dealer cost with delayed billing.” What this means is Vaillancourt would get the bikes for half price, ride them, and then sell them before they were too trashed for more than what he paid. Keeping in mind that he hadn’t paid anything at all for them, yet. “Honda was fine with this,” remarks Vaillancourt. “In fact, it was an acceptable practice as they saw this as being part of my salary.”
Speaking of sponsors, Carl was one of the few, back in the day, to hook up with an outside sponsor when he signed a deal with Texaco Oil in 1988. “Let’s make the Texaco star shine,” chuckles Vaillancourt. That was our pitch when we approached them. Carl had noticed that Jeff Surwall and Doug Hoover had landed an outside sponsor the previous season. Surwall with Labatt’s and Hoover with Esso or Imperial Oil to be precise, so he figured why not give it a try. With the help of his brother Pierre, Carl put together what he thought to be a very professional presentation and was able to schedule a meeting with a top executive at Texaco. “We were well prepared,” recalls Vaillancourt, “and luckily for me, the person I spoke with at Texaco just so happened to be friends with one of the top guys at Honda Canada. It was good timing, I guess.” Vaillancourt landed the deal with Texaco for the 1988 season.
The following season, Texaco was purchased by Imperial Oil, which owned Esso and sponsored Doug Hoover. Carl thought he may have lost the lucrative deal, but in what was seen as a bit of a surprise move in Canadian motocross circles, Doug Hoover decided to retire, and Vaillancourt simply took over the Esso sponsorship. “I did get worried about losing my deal, but they said we will honor your contract. It’s just that you have to change your colors ASAP. Hoover had retired anyway in 89′ so it’s not like I took his contract,” remembers Vaillancourt. “It was the same budget as before. The only drawback was that I had to remove all the Texaco signage from my gear and my truck in about a week. They paid for it all, of course, but it was a pretty hectic time trying to do all of that so quickly. And I always thought the Texaco star looked cool.” It certainly paid off for Vaillancourt, however, as he was able to maintain the Esso sponsorship deal right up until 1993.
Over the years, Carl has made a lot of friends both in and Canada and in the USA. One of his best his Mike Treadwell.
These were the most successful years of Vaillancourt’s professional career. Going head to head, mostly with Ross Pederson but plenty of other top competitors as well; Carl was able to capture several National Championship plates during this era. Carl scored the National title in the 500 class in 1990, 1992, and 1993 and wrestled the 250 titles away from the rest of the competition in both 94 and 95. “I was a bigger guy, just like Ross, so I was able to go pretty good on both the 500 and the 250” remembers Vaillancourt. “I always loved riding the 125, but at 190 pounds, I was certainly at a disadvantage.
Carl, of course, mentions Pederson as his number-one competitor back in those days. “He was a big, strong guy. He was not really a great jumper on the bike, but he was in such great shape. He was so professional at the track, and he hated to lose. Al Dyck was another guy that I always thought was really good. Very fluid on the bike and a great starter. I was usually able to get by him later in the motos though, but he was good too. Doug Hoover also. Great rider. Up until he retired in 1988, he pretty much smoked me.”
Carl also had the opportunity to represent Canada at the Motocross Des Nations alongside the aforementioned Ross Pederson and Al Dyck in 1989 in Gaildorf, Germany. “That was a real thrill to represent Canada, but I wasn’t really happy with the way I rode, “remembers Vaillancourt, who was tasked with riding the big Honda CR 500 that day. “It was so hard-packed, like cement, and I was just searching for a berm. And couldn’t find any,” he chuckles. Still, the team finished up quite well in 11th overall. It is pretty impressive when you consider the caliber of the competition at that event, which was won by the all-powerful Team USA, which consisted of Mike Kiedrowski, Jeff Stanton, and Jeff Ward.
One of the most memorable wins of Vaillancourt’s illustrious career came at the 1994 Montreal Supercross. “It was the Canadian final,” recalls Vaillancourt. JSR was really coming on strong back then and Blair Morgan was emerging as a great rider as well, but I got a great start and was able to hang on for the win.” The Quebecois fans absolutely ate it up and loved every second of it. “It turned out perfectly,” recalls Vaillancourt. “The two French riders ended up 1st and 2nd. Everyone was happy.” For his part, Vaillancourt would have preferred to have beaten a top American rider that night but understood that it’s a show, and the fans certainly went home satisfied.
While Vaillancourt spent most of his career with Honda and Honda Canada, he admits that by the end of the 1992 season, the budget had dried up, and he was forced to look for a ride elsewhere. After racing for Kawasaki in 1992 and Suzuki in 1993 and 1994, it just didn’t seem quite right to see Carl racing on anything other than the familiar Honda. So, for his final professional season, he went back to his trusted brand by signing with Ontario’s Machine Racing. “That was a fun year,” remembers Vaillancourt, who was teamed up with legendary Team Manager John Nelson that season. Nelson was never shy to offer his opinions, quickly letting Carl know what he thought about the wear and tear he put on his machines. “He called me the bike eater,” laughs Vaillancourt. “He would always be telling me no more clutches for you. We’re out of clutches. But as I said, I rode a lot. I loved to ride, so it was hard on the bikes.” Nelson may have given Carl a hard time, but he always came through with what he needed, and Vaillancourt rewarded him and the Machine Racing Team with a 250 National Championship that season. It was to be Carl’s last title as he retired following the 95 campaign at the age of twenty-six.
Carl Vaillancourt’s career was a highlight in the era of change in Canadian motocross. In a period which saw the transition between the CMA and CMRC sanctioning bodies, Carl set the bar for success and professionalism in the sport. The level of competition was still very good at the time. Still, unfortunately, the opportunity for sponsorship and financial success may have been at an all-time low in the early 90’s. “I have no regrets,” states Vaillancourt. “I did well. I bought my first house with the money I made from racing, and I still live there today. I may have retired from racing a little early, but I feel that I accomplished everything I could have with motocross, and I left the sport with the number one plate on my bike.”
Immediately after retiring, Carl planned to jump into the family business. Vaillancourt Portes et Fenêtres, a window and door manufacturing company in his hometown of Drummondville. After consulting with his brother, however, it was decided that it would be wise for him to complete his University degree before jumping headfirst into the business world. So, Carl was off to the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, where he completed his degree in Business Administration and Finance. “That was tough,” recalls Vaillancourt. “Going back to school after being out of it and concentrating on racing for many years. But even though it was hard I was very happy that I did it. It was cool, and it certainly helps with the business.”
These days, when not conducting business, Carl spends his time, during the winter months anyway, with his family on the slopes, not just in Quebec but around the world. He and his wife Karine spend most weekends following the freestyle, moguls skiing exploits of their two children Elliot and Sandrine. Elliot, now 20, was the Canadian National Junior Champion in 2015 and 2016 and the 2019 Junior World Champion in Dual Moguls. This season has seen Elliot competing for the Canadian National team and splitting his time between the NORAM and the World Cup Circuit. 19-year-old Sandrine, also a mogul’s skier is currently competing on the Quebec Provincial Team. “It’s not a whole lot different than motocross laughs Vaillancourt. It’s just that instead of talking about dirt conditions all the time we now talk about the snow.”
Most of Carl’s best races were on red and here he holds off Larry Ward at the 1990 Toronto Supercross. Photo by Bill Petro
As for riding, Carl really didn’t do much of it for many years. “JSR would invite me out occasionally, and we would go riding here and there. So, I still rode a bit, but really not too much.” That all changed a couple of years ago when a friend talked him into going on an Enduro-style adventure ride in Costa Rica. Vaillancourt was only a couple of hours into the once-in-a-lifetime excursion and was having such a great time that he began to ask the question of himself. “Why did I ever stop riding.” His love for the sport had been re-kindled, and along with his buddies Serge and Gabby Gregoire he hopes to get back into it this year. “I’ve got a new KTM 350 in the garage that I picked up through my friends at Gregoire Sports and I plan on doing more riding this year. Hopefully, JSR can join as well, but he doesn’t ride much anymore.” Vaillancourt hasn’t even ruled out the possibility of hitting a couple of big Vet Races. Possibly even back at Southwick. Vaillancourt, fully aware that he’s not as young as he once was, is still in great shape and ready to get back into the sport that he loves. “I know I can still go fast for 3 or 4 laps, and mix it up with the young guys, not top Pro guys, but I also know now when to back it off and take it easy’” he laughs.
I’m sure I can speak for all motocross fans when I say that I would be thrilled to see Vaillancourt back on track soon. He was one of our best, and certainly a classy and charismatic Champion. While his professional career may have been relatively brief, his results, achieved against some very stiff competition, speak for themselves, and the story of Carl Vaillancourt, The Drummondville Flyer is certainly another colorful chapter in the history of Canadian moto.
