Dayton MacKenzie started racing at Digney Speedway in 1952 with a 1937 Ford. It was there he bought a ’51 Triumph Thunderbird, changed cams and went drag racing at Abbotsford Airport. He decided the cars had to go; bought a 350 Velocette and won the Canadian Championship Scrambles from 1954 through 1956.

Whether at a mud run, hill climb, enduro or any other event, he was the one to beat.  When a crew member for Yvon Duhamel at Daytona, he was given a pair of Yvon’s leathers for his support. These leathers were given to his son Larry and were worn in his first ever race. Dayton raced through-out western North American including the Sacramento Mile and Ascot Speedway in Gardenia, California.

Dayton was sponsored by Trev Deeley Motorcycles from 1957- 1972 in scrambles and flat track, winning many track championships and holding multiple track records.

Three brothers – Glen, Larry and Dan MacKenzie were born a year apart in Burnaby and became just like their father, Dayton, a motorcycle racing legend. Their Mother passed away suddenly when Dan, the youngest was 4. Dayton raised his boys on two wheels. Instead of going to the zoo or the park, they attended motorcycle races in Washington and BC where Dayton often competed.

The oldest brother, Glen, started campaigning Yamaha 100cc dirt bikes and quickly advanced to the 250cc classes at local dirt track ovals at the Pacific National Exhibition and the nearby Callister Park along with Queen’s Park in New Westminster and the Cloverdale Fairgrounds. He competed in professional motocross and snowmobile racing all across Canada riding factory Yamaha OW and SSR machines for Fred Deeley Ltd. and Yamaha Canada.

While a leading contender for #1 motocross plate in 1973, a street accident resulted in a year in hospital and ended his motorcycle and snowmobile racing career. Five years later, he began racing and developing Karts for Yamaha Canada, racing in BC and Washington in the Gold Cup circuit. As a top contender, he helped Yamaha dominate and change the Kart racing scene while becoming the BC and local track champion many times.

Larry raced a Harley for Fred Deeley for 11 years. He also raced Hondas for Clarke Simpkins Honda and was sponsored by Yamaha Canada in National Championships and World Championships. He rode 250cc and 500cc national and world championships and in 1975, was sixth overall in 125cc world championship, the first Canadian to rank in a 125cc world event.

He won the CMA White Memorial Trophy in 1976 earning more points than any other rider in the country in all forms of competition. In 1977, while having his best racing year to date and leading the 250cc pro class, a racing accident in Puyallup, Washington, resulted in a bike landing on his leg putting him out of competition. Three months later, riding Yamaha factory bikes, he came back to win both the 125 and 250 classes at Mission Raceways Molson Canadian Motocross series.

Dan, the youngest, followed right along with Motocross, eventually riding for Yamaha Canada. When Harley introduced a 250cc two stroke production motocross bike to the world in 1977, Dan was chosen to race the bike for Trev Deeley Ltd. in Canada.

After retiring from Motocross, he took to ice racing some 20 years later and is a multiple BC and Alberta ice racing champion plus six-time Canadian National ice racing champion. Dan was also the main organizer and promoter for the BC Ice Racing Series for many years on Stake Lake near Kamloops, BC.

He is still riding today and is a very accomplished off-road rider.