History

The beginning

WALSH Race Craft originated in 1996, in Chet’s Speed Shop, Preston, Connecticut, by Michael David Walsh Senior & Junior. Senior was an established fabricator in the world of auto drag racing and junior was an aspiring fabricator and ATV enthusiast. At 16 years old Mikey began competing at Southwick MX, Southwick, Massachusetts, on a HONDA TRX250R. Shortly after, he began to upgrade the ATV, his first venture in the fabrication of ATV suspension components was a swingarm, and from there WALSH Race Craft was born. In the fall of 1997, we set up shop in a small vacant area of Mr. Walsh’s David’s Cafe building, Mike engineered and fabricated, with his younger brother Nate running a small lathe and lending a hand, we established the company and went to work.

In 1998, while racing on the first WALSH Race Craft TRX250R frame kit, at Frozen Ocean MX, Auburn, New York. Mike Walsh attracted his first customer, Peter Chesson, who purchased 2) TRX250R frame kits for his sons Jamie and PJ. PJ went on to win the  250A class national championship aboard the WALSH Race Craft.

In 1999-2000, we worked with Harold Goodman, developing the TRX250R based YZ400F powered hybrid, one of the first of its kind. We competed against Kory Ellis on a Laeger similar hybrid, in a class that paved the way for the 4-stroke phenomenon..

The middle

In 2002 we worked with Doug Gust developing the TRX250R based DR-Z400 powered hybrid to attract support from Factory SUZUKI, which initiated the development of 4-stroke sport quads.

Professional championships

2002) NEATV Pro Michael Walsh

2003) AMA Pro production MX Doug Gust, AMA Pro production TT Michael Walsh

2004) AMA Pro MX Doug Gust

2006) AMA Pro MX Joe Byrd

2007) AMA Pro MX Joe Byrd

2009) AMA GNCC Pro XC1 Chris Borich

2010) AMA GNCC Pro XC1 Chris Borich

2011) AMA GNCC Pro XC1 Chris Borich

2012) AMA ATV MX Pro Chad Wienen, AMA GNCC Pro XC1 Chris Borich

2013) AMA ATV MX Pro Chad Wienen, AMA GNCC Pro XC1 Chris Borich

2014) AMA ATV MX Pro Chad Wienen, AMA GNCC Pro XC1 Chris Borich

2015) AMA ATV MX Pro Chad Wienen

2016) AMA ATV MX Pro Chad Wienen, MWEDT Pro Nathan Wolff

2017) AMA ATV MX Pro Joel Hetrick, MWEDT Pro Garrett Keister

2018) AMA ATV MX Pro Chad Wienen, MWEDT Pro Garrett Keister