Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

i MOTOCROSS COURSES Of THE SOUTHWEST SouthWest By Pete Szilagyi ,..: N >- :; .., ~ w Z W ..J (J > (J ARLINGTON MOTOCROSS PARK This fine track recently lost its lease and is relocating in nearby Grand Prairie, Texas. If the owners can duplicate the old Arlington facility, they will. have done a fine job. Look for the openmg of the new facility sometime this summer. Iy il I.w. AUSTIN MOTOCROSS PARK Located in Manor, Texas, six miles east of Austin on US 290. This is one of the first tracks to appear in Texas; it was .. built by local M-X pioneer George Parks. A mile and one-tenth of natural terrain, it's fast and rough with plenty of jumps. The soil tends to get very nard packed as the races progress. A fun little too narrow for most riders, but it track to ride but practice broadsliding makes passing interesting. A fun track. before you come, you'l be doing plenty Fred runs five-lap motos for a purse of of it. Austin has trouble holding on to $250 on the third Sunday eacb month. owners and is currently cbanging for the third time in as many years. No trees CYCLESPORTS PARK - Loc'ated in and lousy facilities but always a good Conroe, Texas, 30 miles north of time. Promoters usually run for trophies Houston. The most universally only. The new owners will probably go acclaimed track in the state, and for on the first Sunday of each month. This good reason. Home of the July 11 Inter. track helped ruin my marrial1e. AMA race as well as the site of last year's Inter·Am. This track is a favorite BIG SPRING MOTOCROSS PARK of John DeSoto and Gary Bailey. A mile Located on FM 700 North near Big in length and all natural terrain, Spring in southwest Texas. This track Cyclesports Park bas an ideal natural participates in the point series with its setting and soil conditions. It bas several sister track in San Angelo. A nice jumps with one super launch-pad. AMA facility for a small town. It's 6{10 of a M-X champ Dick Burleson says of this mile long with plenty of that good West track, "You've got sand for the sand Texas sand. This is a relatively slow guys, turns for the turn guys, straights track because of the deep sand and for the straigh t guys, and a jump for sharp turns. They run on the third Evel Kneivel!" Good view for the Sunday of each month for about spectators, big shade trees, too. Riders $150.00. Owned and operated by the race 7 laps three times for $390 on the local Optimist Club. How's that for fIrSt Sunday of each month. Juniors and community support? Intermediates get trophies. C & C MOTOCROSS PARK - Tbis North Texas track is located near the FOREST GLADE CYCLESPORTS town of Crowley on Farm Road 1902. PARK - Located off Farm Road 666 The length of the track varies from. 7 to just north of Corpus Christi, Texas. This one mile, depending on the layout. mile long track is perched on a cliff Riders go through a twisting, dry creek above the Nueces River. It's a fairly bed, a gravel pit, and down some fast narrow track that winds through a lot of straights. Most of the race is run on trees, but a nice layout with giant berms hard-packed black soil, not much and fast S-curves. Forest Glade demands traction but plenty of fun for the a lot from the riders because there isn't spectators watching the riders slip and any place on the track to rest and a slide. Mostly small jumps, but plenty of sloppy line through a comer might put them. Adjoining the track is a in close proximity of a liveoak. More year-round spring. fed creek for folks to than adequate facilities with half the cool their beels in. A much popular track visible from many spots, track with riders in the Dallas-Fort swimming too. They run on the fourth Worth area. C & C runs on the second Sunday of each month for a $350 purse Sunday in each month for a $300-500 and trophies for the Juniors. Money purse. Juniors run 5 lap motos, Experts riders go eigh t laps and Juniors six. go seven. GREEN VALLEY RACEWAY -This is a popular road-racing track near Ft. CUERO MOTOCROSS PARK - This Worth that runs motocross in the South Texas town is probably the least infield. It is a short, hard packed course likely place for a motocross track in the that has plenty of trees nearby to keep whole world. All it takes is a moto-nut riders on their toes. Could be a very nice like Fred Zentner; if we ever decide to track with some work. Promoters seem pu t a mo tocross track on th e moon, more interested in running motocross as Fred is the man to- call. His 9{10 mile a preliminary event to the road races. long track is a fun·filled roller coaster of gullies, off-cambers, and steep ~ops and climbs. Some sandy off-camber turns to HAPPELL HILL INTERNATIONAL fool you, bu t mostly bard packed clay. MOTOCROSS PARK, INC. - Located Lots or trees for shade and crashes. A on US 290,55 miles west of Houston in OLYMPIA BEER..J PREfENTJ'<:.fiT ~ Chappell Hill, Texas. This track is as good as its name is long. Between forty and 75 feet wide, this mile long track has plenty of room to pass and several good lines through each comer. It's built on a billside so you are always either going uphill or down. Very rough with lots of wboop-de~oos, high flying jumps, and a water crossing. Lots and lots of sand for good traction. Definitely a championship cahbre track. They run on the second Sunday of each month. Experts run 10 lap motos for a purse of $400.00. You can always fmd the best riders and most avid spectators at Chappell Hill KAPITAL KATZ MOTORCYCLE PARK Located near downtown Austin, Texas on Ed Bluestein Blvd. This natural amphitheater type track is a natural for both riders and spectators. Almost every inch of the action can be seen from the edge of this abandoned sand pit. A rugged mile-long track, it is the scene of only one race a year. Tben why include it, you ask? Because the city of Austin sponsors those races, usually the first Sunday in August or last in July, in conjunction with their armual Aqua-Festival. The following Sunday is the occasion for the annual road races run on city streets, also sponsored by the city. Two solid weekends, mo tocross and road races, all put on by the fat cat with the cigar. Unbelievable. LA LAGUNA RACEWAYS - Located west of EI Paso on higbway 80 in Anthony, Texas. A few feet farther west and this track would be in New Mexico. One of the few tracks in the state that runs AMA sanctioned motocross regularly. This 'A mile long facility has lots of man-made jumps water traps and deep sand. If the six-lap motos aren't enough to tire you out, you might give the ;,-mile oval a try, or how about a boat ride on the adjoining lake? La Laguna runs twice a month for trophies. If you're just watching and come on a bike, it's only 4 bits admission. SAN ANTONIO MOTOSPORT PARK - Local Yamaha dealer Larry Gross went all out when he built this beauty 7 miles east of town off US 87. This relatively new track is very, very wide with plenty of sand. A good jump and water crossing.. Better be in good shape before you ride this track, it is demanding and the temperature in San Antonio rarely falls below 99 degrees. If you think you've seen whoop-de-doos, take a gander at the 10 foot deep wboopdies at this track. John DeSoto recently taught a motocross school here and had nothing but nice words for the SOUTHWEST MOTOCROSS PARK Located in Lockhart, Texas, 30 miles south of Austin_ Riders either love or hate this track. Most love its bone-crunching 1.24 miles of sand, steep climbs, and mud. Probably the closest thing to a European Grand Prix track you'll find in Texas. This is a very rough, no-nonsense course with lots of off-camber rocky turns to remember. A 100-foot cbange of elevation over the length of the track. The devil designed Lockhart. Very nice comfort facilities, including river showers, a beautiful camping area and running water. Plenty of big oak trees for shade. Owner J .B. Roberts runs 10-15 minute motos and pays a total of $445.00 to Experts. Lockhart runs the fourth Sunday each month. A top notch track, but not for the faint of heart. WEST TEXAS MOTOCROSS PARK Located in San Angelo, Texas. This 54 mile long track is a good combination of loose and hard surfaces. It has 12 jumps and a big, loose hill. Owner Tom Sparks changes the track regularly so local riders can't get too proficient. It's nice to see motocross getting popular in West Texas. They run on the first Sunday in each month for a $200 purse. Site of a points series championship for West Texans. Nep"i.ites Assist CMA Motocrossers By Larry Knop NEPHI, UTAH, July 10, 1971 Saturday's Continental Motocross Association race was different. Very different. First off, the race was held about 85 miles south of CMA's usual stomping grounds in Salt Lake City. Secondly, all sorts of things went wrong but that was okay - everything was still beautiful. The credit for all· the good feelings goes to the wonderful people of NephL Every year about this time the Ute Stampede celebrations are held with parades, breakfasts, contests, and one of the best rodeos in the west. The celebrations run Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, however nothing is scheduled between early Saturday morning and late Sunday afternoon. So it was suggested that CMA hold a motocross race at that time. . So a rac~ was planned, and help came ROSS TAKESROSES By Mike Murphy LIBERTY, ARIZ., July 11, 1971 Flyin' Brian Ross, one of the local r:E11I~•••• ePlGB:J:MENTO J'WlTE GUARANTEED CAJ'H PURJ'E PLUf GIANT TR.f)PHIEJ' <:.fiT 'ale BIGGEJ'T U'ldOTOCR.f)JY' EVER· DURl:/VG ~r:D1I~! $~OOQ • track. Nice creature comforts for both spectators and riders. Starter Jerry Svajda runs five lap heats for an average $300-400 purse. Unique trophies for the Juniors through fourth place. ~lSf.JNDAY SEP. 5th. • A BEAUTIFUL NEW COURSE WITH TREES' LAKE' ELEVATED SPECTATOR AAE~E:TE VIEWING' PICNIC. PLAY AREAS' • ONLYS3.00ADMISSION FOR ADULTS' SEE THE FAIR' CARNIVAL RIDES' ENTERTAINlAENT' FUN' DISCOUNT TICKETS' PRIZES GALORE' hotshoes, proceded to lead the pack for all three motos to take overall victory in the Open Pro class today at Arizona Desert Raceways. Ross had a good start and was first into tum one in each moto. From there to the checkered it was Ross in front all the way with no serious threat from Mark Foster, second. In the 250 class, Gerald Pratton, the track record holder for the fastest timed lap, ran away from the field in each moto. He was so far ahead in the last moto that on the last lap he stopped, checked bis engine (he lost his stinger) and took off to finish long before the other riders came in. Ch uck Lampe a 14-year-old California transplant, swept all three 125 motos. Lampe, who is still limping from a non-racing accident, rides a Carabela and holds the track record for all bikes. After the trophy presentation, the time trials were held. The track record ~: : -":::':::-;::'::;~':"~':,;'~:~:':::'~::::~~::::~:::~=:."-":~~:"'- Pratton tried to defend his record but ~~~2~;~sseda:ne~:~;'~~sh:"t 2~~~.~~ IEntry .nduOn mdcall_~ & 8dmiulOIll Cd! pM! ~ 10 plea - eM_ oPtn 6 AM. hI Motu 10 turned the lap .4 seconds slower than his previous time. Arizona Desert Raceway is now the only motocross track in the Phoenix area. ADR has moved since its first race and the track has been improving ever since. Dust is minimal since the track is well oiled. There are refreshmen ts and AM - ' Aft Full N.mt =. ::: -- En1..... h-o'-'oNts Adw..- 'IlIKQUlf """,,,No. ;=:: ~: A'*' ToUl.'0.0Cl 250 ~borMV J,.OO .....u:I:.00UndIr 16, 1.00Undilr D Fr.. UndIf 6. ToUlCou___ c.. Expo MotOCl'OU rndlldlO tor mil _ t the u ~ .,11'.... t Kllnowttdges that he to himself or olhtrs cU 10 Mttrldanc:t ~ p¥tlClNlJOn Chec:k IT*ie to Mcnortyde r.....,. III ~ """"* 1111 rWt of lOB lrom mjury or proo-nv ~ ~ ~ ::::: In 1t1l,.....,tand spedllcally hokb hIr""" now Ind iro h fucur. from anv ~ltty or lou CM·Expo. Ib oHoCttS Ind IIgItflb. lAtu'.-ch I!'C., ib =:::I":.o-:'I="::'~:c:'~I=~=:'::f:-;:~lUoHanWld....-m1nd1t'V SIGNATURE OF ENTRANT ,f unciIr 21, plrWlt or i. ~ rnun tho J¥..-.cl.., nowy .ffi. I" _ .. ~turn. CII ExDO Motoc:r-.. .......... n Ihod. lJflIt No. J. s.:rIlMNO, C11llorntl. 95114. \l.~""ii~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~' ' - ~-~~&~"'~"~"""~"'i- s.nd ,. sanitation facilities, and an ambulance during the racing. If the track gets more rider and spectator support the track will continue to improve. The next race is July 25, then the track will close until ~~~~._---~lI.attks-on1'age 28+--",--Sep\C\Db.er•• , -

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