Motor Racing / Shav Glick : Area Is Without Motocross Park

Motocross, the fastest growing motorized sport in America, may have become the victim of its own popularity, at least in Southern California.

The closing of Saddleback Park last year and Indian Dunes last month leaves the metropolitan Los Angeles area without a major riding park--either for competitors or recreational riders. The problem was the same, increasing insurance costs caused by endless suits filed by parents of injured play riders.

“It wasn’t the professional, or even the amateur, competitive rider who did it,” said motocross promoter Ron Hendrickson of Laguna Hills. “It was the play riders who fell off, bumped their nose or maybe broke an arm or a leg, and then their parents sued the park for not protecting their innocents. When annual insurance rates get up to $97,000, like they did at Indian Dunes, it’s hard to justify keeping a park open.”

The closing of Indian Dunes less than a year after Saddleback--the nation’s first motorcycle park--had to shut its gates, forced Hendrickson to move his 14th annual World Mini-Bike Grand Prix to Las Vegas after seven years at Indian Dunes, two at Racing World, also closed, and five at Saddleback.

“I still don’t know what to do with the AMA National championship races scheduled for June 23,” Hendrickson said. “I’d already shifted them from Saddleback to Indian Dunes and started advertising when Newhall Land & Farming Co. closed the park. The options aren’t good. Sunrise Valley, out near Adelanto, might be a possibility, but it’s a long way from Los Angeles.”

The only other active motocross courses in the area are Carlsbad in San Diego county, site of the annual U.S. Grand Prix June 30; De Anza Cycle Park, about 15 miles east of the Riverside-San Bernardino area; Hungry Valley Recreational Park, across I-5 from Gorman along the Ridge Route; and small tracks at Ascot Park, Corona and Perris.

Corona Raceway, which also holds weekly stock-car races, is closing in May to make way for a housing development.

“There were so many young kids who watched or read about riders like Bob Hannah and Brad Lackey and Broc Glover, guys like that who were making a couple of hundred grand before they were out of their teens, and wanted to be like them, that the parks got crowded with kids without experience,” a factory representative said.

“The success of stadium motocross, with 70,000 and more at Anaheim and big crowds in San Diego and the Coliseum has backfired on the public. Now there’s a tremendous interest in riding and no place nearby to ride.”

Stu Peters, president of the Continental Motosport Club, which has been conducting motocross locally for 22 years, disagrees.

“It may mean a little inconvenience in having to drive a little farther but there are some excellent places to ride, and not all that far from Los Angeles,” Peters said. “There are state parks at De Anza, with 4,400 acres, and Hungry Valley, with 19,000 acres, where you can ride and race.

“De Anza isn’t 10 minutes farther than Riverside (International Raceway), and the gate to Hungry Valley is 31 miles straight up the freeway from the gate at Indian Dunes. Hungry Valley has graded trails, is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and riding is free. It may be a little gem in the rough. Its business quadrupled the week after Indian Dunes closed.”

For the recreational rider, there are 7,000 acres set aside for riding in the San Bernardino mountains. The trails start near Green Valley Lake, off forestry road 471.

For competitors, CMC has programs scheduled at De Anza on the first Sunday of the month, at Hungry Valley every Sunday, starting March 31, at Ascot Park every Friday night, starting April 5, at Sunrise Valley every second and fourth Sunday of the month, and at Carlsbad every Sunday.

“This will be our 16th year at Ascot, making it the oldest night track in the country in terms of continuous racing,” Peters said. “After years of racing Wednesdays and Thursdays, we’re extremely pleased to move into the Friday night slot at the Agajanians’ track.”

The CMC recently concluded a successful Golden State Nationals series for professionals at eight parks, including Carlsbad. The winners were Phil Larson, on a Honda, in 500cc; Jim Holley, on a Yamaha, in 250cc; and A. J. Whiting, on a Suzuki, in 125cc. Former Golden State winners include world champion Lackey in 1982, and national champions Glover in 1981, Jeff Ward in 1983 and 1984, Hannah in 1983, Johnny O’Mara in 1984 and Donnie Hansen in 1982.

“What with everyone talking about the demise of our sport in Southern California, I knew it was time for CMC to take some strong and positive steps to ensure ongoing activity for motocross, and also for ATVs (three-wheelers),” Peters said. “ATVs and quads are gaining in popularity every day, and they have proven to be compatible with motocross. I think all the negative talk about the future of motocross hurting is premature.”

The California Racing Club, which held races regularly at Indian Dunes, has shifted its events to De Anza, Perris and Corona, until it closes.

RIVERSIDE--Paul Newman fans will miss an opportunity to see him in a race car this year, since Riverside International Raceway has canceled its March 31 Trans-Am race. In its place, there will be a six-hour Playboy Showroom Stock Enduro from 3-9 p.m. Saturday, March 30, and Formula Russell, Formula Atlantic and Pro Sports 2000 races March 31.

SPRINT CARS--U.S. Auto Club champion Ricky Hood, who was sidelined for five months after breaking both legs in a pit accident, will return to the site of his accident this weekend in the USAC-California Racing Assn. series at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix. Hood was injured when hit by a car while standing in the pits. He returned to competition last weekend at El Centro, finishing sixth and second. Racing is scheduled Friday and Saturday nights. The same cast will be at Ascot Park for the Gardena track’s season opener Saturday night March 16.

OFF-ROAD RACING--A short-course program, featuring mini-trucks, open-wheel buggys, three-wheelers and Odysseys, is scheduled Sunday afternoon at Corona Raceway. . . . Mickey Thompson’s Pomona Fairgrounds series will return to action Saturday night, March 16.

MOTORCYCLES--The Coors Spring Classic for speedway riders will end Saturday night at Long Beach Veterans Stadium. John Sandona and Bobby Schwartz each have one win after races at Costa Mesa and San Bernardino. Point leader, however, is consistent Mike Faria. . . . The 1984 Superbikers at Carlsbad will be shown on Wide World of Sports on Channel 7 at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

STOCK CARS--Tom Hamilton, who builds race cars for Stock Car Products in Santa Fe Springs, has leased Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield for a season of open competition, super-modified and Winston West Grand National races. His first event will be the Sonny Easley Memorial March 16, with the weekly season starting April 6. Jim Thirkettle of Sylmar, who became the first driver to win three consecutive Skoal Bandit Copper World Classics two weeks ago at Phoenix, will face Jimmy Insolo, Ron Esau, Rick Becker and Mike Chase in the Easley race. Hamilton’s son, Steve, 23, will drive the Stock Car Products Camaro after a season on the dirt at Corona.

NEWSWORTHY--Danny Ongais, who has led four of the last eight Indianapolis 500s, has entered two Interscope March-Cosworths for the 69th annual 500 May 26. . . . Former Indy car owner George Hurst is conducting a weekly racing show on KIEV from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays. . . . Riverside International Raceway will hold its month drag racing program Sunday.