Gatorback is back

mx317
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mx317
Edited Date/Time 9/13/2017 6:44pm
I saw a post here the other day that Matt Walker said they were able to get together, but it is now official on their website.
Unlimited Sports is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached and we will continue to host events at the original Gatorback Cycle Park located at 20525 NW 46th Avenue, Alachua, FL 32615.
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ga_pike
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ga_pike 9/13/2017 7:52am
9/13/2017 7:52am
Great news... too bad they couldn't figure it out for the USGP. WW did a great job and I hope they are considered for additional events in the future, but Gatorback is something special and historical.

Hell, why not host a USGP at one and a AMA Pro National at the other each year? I'd love to see that!!
TheOriginalPancakee
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TheOriginalPancakee 9/13/2017 7:53am
9/13/2017 7:53am
ga_pike wrote:
Great news... too bad they couldn't figure it out for the USGP. WW did a great job and I hope they are considered for additional events...
Great news... too bad they couldn't figure it out for the USGP. WW did a great job and I hope they are considered for additional events in the future, but Gatorback is something special and historical.

Hell, why not host a USGP at one and a AMA Pro National at the other each year? I'd love to see that!!
Has there ever been an AMA national in Florida before?
eilers434
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eilers434 9/13/2017 7:56am
9/13/2017 7:56am
ga_pike wrote:
Great news... too bad they couldn't figure it out for the USGP. WW did a great job and I hope they are considered for additional events...
Great news... too bad they couldn't figure it out for the USGP. WW did a great job and I hope they are considered for additional events in the future, but Gatorback is something special and historical.

Hell, why not host a USGP at one and a AMA Pro National at the other each year? I'd love to see that!!
TheOriginalPancakee wrote:
Has there ever been an AMA national in Florida before?
yeah Gatorback WAY back in the day held AMA nationals if I am not mistaken.
generallee121 9/13/2017 7:56am
9/13/2017 7:56am
ga_pike wrote:
Great news... too bad they couldn't figure it out for the USGP. WW did a great job and I hope they are considered for additional events...
Great news... too bad they couldn't figure it out for the USGP. WW did a great job and I hope they are considered for additional events in the future, but Gatorback is something special and historical.

Hell, why not host a USGP at one and a AMA Pro National at the other each year? I'd love to see that!!
TheOriginalPancakee wrote:
Has there ever been an AMA national in Florida before?
yes, multiple in the 80s/90s at Gatorback and also in St. Pete

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EastFlorida
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EastFlorida 9/13/2017 8:00am
9/13/2017 8:00am Edited Date/Time 9/13/2017 8:08am
Hmmm... Is there a legal battle in the works for the name Gatorback given there are plans for a new location close by?
travis-grant 9/13/2017 8:01am
9/13/2017 8:01am
Ama nationals last raced there in 1997. Person all I loved the place, its the all American facility. From an English point of view.

Sun sand lake and tyres dug into the dirt to mark the track lol and painted white
AzTrooper
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AzTrooper 9/13/2017 8:10am
9/13/2017 8:10am Edited Date/Time 9/13/2017 8:10am
Gatorback was known as the "Orphan National" . It was held during the SX season.

John
Brandon_Lake
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Brandon_Lake 9/13/2017 8:30am
9/13/2017 8:30am
My son and I are planning to go. It's going to be our first time and I wanted to know which track will be more fun for a 6 year old that's riding a KTM 50 mini? Thanks for your guys help.
miketherider 9/13/2017 9:16am
9/13/2017 9:16am
Wyn Kern had attempted to purchase his own land just down the road. At first things looked great, but an advisory committee meeting didn't go well, and the board recommend unanimously to not grant the necessary permits for him to build a new track.

Owners of original gatorback property is all tied in with a family, and those involved all wanted the previous lease to continue except for one particular family member who was pulling for the massive lease increase.

My assumption is both sides realized this wasn't going to benefit anyone. There aren't a ton of other promoters around in Florida for the land owners to work with, and obviously Wyn needs appropriate properties and spaces for his flagship events including MiniOs and gold cup series.

Happy this all worked out, can't wait for MiniOs this year.
olds cool
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olds cool 9/13/2017 9:34am
9/13/2017 9:34am
Finally, a situation where it seems as if common sense and cooler heads prevailed. That's a rarity these days.
Motoxdoc
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Motoxdoc 9/13/2017 9:53am
9/13/2017 9:53am Edited Date/Time 9/13/2017 9:54am
LOL....."back".....about 3 weeks too late! But that outta work out good for the locals.
DavetheVintageGuy
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DavetheVintageGuy 9/13/2017 10:05am
9/13/2017 10:05am
ga_pike wrote:
Great news... too bad they couldn't figure it out for the USGP. WW did a great job and I hope they are considered for additional events...
Great news... too bad they couldn't figure it out for the USGP. WW did a great job and I hope they are considered for additional events in the future, but Gatorback is something special and historical.

Hell, why not host a USGP at one and a AMA Pro National at the other each year? I'd love to see that!!
TheOriginalPancakee wrote:
Has there ever been an AMA national in Florida before?
Before Gatorback ever held a National there were 2 other tracks in Florida that had Nationals. In 1973 Amelia Earhardt Raceway in Hialeah had a 250 & 500 race and from 1976-82 Sunshine Speedway in St. Petersburg had Nationals. Bill West moved the Nationals from St. Pete to Gatorback in 1983.
aeffertz
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aeffertz 9/13/2017 10:30am
9/13/2017 10:30am
So now does the USGP next year stay at WW or move to Gatorback?
ehr400
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ehr400 9/13/2017 10:35am
9/13/2017 10:35am
I would like to see them drop Muddy Creek and do WW ranch for a national.
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APLMAN99
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APLMAN99 9/13/2017 10:55am
9/13/2017 10:55am
EastFlorida wrote:
Hmmm... Is there a legal battle in the works for the name Gatorback given there are plans for a new location close by?
If they are still going forward with the legal battle, I think it was a bad idea for Unlimited Sports to word things this way. It implies that Gatorback is the "location" that they are leasing, not the "business" that they have been running at a location that just happens to have a MX park that people mistakenly refer to as Gatorback........



mx317
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mx317 9/13/2017 11:06am
9/13/2017 11:06am
ehr400 wrote:
I would like to see them drop Muddy Creek and do WW ranch for a national.
ummmm.....no
GuyB
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GuyB 9/13/2017 11:09am
9/13/2017 11:09am
TheOriginalPancakee wrote:
Has there ever been an AMA national in Florida before?
Welcome to the sport. Wink
1
Richard Tease II 9/13/2017 3:51pm
9/13/2017 3:51pm
So during Loretta's who ever the hell it was said they have purchased new land it will be called Gator Back park its just down the road they are building as they speak and will be ready for this years Mini O's.
This is getting so messy maybe I'm missing something but hhmmm!!! These things never end well when its this complicated.
Hope I'm wrong very wrong as it is a great event to read about and watch on the YouTube
Some clear clarification is needed

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kkawboy14
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kkawboy14 9/13/2017 3:54pm
9/13/2017 3:54pm
Richard Tease II wrote:
So during Loretta's who ever the hell it was said they have purchased new land it will be called Gator Back park its just down the...
So during Loretta's who ever the hell it was said they have purchased new land it will be called Gator Back park its just down the road they are building as they speak and will be ready for this years Mini O's.
This is getting so messy maybe I'm missing something but hhmmm!!! These things never end well when its this complicated.
Hope I'm wrong very wrong as it is a great event to read about and watch on the YouTube
Some clear clarification is needed
I thought the new track was shut down by the municipality planning dept, as in no new track!
Richard Tease II 9/13/2017 4:01pm
9/13/2017 4:01pm
So much for them building a new one. I hope they didn't start building like they said without permits if so this is becoming a common theme like getting a GP without approval or whatever it was.
If i were a betting man I'd put money on the municipalities being in cahoots with the old owners.
I guess we wait and see if the event go's ahead then.
Shawn_Smith 9/13/2017 4:45pm
9/13/2017 4:45pm
Brandon_Lake wrote:
My son and I are planning to go. It's going to be our first time and I wanted to know which track will be more fun...
My son and I are planning to go. It's going to be our first time and I wanted to know which track will be more fun for a 6 year old that's riding a KTM 50 mini? Thanks for your guys help.
Both are good 50 tracks. The Cobras will dominated both however.
kkawboy14
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kkawboy14 9/13/2017 4:49pm
9/13/2017 4:49pm
Brandon_Lake wrote:
My son and I are planning to go. It's going to be our first time and I wanted to know which track will be more fun...
My son and I are planning to go. It's going to be our first time and I wanted to know which track will be more fun for a 6 year old that's riding a KTM 50 mini? Thanks for your guys help.
I would say the sx track
Cancerman
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Cancerman 9/13/2017 6:44pm
9/13/2017 6:44pm
Richard Tease II wrote:
So much for them building a new one. I hope they didn't start building like they said without permits if so this is becoming a common...
So much for them building a new one. I hope they didn't start building like they said without permits if so this is becoming a common theme like getting a GP without approval or whatever it was.
If i were a betting man I'd put money on the municipalities being in cahoots with the old owners.
I guess we wait and see if the event go's ahead then.
The new track never really got off the ground. I don't think the sale of the new property was completed, as it was contingent on the conditional use permit being approved, which it was not. This is common around Florida. The County commissioners and the zoning board members are always tight with developers. I'm sure it was the AG people who stopped the project. AG rules the roost here in Florida. I'm sure the family also knows the above said people as well. The new track did not stand a chance, ever. At least they all realized they needed to get together and do a new contract and keep things coming in ($$). The only thing the family could do would be to sell or lease the property to a dairy, farmer, or build houses on it. There is a lot of land for sale in this area, but what you will be allowed to do with it is another story. I live in the area, going on 18 years now.
bvm111
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bvm111 9/13/2017 6:47pm
9/13/2017 6:47pm
TheOriginalPancakee wrote:
Has there ever been an AMA national in Florida before?
GuyB wrote:
Welcome to the sport. Wink
good one skipper! Laughing
Richard Tease II 9/16/2017 6:24pm
9/16/2017 6:24pm
Richard Tease II wrote:
So much for them building a new one. I hope they didn't start building like they said without permits if so this is becoming a common...
So much for them building a new one. I hope they didn't start building like they said without permits if so this is becoming a common theme like getting a GP without approval or whatever it was.
If i were a betting man I'd put money on the municipalities being in cahoots with the old owners.
I guess we wait and see if the event go's ahead then.
Cancerman wrote:
The new track never really got off the ground. I don't think the sale of the new property was completed, as it was contingent on the...
The new track never really got off the ground. I don't think the sale of the new property was completed, as it was contingent on the conditional use permit being approved, which it was not. This is common around Florida. The County commissioners and the zoning board members are always tight with developers. I'm sure it was the AG people who stopped the project. AG rules the roost here in Florida. I'm sure the family also knows the above said people as well. The new track did not stand a chance, ever. At least they all realized they needed to get together and do a new contract and keep things coming in ($$). The only thing the family could do would be to sell or lease the property to a dairy, farmer, or build houses on it. There is a lot of land for sale in this area, but what you will be allowed to do with it is another story. I live in the area, going on 18 years now.
Cheers C-man

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