Pepperal, Mass Motocross track location???

Bultaco
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Bultaco
Edited Date/Time 5/17/2020 9:35pm
I presume the old Trans-Am course has long been developed. Nearly 50 years being what it is. However does anyone know the address or location of where the course was located? I'd love to see where it was.
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Sir Roostsalot 12/7/2018 4:13pm
12/7/2018 4:13pm
No luck finding thr address buy I've heard there are condo's there now and not much sign of the track remains. I was fortunate enough to have the chance to race there once, unfortunately it was the last event held there in October of 1983. Track was definitely cool with a big uphill jump on the back straight, spectators there were partying pretty hard and setting off fireworks. Pretty cool for a 14 year old in the 80 expert class. There are a bunch of other threads on here about old New England tracks including Lanesboro, Pine Top, Lunenburg, and Pepperell. Almost forgot, a Trans AMA or USA in the early '70's at Pepperell was the first MX race I ever attended, probably 3 or 4 years old.
YZ302
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YZ302 12/7/2018 5:55pm
12/7/2018 5:55pm
I think it was at the center of this photo. I could be wrong.
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Has~Been
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Has~Been 12/7/2018 7:18pm
12/7/2018 7:18pm
Pine-Top in RI was a bitchin sand track in a pine forest with boulders in the woods lining the edges, road a national iI think only one year around'78-79.

Any pic would be great
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pete24
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pete24 12/8/2018 6:15am
12/8/2018 6:15am
I won the last moto ever held at pepperell ive been by there a few times can almost see the backside of track in the backof some houses its on rt111 across from a small airport

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Sir Roostsalot 12/8/2018 8:07am
12/8/2018 8:07am
pete24 wrote:
I won the last moto ever held at pepperell ive been by there a few times can almost see the backside of track in the backof...
I won the last moto ever held at pepperell ive been by there a few times can almost see the backside of track in the backof some houses its on rt111 across from a small airport
That is a badge of honor, wear it with pride!
backinthesaddleagain 12/8/2018 8:51pm
12/8/2018 8:51pm Edited Date/Time 12/8/2018 8:55pm
Way back when things were simpler, friends of mine had some of the euro racers stay at their place for a trans USA race a pepperill.

Pine top. The first mx race I ever went to was the one and only national they had. Rain all over RI that day except for at the track meant bad news for the promoter. It had been a ski area. I live like 15 minutes from there, hey it’s RI, and I swear I can smell the bean oil from that day in 1978. There is some grainy video of the 500 on the web somewhere.
Bultaco
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Bultaco 12/9/2018 10:25am
12/9/2018 10:25am
Thanks for the info.

In my search I found a website about old closed ski areas in New England that described this same property. The owners of the land owned a small ski hill as well as the moto track. By the description the photo YZ302 posted is exactly correct. It was mostly in the pasture and hill left of the Pepperell Airport across Rt111. The tree and brush growth in 35+ years will obscure about anything, so I could not find much that resembles the track. I’m going to try to find some historical Satellite photos and see what that will show.

I work a couple miles north of Pepperell so am through there often. I’ve wondered where the Transam was raced.
Joko
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Joko 12/9/2018 2:37pm
12/9/2018 2:37pm
That Pinetop uphill section was cool, difficult to get up clean if any mistakes on my 78RM125
MAICO BOB 92
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MAICO BOB 92 12/9/2018 6:45pm
12/9/2018 6:45pm
I went to my first mx race at the INTERAM in 1969 , saw Joel Robert ,DeCoster , Dave Bickers and many more. I raced most every NESC race at the track from 76 to 82 .It was my favorite track that the NESC raced on. I raced that last event in 83 and finished last in that final Open Am moto that Pete 24 won, I think I was the last person to ever race on the track.
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racerxx276
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racerxx276 12/10/2018 3:21pm
12/10/2018 3:21pm
Spent many years racing it back in the 70's. A bit rocky at times and rough for a 4 inch travel bike!
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backinthesaddleagain 12/10/2018 9:27pm
12/10/2018 9:27pm
Tid bit of info. A couple miles down the road from the pine top track is the only legal place to ride in RI. There is state land there allowing trials bikes. Every couple years they host a national round and less frequently they host the worlds top trials riders. Too bad rhe skiing and mx didn’t last. I rode a mountain bike through pine top area years ago. All I could make out we’re some old ski hill remnants of equipments and shacks.
Has~Been
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Has~Been 12/11/2018 3:00am
12/11/2018 3:00am
Yes we went to a World Round Trials around early '80's , they ran an American National on Saturday, then a World Round Sunday- very sandy transfer trails with truck size boulders in a pine forest, super dusty for a trials event.
Dekon
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Dekon 12/11/2018 5:30am
12/11/2018 5:30am
backinthesaddleagain wrote:
Tid bit of info. A couple miles down the road from the pine top track is the only legal place to ride in RI. There is...
Tid bit of info. A couple miles down the road from the pine top track is the only legal place to ride in RI. There is state land there allowing trials bikes. Every couple years they host a national round and less frequently they host the worlds top trials riders. Too bad rhe skiing and mx didn’t last. I rode a mountain bike through pine top area years ago. All I could make out we’re some old ski hill remnants of equipments and shacks.
That is the Rhode Island Trials Club, they have an agreement with the RI DEM to ride in part of Arcadia Management Area. Held a FIM world round there in 2015.

I was 7 or 8 and went to an event at Pine Top.
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backinthesaddleagain 12/11/2018 3:58pm
12/11/2018 3:58pm
backinthesaddleagain wrote:
Tid bit of info. A couple miles down the road from the pine top track is the only legal place to ride in RI. There is...
Tid bit of info. A couple miles down the road from the pine top track is the only legal place to ride in RI. There is state land there allowing trials bikes. Every couple years they host a national round and less frequently they host the worlds top trials riders. Too bad rhe skiing and mx didn’t last. I rode a mountain bike through pine top area years ago. All I could make out we’re some old ski hill remnants of equipments and shacks.
Dekon wrote:
That is the Rhode Island Trials Club, they have an agreement with the RI DEM to ride in part of Arcadia Management Area. Held a FIM...
That is the Rhode Island Trials Club, they have an agreement with the RI DEM to ride in part of Arcadia Management Area. Held a FIM world round there in 2015.

I was 7 or 8 and went to an event at Pine Top.
Yup the little red building on eacoheag hill rd where they meet at near stepping stone ranch. Matter of fact the former 1970s national Bultaco service rep who also I believe ran the race team lives on the road that is off of. Probably more taco parts and knowledge than anyone.
450exc115
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450exc115 12/12/2018 7:52am
12/12/2018 7:52am
It is directly across the street from Skydive school and was on the land that is now the Shattuck Estates. Went a few times as a kid to spectate. Nothing is left that you can see since it was over 30 years ago.
PN27416
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PN27416 12/12/2018 2:35pm
12/12/2018 2:35pm
backinthesaddleagain wrote:
Way back when things were simpler, friends of mine had some of the euro racers stay at their place for a trans USA race a pepperill...
Way back when things were simpler, friends of mine had some of the euro racers stay at their place for a trans USA race a pepperill.

Pine top. The first mx race I ever went to was the one and only national they had. Rain all over RI that day except for at the track meant bad news for the promoter. It had been a ski area. I live like 15 minutes from there, hey it’s RI, and I swear I can smell the bean oil from that day in 1978. There is some grainy video of the 500 on the web somewhere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbiHHdaoibA
1
Sir Roostsalot 12/12/2018 3:16pm
12/12/2018 3:16pm
backinthesaddleagain wrote:
Way back when things were simpler, friends of mine had some of the euro racers stay at their place for a trans USA race a pepperill...
Way back when things were simpler, friends of mine had some of the euro racers stay at their place for a trans USA race a pepperill.

Pine top. The first mx race I ever went to was the one and only national they had. Rain all over RI that day except for at the track meant bad news for the promoter. It had been a ski area. I live like 15 minutes from there, hey it’s RI, and I swear I can smell the bean oil from that day in 1978. There is some grainy video of the 500 on the web somewhere.
PN27416 wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbiHHdaoibA
I wouldn't want to be Danny Laporte #4 on the Zook's mechanic, looks like he forgot to tighten something on the clutch perch. Lets see who can identify these riders, I recognise some. Warren Ried?, Rick Burgett, Marty Smith, the Comet, Charlie Iott?, Wyman Priddy maybe, Stackable?.
1
backinthesaddleagain 12/12/2018 4:05pm
12/12/2018 4:05pm Edited Date/Time 12/12/2018 4:06pm
I believe Reid. Wise and Croft raced. Guerra maybe. I think the YZ were breaking off chain guides.

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mvmx
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mvmx 12/13/2018 4:06am
12/13/2018 4:06am
backinthesaddleagain wrote:
Way back when things were simpler, friends of mine had some of the euro racers stay at their place for a trans USA race a pepperill...
Way back when things were simpler, friends of mine had some of the euro racers stay at their place for a trans USA race a pepperill.

Pine top. The first mx race I ever went to was the one and only national they had. Rain all over RI that day except for at the track meant bad news for the promoter. It had been a ski area. I live like 15 minutes from there, hey it’s RI, and I swear I can smell the bean oil from that day in 1978. There is some grainy video of the 500 on the web somewhere.
PN27416 wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbiHHdaoibA
Nice! NJ's own #522 puttin up a fight at moto's end...
Gravity Cavity 12/13/2018 6:55pm
12/13/2018 6:55pm
Thanks for posting that video! I was there! I was ten and until just now I never knew where I saw that race. It was my first national race and I was reading about Marty Smith and the guy in the magazines. Always remember it because when we first got there they must have been heading to the track for practice and Smith almost ran me over! My friend grabbed me at the last second and he kind of gave me the hand and a yell...ha ha..I never liked him after that..lol..
I was just a kid so I didn’t know where we went to see that but in my mind I remember the big uphill and downhill
Cool to see that and now I know I wasn’t dreaming!
Gravity Cavity 12/13/2018 7:00pm
12/13/2018 7:00pm
Also, I remember being at Pepperal and seeing the first water cooled bikes, it was Ron and Chuck Sun on the Honda’s, as a kid I remember all the adults making a big deal of these tricked out bikes and how they didn’t think radiators would last on bikes ?
03 CR250R 777
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03 CR250R 777 1/25/2019 10:59am
1/25/2019 10:59am
03 CR250R 777 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/01/25/320524/s1200_15484425475265136182709699409098.jpg[/img]

I was just handed down this t-shirt a couple of weeks ago from my older sister. It belonged to my brother John who passed away at age 19, when I was 6 years old.
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Tokyo_Tiddler
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Tokyo_Tiddler 1/26/2019 3:54am
1/26/2019 3:54am
I remember racing there in 1979 and the skydivers would also be out on those Sundays. I recall some of the skydivers getting blown of course and landing on the track right in the middle of the race.. they had to stop the race to clear them of the track. Might have been the same day that JoJo Keller made a bet that he could hole shot one of his motos with his friend on the back as a passenger. He was right next to me and his friended waited until the gate was about to drop before he jumped on the back of JoJo's bike. JoJo ended up looping out when the gate dropped. Smile
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Peter Villacaro 5/17/2020 7:17pm
5/17/2020 7:17pm Edited Date/Time 5/17/2020 7:22pm
Bultaco wrote:
Thanks for the info. In my search I found a website about old closed ski areas in New England that described this same property. The owners...
Thanks for the info.

In my search I found a website about old closed ski areas in New England that described this same property. The owners of the land owned a small ski hill as well as the moto track. By the description the photo YZ302 posted is exactly correct. It was mostly in the pasture and hill left of the Pepperell Airport across Rt111. The tree and brush growth in 35+ years will obscure about anything, so I could not find much that resembles the track. I’m going to try to find some historical Satellite photos and see what that will show.

I work a couple miles north of Pepperell so am through there often. I’ve wondered where the Transam was raced.
Not finding fault with you or anyone else on this subject but you may find your research is better served looking for the "Inter-Am" series, those were the International events run at the Pepperell facility, the "Trans-Am was an outgrowth of the Inter-Am which was abandoned once the Trans-Am took hold..
As a young kid that was originally scared to death of motorcycles and those that rode them I was really intrigued after I discovered these motocross people were not criminal types like many gangs were (remember the "Devil's Disciples"?), anyway I lived about 30 miles away and hitched to the event, hung out with the Maico team (great story and experience but some other time).
This experience changed my life, I worked doing chores around various horse barns and other farms near me to buy my first bike, about a year later I was racing NESC, from there I have been fortunate to race all over the USA as well as some events overseas.
History matters, Pepperell was and continues to be a mystical place my life and many others I'm sure despite the houses now.
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Motoxtombo
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Motoxtombo 8/21/2020 8:37pm
8/21/2020 8:37pm
Gravity Cavity wrote:
Also, I remember being at Pepperal and seeing the first water cooled bikes, it was Ron and Chuck Sun on the Honda’s, as a kid I...
Also, I remember being at Pepperal and seeing the first water cooled bikes, it was Ron and Chuck Sun on the Honda’s, as a kid I remember all the adults making a big deal of these tricked out bikes and how they didn’t think radiators would last on bikes ?
Sorry for digging up a old thread, I think it was Ron Sun and Richie Coon on the factory Honda's, they were very trick bikes. That was a good summer here in New England, they went to a few races from what I remember.
I found this thread searching for old NESC tracks, Does anyone know where the old Waterboro Maine track was,I've been searching on Google earth and I can't find it,its probably so overgrown that its hard to find.
Pepperell was easy to find,YZ302's post above is correct, its right in the middle of the photo he posted at the fork in the road.
backinthesaddleagain 8/25/2020 3:12pm
8/25/2020 3:12pm
Used to like racing at waterboro. Come up the hill hit the jump under the Pedestrian bridge and turn left down hill to a right hander then went back up hill. Used to stay at the Bar H in Sanford. Great times.

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