Lake whitney mx 6 years after closure!

Cashmore
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Cashmore 10/31/2016 4:42pm
10/31/2016 4:42pm
Man I miss that place. I have SO many good memories from that place. Growing up we rode there every chance we got, lonestar and spring classic Sad
3
Johnny Depp
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Johnny Depp 10/31/2016 10:08pm
10/31/2016 10:08pm Edited Date/Time 10/31/2016 10:23pm
1977 AMA 500 National. Stackable 1st, Howerton 2nd. My 1st National on the Montesa '77 VB360. I sucked.


1975? just after getting a driver's license I load up all the local's in the Pontiac land yacht and drive all night to the Trans AMA. Park on the road in the middle of the night pouring rain and we are hammered and sleep in the car, the trunk, and under the car. Wake up to a crowd of people walking by laughing at us wasted kids. The rumor is the race is cancelled due to the rain. Wander down to see the track for the 1st time and it is surreal. Works bikes and international legends everywhere, just walk right on up. The valley had a raging creek at the bottom of a way steep drop off then uphill. No way the race could go through that and all the riders are standing around shaking their heads "no way". Decoster talks someone into letting him take the biggest Cat dozer they had down the death defying drop off. Everyone is thinking we are going to watch Decoster die right in front of us. He drives that thing like a Boss and totally blocks off the creek pushing dirt into it. Then drives it right back up the steep face. UNREAL. He was already a Hero, after that he was a God to us and we hadn't seen him ride a bike yet. Epic.

Trans AMA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ClPeJ9OA-s
3
JAFO92
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JAFO92 11/1/2016 6:46am
11/1/2016 6:46am
^ Now that is an awesome story !

2
Braaaphole
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Braaaphole 11/1/2016 6:59am
11/1/2016 6:59am
That is so freaking cool. I love hearing stories like that.
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The Shop

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731chopper
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731chopper 11/1/2016 8:06am
11/1/2016 8:06am
Hate to hear some people's memories from that track are of their friends and family losing the ability to walk. Unfortunately that track would get rough and every race always seemed like a big deal so there were always a few helicopter rides out of that place. I know some people got paralyzed and a few others met an even more permanent fate.

Although I had a friend of mine catch a Careflight out of there and I, myself, crashed my brains out several times, I never did get seriously hurt at that track.

A couple memories at that track that stand out in my head are...

-One time they ran a special practice session the Friday before the race weekend. It was going to be 1 practice for big bikes and 1 practice for mini bikes. My Dad, myself and my Uncle get there in our box van, unload and get ready for the practice. I'm still changing in the back of our box van when the big bike practice starts. My Uncle and Dad are rushing to get out on the track and one of them closes the box van roll up door (the only door) and latches it not realizing I was inside. I'm probably 12 year old and extremely pissed off hearing the bikes on the track knowing I'm trapped. To make matters worse, for whatever reason after their practice they didn't come straight back to the box van. They put their bikes somewhere and went to watch my practice... the one I wasn't in because I was stuck in the box van. They finally came back at the end of the practice. I heard them saying "Well his bike is here so I don't know where he is." Then they rolled up the door and there I was... ready to give them an earful. Grinning

-One time on a 125 as I was starting my bike to go to my race I asked my dad if he put gas in my bike. He said "Yep, you've got a full tank!" Well on the last lap in the last section of that rhythm before the S turn at the finish line... my bike ran out of gas. My dad jumps over the fence and runs over asking "What happened?"... another earful from me Grinning My brother in law who was there as my sister's boyfriend that day still brings that story up to this day at family dinners haha
1
Johnny Depp
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Johnny Depp 11/1/2016 2:06pm
11/1/2016 2:06pm Edited Date/Time 11/1/2016 2:07pm
It may have been the '74 Trams AMA my little story was about above.

This article about Edison Dye's refusal of the purse money and resulting cancellation of the previous round due to rain may have had something to do with DeCoster's intervention in saving the race from cancellation again.

http://www.socalmxnews.com/page2.php?recordID=50&VolIssueID=6
Ehopson
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Ehopson 11/1/2016 5:10pm
11/1/2016 5:10pm Edited Date/Time 11/1/2016 5:35pm
Ehopson wrote:
My buddy said Mosier valley actually is an abandoned ghost track now! Says alot of people ride their bicycles on the old deminished jumps. Think he...
My buddy said Mosier valley actually is an abandoned ghost track now! Says alot of people ride their bicycles on the old deminished jumps. Think he said only half the track still their? Not eactly sure. been wanting to check mosier out too, do you know mossiers address? Curious to google earth and see, even though it might be hard with all the tree cover!
731chopper wrote:
I believe this is it. Type in that address and you'll find it. It's hardly even recognizable in that photo. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/10/30/158170/s1200_IMG_4830.jpg[/img]
I believe this is it. Type in that address and you'll find it. It's hardly even recognizable in that photo.



Is this it? Cant seem to figure it out? Can you show me were the cement start pad is in my pic?

Dave_Alsobrook 8/8/2019 2:15pm
8/8/2019 2:15pm
I just googled and found this old thread. This is the place that I remember most. Early mornings and that first brap ! of the morning, like a rooster. And the start of practice, total freaking excitement ! Mud, Smoke, and that beautiful sound of 2 stroke engines, heaven,, and I haven't even got into all the flavors of 2-stroke smoke. I lived with my grandparents in 1970 (kid-o-divorce) and my mom worked at Sears, so, yep, my first race was here on a Sears 5hp mini bike. Almost completed 1 lap. Sad this place is closed. I had a life of mx, and it was some of my most beautiful memories.
4
VetMX.com
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VetMX.com 8/8/2019 2:56pm
8/8/2019 2:56pm
I did pretty well here on my 1976 YZ80C in +14 class and then again in +30 Vet B class in the Whitney series in 2000. I will never forget running the Spring National here, 7 days of racing in the Texas heat. I had monkey butt after about the third day.

Honda of Houston was running the series and I think they lost money on it some how. Those buildings behind starting area came in the last year or two. One was a burger shack and one was a nice bathroom w/ showers. I would get an RV spot for the season and it was so nice to hang out w/ friends and race there and swim when the dam was open.

This was by far the best Texas track.
1
ProKawi24
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ProKawi24 8/8/2019 3:17pm
8/8/2019 3:17pm
How's it looking now?
ktm300hater
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ktm300hater 8/8/2019 3:53pm
8/8/2019 3:53pm Edited Date/Time 8/8/2019 3:54pm
ProKawi24 wrote:
How's it looking now?


The long roof is the starting line and over to the left is the scoring tower. And top left building is the equipment shed
4
Boomslang 8/8/2019 3:56pm
8/8/2019 3:56pm
One of the best tracks I've ever seeing and it's a crying shame it was shut down.
Lowbidder 8/8/2019 3:57pm
8/8/2019 3:57pm
What a shame, not just Texas but one of the best tracks in the country. Raced there throughout the 80's, good time nationals and all the other races, and was there for almost all of the spring nationals through the 2000's with family racing. I don't remember if it was 02 or 03, but there was over 3,000 entries, 4 divisions of 125B and 85cc 12-13 when the 12-13 class was huge. The Texas Winter Series final round was always a warm up race at Whitney for the Spring National, and it was normal to have over a thousand entries for that round. Hated to see that place shut down, when Honda of Houston got out, it all went down hill, but those guys ran an awesome event.
5
MarkF
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MarkF 8/8/2019 4:55pm
8/8/2019 4:55pm
mb60 wrote:
Loved this place racing in the 80's and 90's. Still the best 125 race was 83 National with Ward, Lechien ,Omara and Barnett. The place could...
Loved this place racing in the 80's and 90's. Still the best 125 race was 83 National with Ward, Lechien ,Omara and Barnett. The place could still be racing today if Bruce Whitehead had not shut it down. Sad for all the memories we had that the track still sits idle.
That was my favorite race, only for a different reason. I had my best moto finishes and overall that day. I went 6-8 for 7th overall. It was incredibly hot and humid. After the second moto I went down to the river to cool off and then hurried to my hotel and before I could make it into the room I puked all over the lobby from heat exaustion. Great day though!

Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch - 125MX
June 19, 1983
Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch
Lake Whitney, TX

Overall Rider
1 Ron Lechien
2 Jeff Ward
3 Mark Barnett
4 Johnny O'Mara
5 George Holland
6 Brian Myerscough
7 Mark Flesia
8 A.J. Whiting
9 Doug Jackson
10 Karl Jordan
11 Clay Hoenshell
12 Aaron Pitts
13 Rick Ryan
14 David Weak
15 Erik Kehoe
16 Rodney Smith
17 Steve Gauthier
18 Ted Brady
19 Steven Burdette
20 Steve Pete
14
bonseff
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bonseff 8/8/2019 5:10pm
8/8/2019 5:10pm
Every March and July in the late 80's and early 90's! Good Times
Wash the bike in the river, camping with tents, Breakfast was scrambled egg sammies sold at the scoring tower.
Factory box vans hooking up amateurs with parts..

Some of the best times there!
Lowbidder 8/8/2019 5:21pm
8/8/2019 5:21pm
mb60 wrote:
Loved this place racing in the 80's and 90's. Still the best 125 race was 83 National with Ward, Lechien ,Omara and Barnett. The place could...
Loved this place racing in the 80's and 90's. Still the best 125 race was 83 National with Ward, Lechien ,Omara and Barnett. The place could still be racing today if Bruce Whitehead had not shut it down. Sad for all the memories we had that the track still sits idle.
MarkF wrote:
That was my favorite race, only for a different reason. I had my best moto finishes and overall that day. I went 6-8 for 7th overall...
That was my favorite race, only for a different reason. I had my best moto finishes and overall that day. I went 6-8 for 7th overall. It was incredibly hot and humid. After the second moto I went down to the river to cool off and then hurried to my hotel and before I could make it into the room I puked all over the lobby from heat exaustion. Great day though!

Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch - 125MX
June 19, 1983
Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch
Lake Whitney, TX

Overall Rider
1 Ron Lechien
2 Jeff Ward
3 Mark Barnett
4 Johnny O'Mara
5 George Holland
6 Brian Myerscough
7 Mark Flesia
8 A.J. Whiting
9 Doug Jackson
10 Karl Jordan
11 Clay Hoenshell
12 Aaron Pitts
13 Rick Ryan
14 David Weak
15 Erik Kehoe
16 Rodney Smith
17 Steve Gauthier
18 Ted Brady
19 Steven Burdette
20 Steve Pete
That is mighty impressive, congrats.
2
Johnny Depp
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Johnny Depp 8/8/2019 5:38pm
8/8/2019 5:38pm
It looks like you could still run a race there. The dirt is all still there with nothing built on top of it. I wonder if there is enough interest to have even a big one-off race even if you had Red Bull money, something like a Texas Mammoth?
1
Shawn142
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Shawn142 8/8/2019 6:33pm
8/8/2019 6:33pm
Johnny Depp wrote:
It looks like you could still run a race there. The dirt is all still there with nothing built on top of it. I wonder if...
It looks like you could still run a race there. The dirt is all still there with nothing built on top of it. I wonder if there is enough interest to have even a big one-off race even if you had Red Bull money, something like a Texas Mammoth?
There is no way. The owner doesn't need the money. He got spooked when the elder Masterpool brother died there and doesn't want the liability. He didn't give a crap about MX, he just wanted the land for a high end hunting ranch.
1

Pit Row

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VetMX.com
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VetMX.com 8/8/2019 6:37pm
8/8/2019 6:37pm
Johnny Depp wrote:
It looks like you could still run a race there. The dirt is all still there with nothing built on top of it. I wonder if...
It looks like you could still run a race there. The dirt is all still there with nothing built on top of it. I wonder if there is enough interest to have even a big one-off race even if you had Red Bull money, something like a Texas Mammoth?
I am in.
3
Moto Mofo
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Moto Mofo 8/8/2019 6:52pm
8/8/2019 6:52pm Edited Date/Time 8/8/2019 6:52pm
As of a few years ago, that section of the WB Ranch has been split and sold in multiple pieces, from what I’ve been told.
MotoMateo
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MotoMateo 8/8/2019 7:27pm
8/8/2019 7:27pm
I remember the first time coming down the mountain in my second moto. I thought I was going to die because the braking bumps had got extreme by that point and I had heavily underestimated the size of them. Sucks that it shut down.
Langhammx 8/8/2019 7:38pm
8/8/2019 7:38pm
mb60 wrote:
Loved this place racing in the 80's and 90's. Still the best 125 race was 83 National with Ward, Lechien ,Omara and Barnett. The place could...
Loved this place racing in the 80's and 90's. Still the best 125 race was 83 National with Ward, Lechien ,Omara and Barnett. The place could still be racing today if Bruce Whitehead had not shut it down. Sad for all the memories we had that the track still sits idle.
MarkF wrote:
That was my favorite race, only for a different reason. I had my best moto finishes and overall that day. I went 6-8 for 7th overall...
That was my favorite race, only for a different reason. I had my best moto finishes and overall that day. I went 6-8 for 7th overall. It was incredibly hot and humid. After the second moto I went down to the river to cool off and then hurried to my hotel and before I could make it into the room I puked all over the lobby from heat exaustion. Great day though!

Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch - 125MX
June 19, 1983
Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch
Lake Whitney, TX

Overall Rider
1 Ron Lechien
2 Jeff Ward
3 Mark Barnett
4 Johnny O'Mara
5 George Holland
6 Brian Myerscough
7 Mark Flesia
8 A.J. Whiting
9 Doug Jackson
10 Karl Jordan
11 Clay Hoenshell
12 Aaron Pitts
13 Rick Ryan
14 David Weak
15 Erik Kehoe
16 Rodney Smith
17 Steve Gauthier
18 Ted Brady
19 Steven Burdette
20 Steve Pete
Good job my friend, pretty impressive company
2
Paw Paw 271
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Paw Paw 271 8/8/2019 7:43pm
8/8/2019 7:43pm
I had many good races and even more good memories of that place.

Paw Paw
JAC
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JAC 8/9/2019 11:37am
8/9/2019 11:37am
Whitney was a 9 hour drive for us, but we loved the place. Here's a few pics from the 2009 LL Youth Regional. I think this was our last time there.

The view from the gate:


Standing at the top of the big hill:


View coming down the big hill


My son picked 38th gate for the first moto. Funny now. Not so funny then.


My son Josh (519) and Matt Bisceglia (76) waiting for practice. Bisceglia won the 85 12-13 Mod Class.


View of the concrete start


Joey





5
Dave_Alsobrook 8/9/2019 12:11pm
8/9/2019 12:11pm
JAC wrote:
Whitney was a 9 hour drive for us, but we loved the place. Here's a few pics from the 2009 LL Youth Regional. I think this...
Whitney was a 9 hour drive for us, but we loved the place. Here's a few pics from the 2009 LL Youth Regional. I think this was our last time there.

The view from the gate:


Standing at the top of the big hill:


View coming down the big hill


My son picked 38th gate for the first moto. Funny now. Not so funny then.


My son Josh (519) and Matt Bisceglia (76) waiting for practice. Bisceglia won the 85 12-13 Mod Class.


View of the concrete start


Joey





Thanks for the pics, really brings back mems. I should've said, my grandparents lived here is how I got into motox. I spent a lot of time at this track. My most favorite race here was with Marty smith and Bob Hurricane Hannah, what a race. I had vids of a lot of races here, Jimmy Gaddis, Jason Schultz, and a few other up and comers in an 80 race that beat the 250 exp lap times ! So much fun here. I too had great races here, a 2nd once in a GNC, and schooled by the best Dennis Hawthorne, Clay Hoenshell, and Terry Tinny in my prime, before all the careflights.. lol Good times for sure !!!
1
disbanded
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disbanded 8/9/2019 1:20pm
8/9/2019 1:20pm
I've thrown away and donated almost all of my trophies at this point, but I did keep a few cool things from over the years - like this metal piece off of a larger trophy from Lake Whitney, but I can't find any info on the year...
I'm guessing 1991-ish.

21st Annual Texas Series was Lake Whitney, Burleson, Mosier Valley, Swan, Skeeter, Lakeside and Oak Hill.


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GrapeApe
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GrapeApe 8/9/2019 1:31pm
8/9/2019 1:31pm
disbanded wrote:
I've thrown away and donated almost all of my trophies at this point, but I did keep a few cool things from over the years -...
I've thrown away and donated almost all of my trophies at this point, but I did keep a few cool things from over the years - like this metal piece off of a larger trophy from Lake Whitney, but I can't find any info on the year...
I'm guessing 1991-ish.

21st Annual Texas Series was Lake Whitney, Burleson, Mosier Valley, Swan, Skeeter, Lakeside and Oak Hill.


I've thrown away most of my trophies, but can't bring myself to get rid of the sweet satin jacket. 1991 250 Int Top Texan. Yep, I'm a pretty big deal.


9
disbanded
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disbanded 8/9/2019 1:47pm
8/9/2019 1:47pm
Love it!
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TexasVet
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TexasVet 8/9/2019 1:54pm
8/9/2019 1:54pm
moscrop940 wrote:
Lake Whitney will always hold a special plate in my heart. Not only for the amazing layout with heavenly dirt, but that's the place I met...
Lake Whitney will always hold a special plate in my heart.

Not only for the amazing layout with heavenly dirt, but that's the place I met a friend that introduced me to his sister, and 11 years later we are married with a little girl.

From what I recall, they were shutting it down so they could build hunting loges, but the above photo shows otherwise.

Can't understand how the town allowed that to happen. The amount of money the moto community would bring to that town was massive....
Town? What town? Whitney? Nothing there then or now. Reality is that Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch was generally

a dry dusty ill prepped facility most of the time, especially on practice days. Don't get me wrong, there were epic days

but those were seldom. There is a whole history about the promoter and money(lack of) etc.

The facilities best condition and layout was just a few months to a year, maybe. I rode/raced there from about 1974

to it's closing.

The "town" had a Dairy Queen and that was about it. Some bait shops. Someone with lot's of money bought LWCR

and made it their personal retreat/business. Simple as that. Whoever they bought it from took the money.

BTW: I would say hunting/hunters bring much more to the economy of Texas than mx. Way more.

Ironically, the gun noise is probably more accepted than bike noise.

2
ktm300hater
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ktm300hater 8/9/2019 1:57pm
8/9/2019 1:57pm
GrapeApe wrote:
I've thrown away most of my trophies, but can't bring myself to get rid of the sweet satin jacket. 1991 250 Int Top Texan. Yep, I'm...
I've thrown away most of my trophies, but can't bring myself to get rid of the sweet satin jacket. 1991 250 Int Top Texan. Yep, I'm a pretty big deal.


Crazy how times change. Top Texan was a big deal for quite a while
1

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