Posts
73
Joined
1/4/2009
Location
Camarillo, CA, USA
Edited Date/Time
1/27/2012 1:32pm
OK, heare I go again strolling down memory lane.
Ascot was my home track. I could hear the races from my house. The sound of race cars would lull me to sleep every night that they raced. (Because if it was 1/2 mile TT flat track or motocross, I wouldn't be in bed, I would be there)
I raced CMC Motocross almost every Wednesday night in the late 70s to early 80s. (100s, 125s, then 500 class on Dale Lewis' 79 Maico 450 Magnum) On
Friday nights I would race at Corona and on the weekends at Indian Dunes or Saddleback. (Who can forget the big rocks on the track at Saddleback, or that crazy up hill hairpin then, AHHHHhhhhh drop off into obivion!) It wasn't for wimps that's for sure.
Or getting stuck in the mud on the "Shadow Glen" course when the river was flowing high at Indian Dunes.
But what I really wanted to hear from all of you about is Corona Raceway. (91 off of Pierce) Apartments and houses now. (Yes, I know. SAD!)
I think it was the most dangerous place I raced. This was due to a few different reasons,
#1, Night races in poor lighting. (Especially behind the hills where there were NO LIGHTS AT ALL) #2, Restrooms, water, concessions, or anything else you needed was too far from the pit area, (Yes, that can be dangerous) and #3, My first experience with big jumps...THOSE 2 HUGE TETONS-DOUBLE JUMPS. (SCARED THE CRAP OUTTA ME) You could just ride over them, or JUMP, if you had the nerve. I was getting beat by some guy on a IT 400 Yamaha one night because I wasn't jumping the doubles. I knew I could beat him if I just went for the double so I decided to GO FOR IT! I went stright up vertical like a rocket and my back wheel came down just in time to just touch the second jump enough to level me out and save my life. It wasn't pretty but I beat that guy on the Yamaha. (Yes, I got better and learned to clear the doubles)
Please submit your Corona stories and photos to this blog.
THANKS,
Chris
Ascot was my home track. I could hear the races from my house. The sound of race cars would lull me to sleep every night that they raced. (Because if it was 1/2 mile TT flat track or motocross, I wouldn't be in bed, I would be there)
I raced CMC Motocross almost every Wednesday night in the late 70s to early 80s. (100s, 125s, then 500 class on Dale Lewis' 79 Maico 450 Magnum) On
Friday nights I would race at Corona and on the weekends at Indian Dunes or Saddleback. (Who can forget the big rocks on the track at Saddleback, or that crazy up hill hairpin then, AHHHHhhhhh drop off into obivion!) It wasn't for wimps that's for sure.
Or getting stuck in the mud on the "Shadow Glen" course when the river was flowing high at Indian Dunes.
But what I really wanted to hear from all of you about is Corona Raceway. (91 off of Pierce) Apartments and houses now. (Yes, I know. SAD!)
I think it was the most dangerous place I raced. This was due to a few different reasons,
#1, Night races in poor lighting. (Especially behind the hills where there were NO LIGHTS AT ALL) #2, Restrooms, water, concessions, or anything else you needed was too far from the pit area, (Yes, that can be dangerous) and #3, My first experience with big jumps...THOSE 2 HUGE TETONS-DOUBLE JUMPS. (SCARED THE CRAP OUTTA ME) You could just ride over them, or JUMP, if you had the nerve. I was getting beat by some guy on a IT 400 Yamaha one night because I wasn't jumping the doubles. I knew I could beat him if I just went for the double so I decided to GO FOR IT! I went stright up vertical like a rocket and my back wheel came down just in time to just touch the second jump enough to level me out and save my life. It wasn't pretty but I beat that guy on the Yamaha. (Yes, I got better and learned to clear the doubles)
Please submit your Corona stories and photos to this blog.
THANKS,
Chris
It was definitely a cool place. There was at least 750-800 BMX riders there the day I raced there. The start hill was high,long, and fast, followed by a long sweeper with about a 6 foot berm around it. My first practice ride, I was jamming down the start hill, over a small rise and into the sweeper at about 25-30 mph, and the G-forces pulled me to the top of the berm and I launched into the crowd .
That was a fast track for a Florida boy not used to the big downhill starts and fast hard packed surfaces. I was able to hit about 7 races during that trip, but Corona was the best track out of all the one's I raced at.
We ran the track each friday night as beginners in 1978 and in 79, I ran my first novice class race on the new YZ 80. They retired the runbber starting line on the flat track and installed the reverse falling gate. I was real nervous, and put about a half can of Klotz octane booster in the tank to ensure a hole shot. Wam, out of the gate and around the corner, over the hiil and to the left. I'm in the lead and through the muddy s-turns and now to the first uphill. I hit that fist big woop so hard that I went right into a "Flying W" and down I went head first. I opend my eyes, and all I could see was the spokes of the front wheel turning and turning. Well, here comes the pack and as I scrambled to my knees in the mud, the last two riders ran right over my bike. The new tank had tire tracks on it! Well, back on the bike and off I go to gather some slower riders and end about about 10th. I think back and realize how bad that crash was, and that know one got to see it! I just came into the pits and everyone started laughing, since I was covered in mud. The up and downhills were knarly, dark, and slippery. Great times, and glad you started the thread.
My very first race was Corona, got 1st both motos...
I had a friend on a KX80, throttle stuck at the gate, he figured he can race with the clutch and kill switch, came down the middle downhill, never made the turn and flew into the infield...
Anyone there when the ambulance crossed the track at the finish line jump in the middle of a race and was T-boned by a rider?
Got to love Staten, Turner etc..
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Many times went up the backside hill in the dark...
Then to race down to see who shuts off first, and the quick right hand turn.
I don't think I ever won a race at Corona, but all my races were winners !
Both guys are cool.
He is coming out of retirement, and word has it, he is gunning for a title, and all the gold !
Wow. Brings back a ton of memories. I would race Thurs & Fri nites. Lived in Redlands and raced there from '72 to '76. Raced the High School Series - I think it was the first time they set it up - '74.
I had a '71 Husky 250 and raced it in the 250 & Open Nov classes. Moved up to Int and then turned Expert on a 360 CZ. Cool bike. Had a Jim Hoover downpipe, sweet alum alloy peanut tank with Infinity Surfboard & Pink Floyd Darkside of the Moon stickers. Loved that bike!
Then got a '74 CZ 250 - What a pile! I shoulda jumped on the new Japanese MX band wagon but I still had my Euro beer goggles on.
I could say I raced Rocket Rex but, he was on a whole other level - on that track especially. He schooled any and all big names that came out during that time. He also would be pretty agressive and whip his rear tire at you when he passed you on a jump(along with the whole bag of dirty tricks you could think of) . I did ram him off the track once but, boy did I pay for it later! Ha!
Speaking of big names. Back in the early 70's the pit's were awesome for a kid like me. To see Brad Lacky (Rex didn't show that nite!), John De Soto, Tim Hart, Tom Rapp (what ever happed to him- he was COOL!) Rich Eirstead, Gaylon Moser, Goat Breker, Davey Williams, Radical Ron Turner, Bruce Baron, Mark Tyer, Chuck Bowers, Kenny Zarht, Gary & Dewayne Jones, Jim Fishback, I know I'm leaving out a ton more but ... yes.. even Steve Bauer on his CR125 Honda & full face Bell & long hair - who didn't have long hair then??
F'ing Great Times. I Loved Corona Raceway. RIP
Every time I drive by Corona Raceway off the 91 Fwy and I see all those houses all across the track, I wonder if the people living there know that they are living on history?
Maybe the bikes were called Ammex?
See ya pal
Also that same night I holeshot my first time ever in the first moto in the 125 Beginner class I led to the corner before the up hill and washed out crashing right in front of the same friends that gave me crap about Gary Jones.
Pretty wild night for me.!
Ammex
Also Ive watched Rex just about whip a few pros and people in the pits asses, he always seemed to be a hardass but he was always cool to me. He used to give me Scott goggles after he wore them and new lenses. The double double section in the infeild was scary. I raced alot of MX and GP'S at Corona. I can go on for ever.
For all it's faults, I still loved Corona.
Thanks LouDog.
Pit Row
Love ya' Lou !
the grand prix races there were just awesome. when i turned pro at the end of 1978, i started racing there every friday night for several years. i remember racing guys like andy orscanin, danny burt, craig dale, and a bunch of other fast guys in the 125 pro class. in the 250's it was steve bauer, marty miller, juan benevidez, gary denton, and of course rocket rex staten!
it was awesome the few times that i beat rocket rex at his home track. i did it several times in 1980. i also managed to win 25 straight motos in the 250 pro class that year too.
Andy Northrop did hall ass at corona and if i remember right he used to race a standard and franks Hondas back then.
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