Posts
5
Joined
2/20/2024
Location
Cottage Grove, OR
US
Edited Date/Time
2/20/2024 1:43pm
Howdy. Newbie here. Looking for private MX tracks local to Eugene/Cottage Grove. I'm aware of Territorial MX and Albany MX, but unfortunately, the limited dates they are open, I'm almost always working.
Hoping there's a handful of Eugene, OR locals on this forum that might have some information on private tracks or who might be open to group track rentals during the week at Territorial (if they permit them) or Albany MX.
Because of the neighborhood and the local codes Territorial can only do a limited number of events. There's "Bad Acres" in Salem/ Indepenence area that's open pretty often.
I wish I had an answer for you, fellow Oregonian.
As far as Privete tracks there are alot of them . Now getting to be able to ride on them is the challenge . The Hills have there track . The Huffmans have multiple tracks Clarks Branch opens sometimes . The Millers own Territorial ect ect
It’s been years since I was a “regular” at the races (2002ish), but in my opinion the best way to learn about (and get invited to) private tracks is by meeting fellow racers, striking up friendships, and networking that way. The fastest way for a private track to become a former track is by blowing it up online/letting anyone ride there. This is particularly applicable in places like western (and unfortunately now parts of central) WA where the greenies and NIMBY’s are plentiful. Many such locations are a catch 22: apply for permits and get denied, or run without permits and hope you don’t get caught or ratted out by the neighborhood Karens.
Theres also the liability issues.
I’ve never been fortunate enough to have my own track, but have been fortunate enough to ride at several. All were from friendships formed at the races.
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Doesn’t Hammer have like 7 private tracks he talks about all the time
I'm down to 2 now. And neither can be ridden now with all the usual rain we are getting. I got a crapton of prep work to do once it dries out. June maybe.
I've been chatting with the folks over there at Territorial and helping them look over that bogus ordinance the County slapped on them back in 2003/2004. When you read through it, the grounds for why this ordinance were put in place have little to no merit at all. The Lane County Land Use Hearing Official who made the ruling based his decision on:
"The inability to provide newspaper clippings, magazine articles, trophies or other mementos is very revealing and, ultimately, determinative in concluding that the applicant has not shown by a preponderance of the evidence that racing occurred during the summer months of 1983 at the Franklin motocross track."
I'm going to give some local lawyers a call and see what kind of percentage we're looking at in terms of appealing and requesting the track be allowed to operate more than just every other Sunday from Sept to May only.
Damn, thats a regular occurence for me on my track in NC too! Wednesday evenings ride was perfect, dirt was in awesome shape for the last couple of weeks. Got rain again last night. Fortunately it wasnt the monsoon stuff we had been getting. Hoping it dries out again by this coming Wednesday. Prep, prep, prep ride, prep, prep, prep, ride...repeat.
Following this as a fellow Eugene local. Headed to Territorial this weekend but would love more availability on other places. BaD Acres looks sweet.
+1 for networking at the local races. Obviously a challenge if you're usually working during that time though.
I'll probably be there- come by and say hi. Might possibly go to Albany Saturday instead, or both...
I’ll be at Territorial on Sunday
My friend has a track in the area the biggest problem most private track owners face letting strangers and even close friends ride them is liability and insurance. Now obviously this guy is a very close friend and we became friends before the track was built so I was fortunate enough to be in right off the bat but all of use had to sign waivers like you would at a track and even those can’t always protect them.
how do you like Albany? worth the drive from Eugene?
If you make it to south west Washington I'd be happy to help you out
lots of visible tracks on peoples properties here in Bend with zero signs of being ridden by anything other than SXS's
You hit it on the head. A lot of counties don’t make it easy to open a track. Huge bummer when you think how much land there is in this state. After reading the Territorial MX ordinance from Lane County, it sounds like there’s little to no hope to get a new track sanctioned in this county as none of the zoning types permit or mention MX usage.
Bad Acres is exactly what I was hoping for. Wish it was a little closer, but it looks totally worth the 1.5 hour drive for a novice looking to get comfortable behind the bars.
Pit Row
Shoot, I’d sign about any damn waiver these days to be able to get out and ride once or twice a week. Liability is definitely something folks who are fortunate enough to have land for a private track have to worry about. Sucks nowadays how sue happy people get.
Albany runs Wednesday evenings all spring/summer/fall. They do semi-private mid week days during their season also, call them once they are running or watch their Facebook they post about the semi-private days often it seems.
territorial can only run every other Sunday September till end of may.
Ah yes, my hometown.
Honestly for me, Albany is hit or miss. It used to be really good all the time. But for some reason sometimes they try different layouts and it just doesn't flow or they don't include sections that should be ridden. At least the dirt is always good and during practice they shut the track down mid-way through to till the dirt again. Can't think of any other track that does that. All other tracks you are ready to ride right when the track opens to get the good dirt.
Wife wants to move to Bellingham...any moto within a 2-3 hour drive of that???
Absolutely,but Bellingham is a tricky one.
You are alll the way north.
There is moto,but you'll be making the 2-3 hour drive every time.
Buy land-build your own.
https://hanneganspeedway.us/home Runs all summer and is right in Bellingham, has a handful of off-road events. Not the best track but if it was local to me I’d ride it all summer.
awesome thanks!
Can't buy land of any size, we have a home in NorCal area and plan to just get something small near/in Fairhaven for post-retirement summers.
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