Indian Dunes circa 1974

Loved that place...

Loved that track, but it sure hated me

I know what you mean Russ, sprained my left ankle in "77" while running 2nd (caught a hole with my toe) and broke my left wrist there in practice back in "79". Raced there a few times with varied results, 1 good moto, 1 bad moto (seemed to be the 2nd all the time) for some reason.

Never really did any damage to myself there (except racing a TM400 in a GP) but used to soil sample often. I was a Saddleback guy and the dirt moved a lot at Indian Dunes. Did bloody hundreds of laps product testing there and never really mastered it like i did other tracks.

My fav was shadow glen track. Many great times on that track. I loved the night racing on the International track. Started there on mini bikes then 125's jump up to 500's and finished out on 250's 2 strokes. I miss Indian Dunes.

The Grand Prix's that Jack and CRC used to put on at the Dunes were some of my favorite races.

[quote="RussS":54658]Loved that track, but it sure hated me [/quote:54658]
Got me good too.. " title="Laughing">

The place was a paradise. In the middle of all the groves, out of the haze and smog. If you didn't want to ride the track you could play in the river. I used to ditch school and be a spode there. I thought the over-under was really cool as a kid.

used to race there on friday nights.........(international) and then camp out and ride all day saturday in the wash/sand.
then camp again.....and race shadow glen on sunday...... started there on my poor TM-100.. i must of blown up my bike there 5 times " title="Smile"> then i got my 76 RM-125(thought i was the shit) <still sucked at riding>

then later on i got my YZ-490..... i let that bike ride me there .. for a while too " title="Smile">

we used to bomb there from 1000 oaks ........through grimes canyon.......

now that i think of it...... i took my bikes there allot of different ways!...... my moms 69 galaxie with bumper racks, my VW bus... chevy luv......
cant believe i drove and rode that stuff!

was a cool place......

[quote="Ozy":49a86]Oh yeah, I'm riding the #34 125 elsinore. Check out the YZ with tank straps #V[/quote:49a86]

You let Eddie Van Halen beat you?

I cannot think of a better riding park to learn to ride, race or just have fun!
Gawd I miss that place..... " title="Sad">

[img:5ff38]https://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1601/2005756/3881394/80892593.jpg[/im…]

Cool pic ozman!

i remember that exact turn fairly clear........wow crazy things you remember.when you see a photo

This is the International track being run backwards... 1976.

[img:4b089]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c340/Potts228/David1976Maico440attheD…]

[quote="Ozy":877fb][quote="RandyS":877fb][quote="Ozy":877fb]Oh yeah, I'm riding the #34 125 elsinore. Check out the YZ with tank straps #V[/quote:877fb]You let Eddie Van Halen beat you?[/quote:877fb]

Didn't Tim Hart start that fad of putting electrical tape on a bell star?[/quote:877fb]

Here's a picture of Tim with his famous Bell Star:

[img:877fb]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c340/Potts228/TimHart006.jpg[/img:877…]

[quote="GoMXracing":456c7]used to race there on friday nights.........(international) and then camp out and ride all day saturday in the wash/sand.
then camp again.....and race shadow glen on sunday...... started there on my poor TM-100.. i must of blown up my bike there 5 times " title="Smile"> then i got my 76 RM-125(thought i was the shit) <still sucked at riding>

then later on i got my YZ-490..... i let that bike ride me there .. for a while too " title="Smile">

we used to bomb there from 1000 oaks ........through grimes canyon.......

now that i think of it...... i took my bikes there allot of different ways!...... my moms 69 galaxie with bumper racks, my VW bus... chevy luv......
cant believe i drove and rode that stuff!

was a cool place......[/quote:456c7]

Here's a night shot of Donnie:

[img:456c7]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c340/Potts228/PottsandHansenatDunessm…]

That's cool stuff Potts..

You guys remember when Johnny OMara rode the Mugen Honda there with his cool white boot gators and his white Elsinore? I had many a good times there on the track, in the sand wash, in the river and in the hills across the river. The old tower from the mini track stood for years after the place closed and it too finally got torn down. That placed rocked!!!!

friday night at the international track,get up saturday morning and drive to bakersfield and race there on saturday night then back to the dunes and park at the gate and race shadow glen on sunday,AME races were cool.Anyone remember the 7J's team from ventura?

I can remember Friday nights watching Kenny Zahrt tear up the International track doing no handers over the jumps ( insane at that time ) and watching Eric Kehoe tear it up on the mini track on the same night. I work right by there and my mind wanders on that stretch of 126 when I see alfalfa growing there now.

First race ever, Friday Night Indian Dunes
Summer of 78'

CRC Sunday pic on the International Track.
[img:b72cb]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-1/1135267/78_ID_250CR.jpg[/img:b72cb]

man i wished i would of had someone take photo`s in those days..... i was a beginner ..then and moved to JR....

i agree was allot of good times there.........

i remember johnny O the most

[quote="KTM93":0ca39]First race ever, Friday Night Indian Dunes
Summer of 78'

CRC Sunday pic on the International Track.
[img:0ca39]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-1/1135267/78_ID_250CR.jpg[/img:0ca3…]
You done made Big Lenny cry..

[quote="Big Lenny":e6314]You done made Big Lenny cry..[/quote:e6314]
" title="Laughing">

[quote="Potts":70545]This is the International track being run backwards... 1976.

[img:70545]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c340/Potts228/David1976Maico440attheD…]

Potts you had one of the baddest bikes ever,

[quote="Larry":cd8e1][quote="Potts":cd8e1]This is the International track being run backwards... 1976.

[img:cd8e1]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c340/Potts228/David1976Maico440attheD…]

Potts you had one of the baddest bikes ever,[/quote:cd8e1]


Yeah Larry! The 76' was a great handling Maico for sure! It made me faster than I was but man with my mechanical skills it sure was it unreliable!!! I had so many stupid problems with it and looking back probably most of them were probably my own fault. I never had a very consistent racing career as I always ran out of money and honestly would just give up sometimes for months until the spark would come back and this Maico just wiped me out with all of the breakdowns. I had the seat bracket brake and then the seat fall off in a moto, the stator coil unwind at Saddleback while trying to run with the big dogs of CMC. I tried S&W shocks and they actually pulled apart sending me digging in the dirt. I had the engine seize in one of my all time favorite races with Eddie Cole (Answer Products) at The Dunes due to fuel starvation after we went to a wheelsmith up pipe (you had to weld shut one of the fuel valves and then go to a larger volume fuel valve which we didn't do). I'm sure there are more but I'll always love they feeling when the bike was running!!!!

Sounds like the same guys that built that Maico of yours built the Cobra I bought for my son. " title="Sad">