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I forget the exact story behind why there’s no more practice days at Zaca, but I think about it often. I also had a couple of my most epic days there. You always knew you were in for a good time driving up that beautiful dirt road entrance.
I can’t help but feel bad for the younger generation of riders. I feel they aren’t getting the same experiences we had growing up. So many iconic tracks are gone and local racing means so little these days. Bummer.
It's sadly gone. The area for the track was just leased from the ranch owners.
My very basic understanding is city or someone got after the land owners in a way that would effect their tax status on the property, so it got clipped.
Also heard a version where the next generation of family had taken over the ranch and wasn't interested in having the track there. Could be a mix of both.
Either way, it's gone and not coming back sadly.
I got to participate in a 450MX shootout at that track. What an incredible couple of days.
Used to froth at the mouth watching videos from that place a few years ago on Instagram. Complete different world from over here on the East Coast. Shame it’s gone.
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Wow, what a beautiful track!
Amazing photo. That place was magic from lap 1. Didn’t even need lines cut in to be incredible.
I used to ride there a lot. That track was truly special. It was spectacular in the early spring and fall when the hills were covered in bright green grass. Amazing loamy dirt unlike any other California track.
The Chamberlin family was no longer interested in supporting the track. Too much liability. Too much risk. Not enough reward.
Fred Chamberlin was the patriarch of the family and an enthusiast. He allowed Ed to run the track up until the family decided to close up shop.
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/syvnews/name/frederick-chamberlin-obituary?id=55637134
The ranch is now marketed as a filming and wedding location: https://www.chamberlinranch.com/
Where do people from central coast ride these days? Seems like the only tracks are a few hours away. Such a shame.
I'm not aware of any tracks West of the 5 between Santa Cruz and Ventura. Honolulu Hills in Taft might be the closest track to the Central Coast. I'm not sure if American MX in Delano is still open.
We had a fun track on the other side of Castillo ranch . No water around, but during the rainy season, not bad. It got better after tractor work. BUT like always it got popular and more guys started to ride. Neighbors called the county, now it’s done. Electric bikes only now.
I left California in 1989, but is Hollister still open?
I heard they closed the track.
lol
Was a bucket list item of mine to ride there. Shortly after moving to SoCal in 2017 I destroyed my ankle and spent a year and a few months doing rehab. Sadly, during that time or shortly thereafter my return to riding, Zacka closed. Such a bummer and damn what a beautiful track. Fox Dream on poster will forever be etched in my brain.
Yup, that was my exact understanding as well. Doesnt that family own something like 100,000 acres of land?
The money for track just wasnt worth the risk, and Fred and Ed were friendly, and wanted to do something for the local kids. Thats how it started.
Didnt the Chamberlin family also close down a Paintball area that was on the land as well (though not near the MX Track).
When you drive up 101, you can still see into the land, but the track is long gone and bulldozed away. Its weeds now.
The Hollister Hills OHV is still going strong.
The "GP" track up the road hasnt seen a knobby since probably when Covid hit. Not sure exactly what the deal is, but I heard that the state requires an obscene amount of insurance and no one is able to cover the rental costs and insurance costs, or something like that (recall that the track only functioned when rented by private promoters, the state never really ran it, as far as I knew).
Inside the state park there are still some crappy un-prepped little tracks that you can ride though, and that have been there forever.
Pit Row
It was 8000 but I know some has been slowly getting sold off/leased out. That track is sadly never coming back.
...I race sometimes against Ed Guajardo at REM - errr, Glen Helen Saturday MX - He used to run Zaca.
I never got to ride there but I heard it was magical.
Ed is a class act and did a great job running Zaca. Always been a really good guy and he can haul ass on a motorcycle.
American was usually a cooler months only place, but since Reynolds now has KCRP and Taft, I wouldn’t hold my breath on anything at American any time soon. I’d be surprised to see a practice there again any time soon.
I went to Cal Poly in the 90s. Cal Poly is mostly an Ag and Engineering school. The Ag curriculum included tractor driving. In the 1980s, the tractor class instructor would have his students build a motocross track as part of their "classroom exercises". Then the University's motorcycle club would get a weekend of riding on campus. I just missed out on this, having started there in 93'.
In the 90s the only motocross tracks in the area that I could ride at were private. Beau Baron's place is where I rode. Jerome Law's place too. I never went but the Villa brothers had a track as well. I knew people that got to ride at Castillo's but I never had a solid hook up so I never got to ride there even though I knew exactly where it was (pre-internet just knowing where a place like that was, was a big deal, LOL) We made tracks sometimes out in hidden canyons of the Pozo off road trail network. I did come down and ride at Lemon Grove a few times (later called Piru MX).
After I left, I had heard there was a track somewhere near Santa Maria but I think that's long gone now too.
I did get to ride at Zaca a bunch later on. It definitely lived up to the hype. It was always such a chill vibe there too.
Damn, I'm old.
The last time I was able to ride Zaca back in December of 2017, I had recently purchased a KX500, and was just starting to get comfortable on it. I thought it would be cool to dawn patrol C-Street before riding Zaca and looking back, I regret that now, cause I definitely wasn't able to put in my best motos on the ol' KX500, after having surfed for a couple of hours beforehand. Although I had no idea it would be my last time there, it was a fitting end, having spent the day putting in motos in with good friends. That place was definitely special...rest easy Zaca Station!
Honolulu hills isnt open regularly, typically only for special events. United MX park in Bakersfield is probably the closest.
Zaca was such an amazing place to ride.
Easily one of the best and coolest tracks around. Sucks they closed it down
Good times! Scratch that: Great times…
https://youtu.be/a41o1USumiI?si=znZPM1CgnScdOVr_
We're likely racing there in March. 😉
2018 Vital 450 Shootout…?
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