Rapid ReaXtion: Lake Elsinore National
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 | 5:00 PM
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Steve Matthes
If you had told me in 2002 that Lake Elsinore, California would one day host an AMA national, I would have told you you were crazy and probably called the cops on you. The facility, long a hot bed for bikes done up in all black and dudes with no jerseys on was a fine place to go and ride when you didn’t want to drive far, but it was far from perfect. The dirt was hard and slippery (never mind when it was watered it was like trying to ride your bike around the Los Angeles Kings practice rink) and the jumps, while fun, left something to be desired.
With the news that Elsinore is going to host the final round of the nationals coming out, the circle of improvement is complete. I haven’t been there myself but I’ve spoken to a lot of guys who have and I’ve watched all the videos that are out there. It seems like an amazing place and a make-over on the level of that one time that Tyra Banks dressed up in a fat suit. Wait, did I just type that out?
I think that with enough effort by everyone involved, the Lake Elsinore track can be made as good as ever. There is some elevation, the soil itself has been changed over and according to everyone who has ridden it, it’s much better than it used to be. And that’s the ultimate test isn’t it? Never mind the concrete, the fencing and all that- the track has to be on par with the best out there and although it’s early, it seems that by September the place will be.
David Pingree
I rode the Lake Elsinore track the day it opened back in the 1990’s. It was a fun track, despite being a cosmetic nightmare. The facility was as basic as you could get: A few dirt courses on completely flat ground with a small shanty at the front to collect money. While the facility itself never really improved, the people didn’t seem to care. Dirt bike riders came out in droves to ride there. If you were a novice, a fan of the budding FMX movement or you just liked to hang out with other bros and listen to Cottonmouth Kings in your wife beaters and Dickies, this was the place for you. It also drew a lot of pro riders because it was close to Murrieta and Temecula. The facility was run into the ground until even the hardest of bros was forced to find another place to fly his bandana.
I was also at the re-opening of the Elsinore track recently and the place is hardly recognizable. The entry has been paved, there are concession areas, there are concrete walkways around the track, there are two ponds with fountains, there are grassy spectator areas, and all of the landscape is irrigated and planted with trees and seasonal flowers that bloom in different colors at different times of the year. Yes, I’m still talking about a motocross track. The course itself is unrecognizable. They’ve added elevation and softer soil to a new layout that rivals any pro level track. There is also a kids track and a vet track in case you don’t want to have a go at the massive triple step-up that will likely become a spectator favorite when the national blasts off there in September.
If you saw the old version you will need a shovel or some type of scooping device to pick your jaw up off the floor when you see this place now. If you’ve never been there you will get a look at what a “next level” motocross facility looks like. For motocross parks around the world, a new standard has been set.
Aaron Hansel
I have never been to Lake Elsinore, but everything I’ve ever heard about it is pretty much exactly what Matthes wrote in his entry. It definitely wasn’t on the list of must-ride tracks if you were visiting Southern California, and by no stretch of the imagination would it ever be hosting a national.
Well, all that has changed, and I for one am glad that Lake Elsinore was given the Southern California national. Let me tell you why. Simply put, America holds the best and most prestigious motocross series in the entire world, and the tracks on the national circuit should aspire to, and reflect that fact. Take MotoGP, for example. It is the highest form of motorcycle racing on the planet, and the facilities that they frequent are spectacular. Obviously, those facilities are able to afford features that motocross tracks can’t, and probably never will, but that doesn’t mean that our national tracks, and the facilities that host them, shouldn’t be held to an extremely high standard.
From all accounts, it looks as though the folks in charge of Lake Elsinore are looking to hold their facility to that standard. They have one of the best track builders in the business in Marc Peters, who is the same man that’s responsible for High Point and Steel City, and they’ve shown they’re willing to put the money into making it a great looking facility by planting grass and trees, and erecting fences that don’t make the track resemble a prison yard. And from what I hear, there’s much, much more in the works.
America plays host to the best motocross racing on the planet, but if we want to keep it that way, our series must continue to evolve and improve. In my opinion, the fact that Lake Elsinore was willing to put out the effort and funds to raise the bar on a national level, especially in this economy, makes them deserving of a national.
Chase StalloLike Steve Matthes and Aaron Hansel have stated above, I have yet to visit the revamped Lake Elsinore. But in this day and age where word, and better yet, video, travel faster than Usain Bolt, I have witnessed the transformation of a once after-thought track turn itself into a bon-a-fide hot spot, with a national vibe written all over it.
The work Marc Peters and crew have put in such a short amount of time proves just how serious they are about building a track to host a national not just for this year, but for years to come.
The facility is able to withstand a national crowd, the track--according to those that have rode it--is up to par, and it lies in the hotbed of professional motocross. And the teams want to start and end the racing series on the west coast, just like they do in supercross. So what else can a person ask for?
I know that fans around the Southeast are agitated that the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will not be making a return to the South this year. Believe me, I feel your pain. I’m from the Southeast myself, South Carolina to be specific, and would love nothing more than to witness a National on my home soil. While it looks like the South will have to wait another year, trust me Davey Coombs and MX Sports are doing everything they can to get a track to the Southeast in 2013. The group spent a lot of time touring southern facilities in the fall, but they are going to be patient in this process to make sure the South not only gets a National, but the right National.Jason Weigandt
I got to ride at the old Lake Elsinore track about 10 years ago....oh who am I kidding? I rode there but my riding standards are way different than an AMA Pro National, so there's no sense in me telling you what I think or thought.
But last weekend I was hanging out with 1999 AMA 250 National MX Champion Greg Albertyn, and he told me all about the new Lake Elsinore. Says it's way, way, way better than the old place, so whatever you thought about Lake Elsinore previously, just throw it away. He thinks the track is fun and cool. He knows better than I do.
I’ve also heard that the guys who own the place, the Nanci brothers, make their living building roadways in Southern California. You may notice that there are A LOT of roads in Southern California. So these are big time guys who know what they’re doing, and have the pockets to make it happen. No matter how much this race grows, these guys will be able to build something to accommodate. And their expertise will allow them to make the facility look first rate, because these are guys that deal in concrete, dirt and natural areas for a living.
I’m guessing this one is a labor of love, and so far so good, according to guys who would know better than me.
By the way, MX Sports, who runs the Lucas Oil Motocross Championship, is a sister company to us here at Racer X. What happened to the Pala race? Anyone who sat in the big traffic line at Pala knew there were some problems over there. From what I've heard, Lake Elsinore has a more stable base to build from in terms of future growth. One MX Sports person told me it's like a rider switching to a new team and just finding a better fit. And this one fits pretty good, because it is, after all, the set of On Any Sunday, the movie that launched motocross in America. Funny how everything comes full circle.
Did you like this article?
Check out TEAM HONDA AT DAWN
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
Forty years ago, Team Honda arrived on the American motocross circuit with a brand new motorcycle: the game-changing Elsinore CR250. Page 170.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
I may sound like an ass here but Steve and Jason,when is the last time you threw you leg over a dirt bike in any conditions?Just curious.I love your guy's insight and am a huge fan of Pulpmx.To me I liked a1 track but this red arrow is going to be hard to beat in Phoenix.
I was in SoCal last week and stopped by to check it out. They are putting some serious thought and $ into this facility - should be first rate! Hope they have the traffic and parking figured out though.
Well, looks like I'm going to Elsinore for this years national. Hope it's good! I feel like one of the few who actually liked Pala...
Such propaganda. Surprised DC himself didn't add some BS to this story. 1 out of 5 people have actually been there. Hilarious, no wait terrifying that this is what our industry has come to.
Ping, you need to check your bro-dictionary before writing. It is Kottonmouth Kings, with a K. You don't want that big tall faceless dude from the band looking for you because you spelled their name wrong! Which everyone there will have cottonmouth from the dust, from videos it looked like it was all powder.
MXSP17 - I can't speak for Matthes, but Weege raced the GNCC finale at Loretta Lynn's the first week of November. Not many industry peeps that don't live in SoCal get to ride very often, especially new fathers that travel 40 weekends a year.
I have actually been able to ride a bit more lately than usual, but yeah, my riding and my thoughts on a track don't even matter. That's why I asked Albee! That dude would know!
Wow, Matthes, Ping, Hansel, Stallo, and Weege. All the MX sports media yesmen. At least get some current pros to dish out the crap to make it believable.
It is still going to be a nightmare gettin' in and outta Elsinore just like Pala!!!!!!
Beware fans!!!
good thing i have family in Lake Elsinore.. might have to make the trip out from phoenix for this one
Hey, nothing like getting feedback on the facility from a bunch of reporters who have never even visited the place (except Ping)
Here is a comment from a guy that not only visited he actually rode there:
Dirtysmile 56:
I arrived the day after NewYears and rolled into the track at about 10 am, the staff at the gate was very friendly and helpful, they got me set up to camp for the night and made special arrangements to get me back into the park if I ended up out after the gates were locked later that night (thanks guys :). They made me feel like they were happy I was there and they appreciated my business(very nice) It was also a $20 ride day to boot.
The entry into the track is first class all paved,wide and will definitely accomodate semis and spectators alike, the pitts are clean and flat and compacted, there are several nice areas to pit under some shade trees to the East side of the facility as well as plenty of flat parking all around the track.
The viewing areas are impressive to say the least,with paved concrete walkways that are probably wheelchair accessible and the white fencing is a very nice touch, the ponds and fountains just make it feel even better and more like a first class facility. Even if you don't get up onto the viewing hills you can still see a large portion of the track (more than most Nationals I've been to) from most locations. While I'm at the viewing issue, try going to Lommell Belgium and you literally cannot see any of the track except the section you stand at, other than that it's stand in the infill and literally watch the race on a giant Jumbo Tron with 90% of the fans. To me viewing is paramount, otherwise stay home and watch it on the tube. The viewing mounds will be the coveted spectator locations, so get there early for the Nat because you can see every square inch of the track from on them and I'm sure they will fill up fast.
The setting: I actually think the valley that the track is in is beautiful, large mountains surround the place there is a nice forest of cypress trees to the East and it's kind of nice watching skydivers floating through the air throughout the day.
The dirt: Marc Peters has said that he dug down and found some better dirt,(because of enviromental issues they are not permitted to bring foreign soil into the site) I used to ride the old Elsinore and comparing the dirt from then to now I believe him, it is not perfect dirt but it's much better than the old dirt for sure and beside that the track maintenance is key and these guys literally come out in the middle of the day and rip almost the entire damn track and rewater it. The conditons stayed very good the entire day.
The layout of the track has a very good flow, it has some great rolling elevation type curves that you can just sit down into and gas it while setting up for the next turn. The turning rhythm section is awesome and has a great feel to it with several options. I really like the two hill sections that you approach with speed and just flow over the top and kind of pre scrub/ turn in the air before dropping back down to the valley floor , they make you feel like a pro (pretty sweet) The big step up triple is very cool and reminds me of a Larocco's leap type jump but also has a pretty cool option. I will be interested to see if the pro's triple then jump the entire top of the hill all the way to the downslope. This section must have at least 50 feet of elevation. All in all the track rode awesome! It flowed good for everyone out there from beginner to expert to vet(me) and everyone looked to be having fun, I know I did and I am pretty picky about track flow and continuity.
I drove all the way from Oregon and I was happy that I ended up riding Elsinore I had only planned to ride there one day and ended up staying two. Cudos to the crew! Thanks again, I will be returning.
Now back to receiving comments on this breaking story from talking heads and couch potato's that have never even visited the facility much less have ridden it. :)
Dirtysmile56
Didn't RacerX say the same stuff about Pala a couple of years ago.Of course these guys have to pump up the track.
Jason,
You may not moto that much, but who cares, you got the in front of the camera duties handled.
What happened to Pala? I'll bet it was the traffic...
There is going to be traffic anywhere in the san diego area there is really no avoiding it. Traffic within the facility can be made in a way that is decent and less frustrating but as far as getting to the track there is going to be traffic. And @dirtysmile56 i found your comment more informative than anybody else i have heard talk about it. glad to see some people posting informative and supportive comments on here
@mxsp17 - Simply don't read it mate.
Why do people find something to winge about on every article?
@dirtsmile56 - Having a dig that the reporters haven't ridden there but u have? Would people prefer that we did not hear about this place via RacerX because they haven't ridden there?
They are reporting! And in this case Promoting. Which is great for a new riding area. The facility won't get better if the public don't know firstly, that it exists and secondly for those who had been there and disliked it in the past. They now know it is alot better, chalk and cheese.
I don't follow any other sports but are people like this in other sports?
Thank you RacerX for giving me something daily to read on the sport I have grown up loving!
@groundy056 I guess you never witnessed the time Steve Cox obliterated DanDunes and his reputation for reporting on races he didn't attend. Also, I added smiley faces to my comments meaning it was a fun ribbing (:see it's fun :) At least I added some first hand account of the facility and expressed my support for the National(What the article was intended to do)
@dirtysmile56 - your thoughts on the track were fine. And good.
I've never riden Lake Elsinore, but I have riden at Little Okie. I have a friend who knows a guy who looked at Lake Elsinore on google earth, and he said the track is sick! =/
If've you've ever been there you know the track is as slick as snot after it's watered. Most guys wait at least a half hour for it to dry up. Once it dries out it gets super hard packed, Problem is, it's built on the back shore of a mud hole called Lake Elsinore and the soil is so silttyand fine that its like pottery clay . We rode there about 3 weeks ago and admittedly the dirt was pretty nice only because they had ripped an area of decomposed granite and mixed it in with the silt . Hopefully they'll continue that practice. But you gotta wonder. Hope the have a lot of ambulances available come national time. Maybe they'll fix the spelling on the Fire Lane OLNY before anyone noices, but again you gotta wonder.
Can't wait!!!
It seems everyone attaches the reference (National) to this rekindled track. But, do I hear FIM World GP in the wind??? Doesn't seem like anyone supports Glen Helen's for future GP events (or Nationals for that matter). Just asking, not criticizing, Hold your fire, Cowboys...
Hansel: "continue to evolve and improve". Do you have any idea what a role the SE had in the evolvement of MX/dirt bike riding and sales in the earlier years. The phrase "WEDON'TCAREHOWTHEHELLTHEYDOITINCALIFORNIA" did not come from a go cart racer in Arizona.
Cancel all the SX races in the SE and see how much money and bike sales it effects.
Davey, we are not just harping about adding Elsinore, but 7 or 8 races out of 12 in the NE and Mid-West with 2 of the races 85 miles apart, for the last 30 years, come on. Rotate one to the SE every year or 2.
Promishes and excuses are just that. If you want something done, you do it. Its not like that this has not been discussed for years.
Promises and excuses are after all just excuses.
Really floored that every one working for Racer X agrees with Racer X. Why even write the column?
You guys are right, I have not ridden at Lake Elsinore, which is why I didn't offer up a riding impression of the track. The point I was trying to make is that our national tracks need to be held to an extremely high standard, one fitting of the prestige of the series, and so far, the people in charge at Lake Elsinore are aspiring to that standard. The fact that they hired Marc Peters speaks volumes about the level of track they are trying to achieve.
As for the fans in the SE, I can see how you'd be frustrated, but take comfort in the fact that Lake Elsinore receiving a national did not come at your expense. It was just a relocation of the round previously held at Pala Raceway. The bulk of the industry is centered in Southern California, and the area will always have a national, even if the exact location jumps around from time to time.
I believe that Elsinore is a good fit for a national. Had I thought differently, I would have said so, and I'm sure the same goes for the rest of the staff. That said, I'm glad you guys are sharing your comments here, whether they are positive or negative. That's what the comments section is for, so whatever your opinion is, keep your own Rapid Reaxtions coming.
The reason they took it away from Pala was a money problem, Pala didn't make any!!!! Pala wanted to actually make some money (shame on them, ha ha) and get a better deal. The deal didn't come through, so MX Sports went Elsinorewhere.
Hope Elsinore makes some money, but I doubt it. Wonder if they ever get their bathrooms for the ladies built like the promised?
Reads like this: Blahbiddy blahbiddy blah....Ping likes it....blah blah blah.....Albee told Weege it was nice...blah blah blahbiddy blah....and then Dirtysmile brought it all home for me. My backside has been freshly mentholated from this corporate smokefest. I'm glad the race found another new home...I hope it works out better...NOW, WHERE THE HECK IS MY NATIONAL, DC?
P.S. This rant in no way reflects poorly on Weege, who I still love.
To all of you SE guys sitting in your computer rooms complaining about not having a National I've got some advice for you.
Take note how the Elsinore guys did it, find an investor or a group of investors, raise some serious ca-ching ($1,500,000-$2,000,000 or more) establish an intent with MX sports to accomodate the National track needs in the SE and work on finding and developing a facility. Start with the end in mind get the list of facility requirements from MX sports and work the thing backwards hitting all the must haves. Figure out the cost and the amount of time to recoup the original investment and lock in a commitment with MX sports. Shoot, it sounds like Davey is flying all over the place to look at potential sites, you could probably get the man himself to come out and scout your potential sites. I am sure they would commit to a longer period if all the needs were met to ensure a successful event year in and year out thus protecting your investment.
I believe that the right group,working in a proactive manner with DC and his group could figure out a way to accomplish this goal before risking the money on a location and improvements.
Do you guys really think he is purposefully trying to rob you of a National? They are trying to pilot this sport into the 21st century in a way that it will last and hopefully grow and God forbid be f-ing profitable.
The days of having MX Nationals out in the middle of East Bumble you know what are over! Gone with the two smokes (which I love 2 smokes BTW)
If you want elevation, go find an old landfill with huge heaping piles of trash covered in dirt and build the track there, or in an old industrial area where access for big trucks is already considered. I actually like the idea of having a few tracks in unique locations. like Lommell (I always use Lommell as an example :) It is built in the middle of what looks like a heavy industrial zone where noise isn't an issue.(the only part they screwed up on is spectator viewing)
Marc Peters has shown that you don't need natural terrain you just need the heavy iron and cash for diesel to make it.
Ok, coffee is wearing off :) See Ya.
Shocker. RacerX guys saying only positive things about an MX Sports decision.
Dirtysmile, I was enjoying your input right up until you went all high-in-the-saddle Josey Wales on me and leaned over and spit tobacco juice all over my white jacket. If you're telling me that I personally have to scrape together 2 mil to dangle in front of Davey Coombs in order to obtain the privilege of seeing an MX Sports event without having to travel by air, then there's our problem. Did you do that?
SoCal has the industry and a lot of riders, so CA gets several SX's and a couple of Nat's. I get that. Despite the caps, my question was still light-hearted. We've been hearing exactly what you pointed out, that DC has been looking around down here and I appreciate that. What I was asking for is an update of some sort from DC, not a lesson on capitalism from a man who's lucky enough to actually RIDE at the same facility which will soon host a national, but thanks anyway.
@Southernboy Thanks for noticing my lesson in Capitailsm :) That was my intent:) I get your frustration but my point was that these things don't arrange themselves and Davey Coombs isn't going to do it, I'm sure he has his hands full anyway.(although I would glady jump on board if he would like to put together a team and run the SE National from in house :) Someone on the ground over there in the SE is going to have to grab the bull by the horns and make it happen just like he(DC) did when the AMA opted out of promoting and put up for sale the pro racing series(beleive it or not anyone could have bid on the Pro Racing series when that happened, I met with several investors about purchasing the Supermoto Series but declined out of fear of the risk). I have never sat down in one of these promoter meetings with MX sports nor have I seen the numbers or profit and loss statements for a national mx so I can't speak with experience there on the financial viability of promoting one. I can tell you that Supermoto was not good at all and now we see how that worked out(on the National level) I do suspect that Pro Motocross can't be that bad financially or the existing venues wouldn't continue. I also believe that the larger risk is the position that DC and MX sports sits in, larger than the promoter running 1 round of the 12 round series. (another business lesson: the guy who takes the largest risk demands the lions share of the profits)
I do know that every business on the planet except for maybe oil producers (and Monster Energy) have suffered immensley in the great recession and some people can't quite get a grasp on the change that has taken place in the last 6 years. The money that we expect to make at just about anything is not coming back. I believe that our beloved sport is just beginning to take shape into what it is going to become. I honestly would be a little nervous in the position of MX sports because they undoubtedly have the most at stake.
The sport we take for granted as we always have may not look like your Dad's moto-x scene. BTW I will jump on a plane to visit the new SE National when it comes to fruition and be happy to have a beer (or six) with ya Southernboy :)
I'd like to thank DC, racerx and MX sports for all they do to support the sport.
Also, I'm from washington state, and as far as I'm concerned, the SE can have Washougal. It's okay to watch on TV, but a horrible event to attend. They always talk about the beautiful scenery, but that's all you can see. That and about 50 yards of track. Davey, tell them to cut the trees down so we can see the track.
Nice spin.
I say CONGRATS to LEMP!! I used to live 5 min up the road from there and missed it. I haven't been back since it re-opened. that only being due to working in Orange County and living in San Jacinto now. I'll definitely get there and hopefully soon.
Keep up the good work. Good things happen to good people!!