Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch

Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch, also remembered as Lake Whitney Motocross Park, is one of the true holy grails of American motocross. It sat in Whitney, Texas, on the banks of the Brazos River between Dallas and Waco, and for decades it was hallowed ground for riders and fans alike. It is now permanently closed, but its place in the sport's history is untouchable.

The track was built on a premium mix of sand and rich red clay that pros loved so much they called it heavenly dirt, for the way it hooked up and held a line. The layout used the natural elevation of the land for giant berms, massive rolling whoops, expansive jumps, and the notorious Chuck Sun Hill drop-away. Between the terrain and the brutal Texas heat and humidity, Lake Whitney taxed the stamina of the best athletes in the world.

Lake Whitney opened in 1969 and became an early staple of championship racing. On June 17, 1973, it hosted its first AMA Pro Motocross National, where Gary Jones took a historic main-event win aboard a Honda and Pierre Karsmakers captured the 500cc National that same year. In 1974, Roger DeCoster won a grueling Trans-Am race here in a complete mud bath. The venue hosted eight nationals in all before its final pro event in 1983, when a collapsing Texas oil economy and falling attendance pushed it off the AMA pro calendar.

After the pros moved on, Lake Whitney became the epicenter of amateur motocross. For 16 years it hosted the Lake Whitney Spring Classic, and through the late 1990s and 2000s that race kicked off the national amateur calendar. Families formed miles-long lines to camp along the river, race Whitney, and then roll straight to Mosier Valley the next week for an unforgettable two-week spring break of pure racing. The amateur classes here were a superstar breeding ground: James Stewart, Ryan Villopoto, Davi Millsaps, and Trey Canard all sharpened their craft at Lake Whitney before turning pro.

The facility went through several ownership shifts, including a major lease transfer to Millcreek Race Promotions in 2008, but it eventually closed for good. The land has largely returned to private property, and the roar of engines has given way to the quiet of the Texas countryside. Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch is gone, but for anyone who raced it, camped it, or watched history made on its dirt, it will never be forgotten.