Is this Indian Dunes Raceway?

SwingHard
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SwingHard 9/8/2018 4:02pm
9/8/2018 4:02pm
SwingHard wrote:
Thats on the minicycle track,I must've put in a million laps on that track as a kid in the 70's. For those who were lucky enough...
Thats on the minicycle track,I must've put in a million laps on that track as a kid in the 70's.
For those who were lucky enough to ride at Indian Dunes,who remembers the snack bar right next to the mini track? Best chili fries in history!
SCR wrote:
I had my first beer ( first taste of beer) sitting in the stands watching 1/4 midget cars practice on the oval. I was 9 or...
I had my first beer ( first taste of beer) sitting in the stands watching 1/4 midget cars practice on the oval. I was 9 or 10 years old my Dad had his 71 TS250, I was spinning laps on the mini track on my SL-70. Took a break and got some hot dogs from the snack bar. My old man got a Coors in the steel can. I can still smell that Coors beer. I asked him what it tasted like. He didn't say anything he just handed me the beer and I took a few drinks. I didn't know it at the time but 46 years later its still one of my best memories.
LOL,thats Awsome!!
BigDaddyG
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BigDaddyG 9/8/2018 4:19pm
9/8/2018 4:19pm Edited Date/Time 9/8/2018 4:19pm
Yep, Indian Dunes. Loved going there and riding when’s i first got started racing. That was a legendary place for sure.
Anyone know what Ronnie Densford is up to these days? He hauled ass on 80’s
Phantom 661
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Phantom 661 9/8/2018 5:59pm
9/8/2018 5:59pm
I raced there one time in 77 or 78 and got knocked out with a fractured jaw in the 2nd moto. That place was crazy! Don't know why but we always went to Gorman instead... racing was more expensive I guess and Gorman was more open. Indian Dunes has quite a history for filming. What a land mark!
Ozy
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Ozy 9/8/2018 6:43pm
9/8/2018 6:43pm
Ozy wrote:
Looks like Indian Dunes. I think the reason for confusion is this race actually took place on 3 different tracks located within Indian Dunes; The start...
Looks like Indian Dunes. I think the reason for confusion is this race actually took place on 3 different tracks located within Indian Dunes; The start of the race looked like it was filmed on the mini track up in flat middle of the park, Jumped to the Shadow Glen track down by the river, then the race moved to the International track but they were running backwards from how it was raced every Sunday
SCR wrote:
I don't know. I watched it a few times and recognize every part of the film as being on the mini track. From about 37 sec...
I don't know. I watched it a few times and recognize every part of the film as being on the mini track. From about 37 sec to 40 sec it almost looks like the International track but its a couple edited shots coming down the hill where the start straight meets up with the main track at the bottom. You can see the backside of the wooden wall for the 1/4 mile ( 3/8 mile ? ) oval in the background of the left hander at about 40 sec.

It has been a few decades Smile I'm just glad my dad took me there enough times that I can make a guess at it!! I didn't remember many tree's around the mini or international track so this is why I thought once scene was shadow glen

I also don't remember the mini track having much of an elevation change and with the highway behind the fence I assumed if was shot from international track up towards the S section. But they were racing a different direction than normal

anyway that was how I interpreted it. Stoked the Dunes was part of my youth!!

The Shop

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Sr_Vet_Rider
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Sr_Vet_Rider 9/8/2018 7:07pm
9/8/2018 7:07pm
BigDaddyG wrote:
Yep, Indian Dunes. Loved going there and riding when’s i first got started racing. That was a legendary place for sure. Anyone know what Ronnie Densford...
Yep, Indian Dunes. Loved going there and riding when’s i first got started racing. That was a legendary place for sure.
Anyone know what Ronnie Densford is up to these days? He hauled ass on 80’s
Ronnie is working on the motion picture industry as a set lighting technician. Has a ‘05 Honda 450, but hasn’t ridden in several years...
He grew up on the same street where I grew up. I’ll take the credit for introducing him to moto. He picked up on it quick and had a Italijet ride his first year. Followed by a Full Factory Yamaha ride, developing the PW50 (YZinger). Moved to Honda on 60’s and 80’s, but burned out by the time he made it to the pros...
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oldblood
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oldblood 9/8/2018 7:13pm
9/8/2018 7:13pm
Ozy wrote:
Looks like Indian Dunes. I think the reason for confusion is this race actually took place on 3 different tracks located within Indian Dunes; The start...
Looks like Indian Dunes. I think the reason for confusion is this race actually took place on 3 different tracks located within Indian Dunes; The start of the race looked like it was filmed on the mini track up in flat middle of the park, Jumped to the Shadow Glen track down by the river, then the race moved to the International track but they were running backwards from how it was raced every Sunday
SCR wrote:
I don't know. I watched it a few times and recognize every part of the film as being on the mini track. From about 37 sec...
I don't know. I watched it a few times and recognize every part of the film as being on the mini track. From about 37 sec to 40 sec it almost looks like the International track but its a couple edited shots coming down the hill where the start straight meets up with the main track at the bottom. You can see the backside of the wooden wall for the 1/4 mile ( 3/8 mile ? ) oval in the background of the left hander at about 40 sec.
Ozy wrote:
It has been a few decades :) I'm just glad my dad took me there enough times that I can make a guess at it!! I...

It has been a few decades Smile I'm just glad my dad took me there enough times that I can make a guess at it!! I didn't remember many tree's around the mini or international track so this is why I thought once scene was shadow glen

I also don't remember the mini track having much of an elevation change and with the highway behind the fence I assumed if was shot from international track up towards the S section. But they were racing a different direction than normal

anyway that was how I interpreted it. Stoked the Dunes was part of my youth!!
Ha ha its good, cool memories for sure!
mx_563
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mx_563 9/8/2018 7:20pm
9/8/2018 7:20pm
When exactly did the place close and what were the reasons?
-MAVERICK-
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-MAVERICK- 9/8/2018 7:23pm
9/8/2018 7:23pm
SwingHard wrote:
Thats on the minicycle track,I must've put in a million laps on that track as a kid in the 70's. For those who were lucky enough...
Thats on the minicycle track,I must've put in a million laps on that track as a kid in the 70's.
For those who were lucky enough to ride at Indian Dunes,who remembers the snack bar right next to the mini track? Best chili fries in history!
SCR wrote:
I had my first beer ( first taste of beer) sitting in the stands watching 1/4 midget cars practice on the oval. I was 9 or...
I had my first beer ( first taste of beer) sitting in the stands watching 1/4 midget cars practice on the oval. I was 9 or 10 years old my Dad had his 71 TS250, I was spinning laps on the mini track on my SL-70. Took a break and got some hot dogs from the snack bar. My old man got a Coors in the steel can. I can still smell that Coors beer. I asked him what it tasted like. He didn't say anything he just handed me the beer and I took a few drinks. I didn't know it at the time but 46 years later its still one of my best memories.
LOL. Your story reminds me of this.

https://youtu.be/iYTdILs7-1Q?rel=0&start=108
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avidchimp
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avidchimp 9/8/2018 7:32pm
9/8/2018 7:32pm
BigDaddyG wrote:
Yep, Indian Dunes. Loved going there and riding when’s i first got started racing. That was a legendary place for sure. Anyone know what Ronnie Densford...
Yep, Indian Dunes. Loved going there and riding when’s i first got started racing. That was a legendary place for sure.
Anyone know what Ronnie Densford is up to these days? He hauled ass on 80’s
Sr_Vet_Rider wrote:
Ronnie is working on the motion picture industry as a set lighting technician. Has a ‘05 Honda 450, but hasn’t ridden in several years... He grew...
Ronnie is working on the motion picture industry as a set lighting technician. Has a ‘05 Honda 450, but hasn’t ridden in several years...
He grew up on the same street where I grew up. I’ll take the credit for introducing him to moto. He picked up on it quick and had a Italijet ride his first year. Followed by a Full Factory Yamaha ride, developing the PW50 (YZinger). Moved to Honda on 60’s and 80’s, but burned out by the time he made it to the pros...
Wow, it really is a small world. Ronnie is my oldest cousins ex hubby. The Rendich family...
Fog 25
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Fog 25 9/8/2018 9:27pm
9/8/2018 9:27pm
Here you go from the first week open.

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mattyhamz2
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mattyhamz2 9/8/2018 9:30pm
9/8/2018 9:30pm
mx_563 wrote:
When exactly did the place close and what were the reasons?
From what I’ve been told they were filming a movie and a pretty famous actor at the time was decapitated by a helicopter blade and that was the final straw. I was also told that there were other things that happened before which led to them being on thin ice after some filming accidents, but I could be wrong.
SCR
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SCR 9/8/2018 10:23pm
9/8/2018 10:23pm
Ozy wrote:
Looks like Indian Dunes. I think the reason for confusion is this race actually took place on 3 different tracks located within Indian Dunes; The start...
Looks like Indian Dunes. I think the reason for confusion is this race actually took place on 3 different tracks located within Indian Dunes; The start of the race looked like it was filmed on the mini track up in flat middle of the park, Jumped to the Shadow Glen track down by the river, then the race moved to the International track but they were running backwards from how it was raced every Sunday
SCR wrote:
I don't know. I watched it a few times and recognize every part of the film as being on the mini track. From about 37 sec...
I don't know. I watched it a few times and recognize every part of the film as being on the mini track. From about 37 sec to 40 sec it almost looks like the International track but its a couple edited shots coming down the hill where the start straight meets up with the main track at the bottom. You can see the backside of the wooden wall for the 1/4 mile ( 3/8 mile ? ) oval in the background of the left hander at about 40 sec.
Ozy wrote:
It has been a few decades :) I'm just glad my dad took me there enough times that I can make a guess at it!! I...

It has been a few decades Smile I'm just glad my dad took me there enough times that I can make a guess at it!! I didn't remember many tree's around the mini or international track so this is why I thought once scene was shadow glen

I also don't remember the mini track having much of an elevation change and with the highway behind the fence I assumed if was shot from international track up towards the S section. But they were racing a different direction than normal

anyway that was how I interpreted it. Stoked the Dunes was part of my youth!!
Yeah, that's a long time ago. I had just started riding and we would go to Muntz Cycle Park in Moorpark and it was motorcycle heaven. Then some older guys in the neighborhood were always talking about racing at Indian Dunes. By the time my Dad took us out there I had all these images and excitement built up about it and I wasn't dissapointed. Coolest place on earth at 10 yrs old.
Phantom 661
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Phantom 661 9/9/2018 5:59am
9/9/2018 5:59am
mx_563 wrote:
When exactly did the place close and what were the reasons?
mattyhamz2 wrote:
From what I’ve been told they were filming a movie and a pretty famous actor at the time was decapitated by a helicopter blade and that...
From what I’ve been told they were filming a movie and a pretty famous actor at the time was decapitated by a helicopter blade and that was the final straw. I was also told that there were other things that happened before which led to them being on thin ice after some filming accidents, but I could be wrong.
Vic Morrow and two children were killed buy a helicopter during filming of Twilight Zone. It was pretty gory and drug out in the news for quite some time. I don't recall that being the end of the Dunes though.
RD_97
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RD_97 9/9/2018 2:29pm
9/9/2018 2:29pm Edited Date/Time 9/9/2018 10:10pm
That’s definitely the pee wee track at Indian Dunes. I honestly do not remember filming that day for Chips but most of my childhood was a blur.

Langham was pretty much correct. I stopped racing when I was 16 but started up in my 20s. Indian Dunes was some of the best times ever racing.
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Myke
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Myke 9/9/2018 3:30pm
9/9/2018 3:30pm
mx_563 wrote:
When exactly did the place close and what were the reasons?
mattyhamz2 wrote:
From what I’ve been told they were filming a movie and a pretty famous actor at the time was decapitated by a helicopter blade and that...
From what I’ve been told they were filming a movie and a pretty famous actor at the time was decapitated by a helicopter blade and that was the final straw. I was also told that there were other things that happened before which led to them being on thin ice after some filming accidents, but I could be wrong.
Phantom 661 wrote:
Vic Morrow and two children were killed buy a helicopter during filming of Twilight Zone. It was pretty gory and drug out in the news for...
Vic Morrow and two children were killed buy a helicopter during filming of Twilight Zone. It was pretty gory and drug out in the news for quite some time. I don't recall that being the end of the Dunes though.
Gory is putting it lightly. The video of the accident is on youtube, I can't believe the director did not get in more trouble from that.
Sr_Vet_Rider
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Sr_Vet_Rider 9/10/2018 1:16pm
9/10/2018 1:16pm
RD_97 wrote:
That’s definitely the pee wee track at Indian Dunes. I honestly do not remember filming that day for Chips but most of my childhood was a...
That’s definitely the pee wee track at Indian Dunes. I honestly do not remember filming that day for Chips but most of my childhood was a blur.

Langham was pretty much correct. I stopped racing when I was 16 but started up in my 20s. Indian Dunes was some of the best times ever racing.
I assumed it was you, I remember you working on Chips... maybe not ?
We sure did spend a lot of time at The Dunes...
Some of the best times of my life back then !
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Sr_Vet_Rider
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Sr_Vet_Rider 9/10/2018 2:29pm
9/10/2018 2:29pm
Hallzilla wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/09/10/286435/s1200_IMG_1641.jpg[/img]

I got a couple of those. Cool
Valley Relics ?

Pit Row

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Hallzilla
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Hallzilla 9/10/2018 2:43pm
9/10/2018 2:43pm
Hallzilla wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/09/10/286435/s1200_IMG_1641.jpg[/img]

Sr_Vet_Rider wrote:
I got a couple of those. Cool
Valley Relics ?
Ohh, You good ! Love that Museum
boybuc
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boybuc 9/10/2018 2:44pm
9/10/2018 2:44pm
I was there that day . They filmed right up until we practiced for the race . It was on a Friday
RD_97
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RD_97 9/10/2018 2:56pm
9/10/2018 2:56pm
RD_97 wrote:
That’s definitely the pee wee track at Indian Dunes. I honestly do not remember filming that day for Chips but most of my childhood was a...
That’s definitely the pee wee track at Indian Dunes. I honestly do not remember filming that day for Chips but most of my childhood was a blur.

Langham was pretty much correct. I stopped racing when I was 16 but started up in my 20s. Indian Dunes was some of the best times ever racing.
Sr_Vet_Rider wrote:
I assumed it was you, I remember you working on Chips... maybe not ? We sure did spend a lot of time at The Dunes... Some...
I assumed it was you, I remember you working on Chips... maybe not ?
We sure did spend a lot of time at The Dunes...
Some of the best times of my life back then !
I’m sure it was. I did 3-4 different scenes for Chips as the stunt double for the character Chris. He was the boy whose mom was dating John. It looks like my old Italjet gear I used to wear.

Yep Indian Dunes was a good time as a kid. No rules, ride, swim, cliff jumps, anything and everything for us.
Hallzilla
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Hallzilla 9/10/2018 3:02pm
9/10/2018 3:02pm
RD_97 wrote:
That’s definitely the pee wee track at Indian Dunes. I honestly do not remember filming that day for Chips but most of my childhood was a...
That’s definitely the pee wee track at Indian Dunes. I honestly do not remember filming that day for Chips but most of my childhood was a blur.

Langham was pretty much correct. I stopped racing when I was 16 but started up in my 20s. Indian Dunes was some of the best times ever racing.
Sr_Vet_Rider wrote:
I assumed it was you, I remember you working on Chips... maybe not ? We sure did spend a lot of time at The Dunes... Some...
I assumed it was you, I remember you working on Chips... maybe not ?
We sure did spend a lot of time at The Dunes...
Some of the best times of my life back then !
RD_97 wrote:
I’m sure it was. I did 3-4 different scenes for Chips as the stunt double for the character Chris. He was the boy whose mom was...
I’m sure it was. I did 3-4 different scenes for Chips as the stunt double for the character Chris. He was the boy whose mom was dating John. It looks like my old Italjet gear I used to wear.

Yep Indian Dunes was a good time as a kid. No rules, ride, swim, cliff jumps, anything and everything for us.
Is this the RD_97 from the old Dog Pound days ?
RD_97
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RD_97 9/10/2018 3:08pm
9/10/2018 3:08pm
Yup. Same Ronnie #97 since the dawn of time. ?
Hallzilla
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Hallzilla 9/10/2018 3:36pm
9/10/2018 3:36pm
RD_97 wrote:
Yup. Same Ronnie #97 since the dawn of time. ?
Right on. I remember when you had a BBQ ride day there. Good times !
wpark89
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wpark89 9/10/2018 3:50pm
9/10/2018 3:50pm Edited Date/Time 9/10/2018 4:08pm
I did a bit of research years ago. The helicopter accident was in 82 but the track was open until 1985. There was a big article I found in the Cycle News archives. Also most of the riding in Winners Take All was filmed at the Dunes and the big final race was all in the Shadow Glenn area. Also I believe that’s the same creek the Dukes of Hazzard always jumped.
motoman617
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motoman617 9/10/2018 4:00pm
9/10/2018 4:00pm
wpark89 wrote:
I did a bit of research years ago. The helicopter accident was in 82 but the track was open until 1985. There was a big article...
I did a bit of research years ago. The helicopter accident was in 82 but the track was open until 1985. There was a big article I found in the Cycle News archives. Also most of the riding in Winners Take All was filmed at the Dunes and the big final race was all in the Shadow Glenn area. Also I believe that’s the same creek the Dukes of Hazzard always jumped.
I remember going out there on a weekday and seeing a car transporting rig with like 4 General Lee Chargers and a police cruiser on it for filming that day.

I started racing Friday nghts there in 1978 on my Maico. When things were busy there we raced three times a week. I think it was AME that did Tuesday or Wednesday night races for a while then back on Friday nights then back for Sunday. Short drive up the 126 from Ventura. Great times. I sure missed that place after they closed.
RichieW13
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RichieW13 9/10/2018 4:31pm
9/10/2018 4:31pm Edited Date/Time 9/10/2018 4:52pm
mx_563 wrote:
When exactly did the place close and what were the reasons?
mattyhamz2 wrote:
From what I’ve been told they were filming a movie and a pretty famous actor at the time was decapitated by a helicopter blade and that...
From what I’ve been told they were filming a movie and a pretty famous actor at the time was decapitated by a helicopter blade and that was the final straw. I was also told that there were other things that happened before which led to them being on thin ice after some filming accidents, but I could be wrong.
That happened in 1982. Indian Dunes still operated as a movie set for about 8 more years, so I don't think that had anything to do with the closing.

I think it stopped operating as a race facility a few years before it closed altogether.

Interesting that it was closed to become farmland. Usually it's farmland closing to become something else.

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-11-09/entertainment/ca-4233_1_californ…

And in the Feb 27, 1985 issue of Cycle News:

"In a sudden move, Indian Dunes motorcycle park...has been closed to trail riding as of Feb 14. Feb 17 was the last day of racing at the park's international track. The reason for the closure was attributed to increasing insurance premium costs, as well as an apparent threat of increasing punitive damages resulting from rider injury suits filed against the Newhall Land and Farming Company, which owns the land that comprises Indian Dunes."
SCR
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SCR 9/10/2018 4:42pm
9/10/2018 4:42pm
I remember doing Wed night races during the summer, 1976 I think. I remember being blinded by the setting sun coming down the straight away from the back part of the track during practice. Tinted lenses probably would have helped.
Night racing was pretty sketchy for me the first few times, lighting wasn't all that great on some parts of the track, not knowing if that black part of the track was I big hole, rut, or just a shadow was a bit freightening. Then thinking someone was coming up the inside but it was just your own shadow Shocked
Good times.
Yeah, I also remeber seeing some torn up General Lee's sitting on a trailer one time. My Dad dug it when we got a chance to see one of the ba ba black sheep Corsair planes fly.

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