8.5 miles for the big track, a little over 1.5 for the Pee Wees.

    Non-Amateurs ride first.

Thanks to Gary Hazel for coming out  and showin' me around the track.

Don't forget the festivities at the train station on Friday night. 

  There'll be a well lit trail down to the Railroad Track where with the free wristband you get at the gate, you can ride to and from town, where there will be a live band and a pre-race party at Diamond Bessie's.

I went out Hwy 80 west until it hit I-20, then it was just a drive over to hwy 59 north towards Marshall. ( note: there is construction on I 20 for about 3 miles starting around mile marker 565...or so, oh and watch your speed in Marshall )

 Drive on up to Jefferson, and as you get into town, there'll be a gastation on the right that has a Burger King in it. That is where you turn right. Hwy 49 is the one you want and when you come to the little intersection, turn left, that'll keep ya on 49. Then go under the RR track and cross over the next RR tracks, the track is about 1/2 mile on your right...it'll be marked.

 This is a new one to most of us...unless you races the vintage nationals that is, in which case you'd already be familiar with this piece of property. 

 "Diamond" Don Rainey a vintage racer and cycle guy of some note, has teamed up with another notable, Thumper Racing's Gary Hazel, to put together this event.

 The start will be up in the corner of the main camp area, where it appears that we'll be performing the right hander start. The course then turns into the woods and stays in there for most of the 8.5 mile lap. Unless you're prone to hittin' trees you won't need the barkbusters here. I rode a good portion of the track side by side with another fourwheeler. That's not to say it's a wimp's track or a sidewalk ride though, you'll find plenty of jumps ( if ya got the nerve ), lots of off camber stuff, and some fantastic grass track, that should make for great side by side racing.

 The soil is mostly a light gray sandy stuff, that even though it takes the form of hardpack in some areas, it will only take a few bikes to turn it back into sand. By the end of the day, expect whoops, and ruts in the corners. Needless to say, I'd bring a soft terrain tire...and prep for dust. I'd also warn you all to take care on the first lap. This is a new track, and quite a few of the "pop-up" jumps in the woods, happen just before the course changes direction...usually around a big tree. There are also some kinda Aztec ruins in there that are made of something like concrete...you don't want to get involved in these...you will loose. Be careful on your first lap.

 Did I mention the swamps? There's lots of them ( it ) the cool part is, that the water doesn't come close to the track, but is quite scenic to look at as you motor by. As is the tourist train that parallels the track. And the river, where Gary said he saw a naked babe ridin' a Jet Ski...when I turned to look ( just out of curiosity ) it turned out to be a balding old man ...Gary's wife keeps him on a pretty short leash I guess..

 All in all, the track proves to be one of the best this year, nothing that any skill level can't handle, but no sidewalk ride either...a racetrack.

There are two camp areas. The first one you come too inside the gate and to your right is the main area the track runs along the south side and the start and E-Score are in the southeast corner. The area seems to be flat enough, but there are no trees in the area, so bring your own shade. I would also caution you about the abundance of "stickers" ( grass burrs ) in the area, and of course as always...ants. Keep your shoes on, and have the kids do the same.

 Further down the road from the main campsite and on the left is the Pee Wee / Moto-Mom camp area. A little smaller, and of course, closer to the pee wee track. 

 Now then, that being said...I would've liked to have seen more roads, like at the last track, for us to go watch the race from. But with the levy, the train track, the swamp and of course the race track, all taking up the same spot on the map, well, let's just say that with safety in mind, ( yours and the racer's ) that the track access is somewhat limited.

I saw this one on the way in, and it looks close and of reasonable quality.
Inn Of Jefferson, 119 S Walcott St, Jefferson, TX 75657, (903-665-3983)

Best Western Inn, 400 S Walcott St, Jefferson, TX 75657, (903-665-3536)
Budget Inn Motel, 1761 S US Highway 59, Jefferson, TX 75657, (903-665-2581)
Captain's Castle Bed/Breakfast, 403 E Walker St, Jefferson, TX 75657, (903-665-2330)
Captain's Quarters, 107 Saint John St, Jefferson, TX 75657, (903-665-1246)
Excelsior House, 211 W Austin St, Jefferson, TX 75657, (903-665-2513)
First Bed & Breakfast In Texas, 409 E Broadway St, Jefferson, TX 75657, (903-665-2675)
Guest House, 511 W Austin St, Jefferson, TX 75657, (903-665-8774)
Hale House Bed & Breakfast, 702 S Line St, Jefferson, TX 75657, (903-665-8877)

 Gates open Friday at Three.

No actual soil was sampled during the gathering of information for this report.