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Detroit Dorals Park Velodrome?

43K views 121 replies 79 participants last post by  SuperP 
#1 ·
A friend just linked me to this article about how some enterprising Detroiters are reusing an abandoned bicycle track for motorcycle racing.

This seems like the kind of two-wheeled hoonage I envision JJ'ers getting up to. This is going on in a public park, so I don't expect you to confess, but I thought some of you might enjoy seeing it.

-Dave
 
#77 ·
Re: The Abandoned Detroit VELODROME

I'm just crabby about the fact that no motorcycles are allowed..
Bicycle's are fun too. All one needs to do is fit an oversize sprocket, something like a 12 to 16 incher, a push start and away you go reaching speeds you never thought possible....if you can stay upright. You never know, the "mower gang" as they liked to be called, might make a new class for speed records. It may turn into something popular and they can bring back the glory days of a stayer and motorcycle pacer.

Having said that, that particular place in Detroit looks a little too dangerous for that sort of thing. I'd much prefer to race the boards of the '10s and '20s.:rolleyes:


 
#79 ·
Re: The Abandoned Detroit VELODROME

They still race like this in Belgium...Derny racing. I tried it once in Boston, it's the same as pacing behind a car.

You can really get moving!

Cheers and beers
Hodge
 
#115 ·
Re: The Abandoned Detroit VELODROME

Is there still a velodrome on Milwaukee's North side? Brown Deer Park?

Here a couple of links that will get you going.......



You can also search youtubefor the following: autodromo sitges terramar

and terramar

http://www.circuitsofthepast.nl/sitgesreport.html

BanjeauX Bob
Apparently Kenosha Wisconsin has the oldest velodrome in the U.S. however it is still active for bicyclists only!
 
#82 · (Edited by Moderator)
Re: The Abandoned Detroit VELODROME

Hey folks, I'm one of the organizers behind The Thunderdrome and wanted to provide everyone with a little insight into what we're doing.

The Dorais Velodrome was abandoned by the city in the '80s. It fell to disrepair and was in rough shape. One of the guys who found it and started bringing it back's name is Tom Nardone, he runs a group called The Mower Gang which mows parks because the city doesn't. He did the initial clean up in August but there was a lot of work left. The video posted on Jockey Journal was actually put together by one of my neighbors and fellow motorcycle head.

About a month ago we decided to move ahead with a race as a way to a raise funds to replace some of the seriously screwed up pads, and to just have some fun. We took over renovations with a generous sponsorship from Kilburns Equipment rental and we're bringing it back to somewhat race-ready.


We've put hundreds of man hours into hacking back the overgrowth, removing trees and garbage, mowing and cleaning and it's ready for a race. We're putting one on October 16th.

There are classes for geared road bike, fixie, mountain bike, moped, scooter, and pit bike and prizes handed out for each. Spectating is free or $5 for a VIP pass, entry for racers is $20 and 50% of proceeds go to Detroit Parks and Rec, the other 50% goes to a fund for ongoing repair and upkeep of the velodrome.

Great progress has been made on the velodrome, the upper and lower skirts are nearly completely uncovered, all the cracks have been cleared of grassy build up, the lawn has been mowed, all of the offending trees growing in the track have been cut down and chipped. Tomorrow we'll be finishing landscaping (hopefully) and preparing for some new cement to improve the safety of the track for road bike riders.

As to the limitations, this was never designed for motorcycles to begin with and at a quarter mile with 45 degree banks, big cracks and no rail, it's too dangerous for amateurs to take motorcycles on. We limited it to 70cc mopeds and 50cc scooter because we don't want anyone to get hurt. In any case, we're adding a pit bike class so that should be a little more satisfying to the jockeys out there.

If you have October 16th free, you should come out and watch, it should be a ton of fun.

.
 
#89 ·
Re: The Abandoned Detroit VELODROME

As to the limitations, this was never designed for motorcycles to begin with and at a quarter mile with 45 degree banks, big cracks and no rail, it's too dangerous for amateurs to take motorcycles on.
I already don't like you. That one sentence up there will probably do more to ensure that folks try it out on a motorbike than anything else you could have possibly said.

Just wondering, do you guys have a lease from the city or any sort of legal footing to operate the track on City property? That's kind a tounge in cheek question, since we're speaking of Detroit, but I was curious anyhow.
 
#83 ·
Re: The Abandoned Detroit VELODROME

I used to train for bicycle racing in the 80's on this thing. Probably '88 or so. I was in the Wolverine Club who owned the track. It was a little rough then, had a bunch of cracks and some weeds. We would have to sweep the whole thing every use because beer bottles were thrown over the fence by the 12/pack. The banking was not real steep like other velodromes but it was great for training. Funny to see it discovered, makes me feel old. Glad I left the area in '91 looks nothing but decay since I left.
 
#98 ·
Re: The Abandoned Detroit VELODROME

Sad thing is, soon as someone gets hurt, the Lawyers will come crawling out into the light, and the owners will shut it down.
wow... i thought detroit was still an ok city but i see it's pretty ghetto. no wonder axle foley moved to beverly hills.. no offense. i'd sue the fuck outta hipster if they crashed their fixed gear, honda cb whatever or vespa/moped into me... ALWAYS have a good personal injury lawyer at your disposal. since nobody has health insurance and is unemployed... its inevitable.. please be advised.
 
#87 ·
#88 ·
Re: The Abandoned Detroit VELODROME

there are a couple of scenarios i learned of when talking to the owner on a m/c shop i worked at, who had an arenacross track built out behind the shop, and eventually built an indoor motocross track.....

you can charge people to ride there, which by doing so you take on the liability of people getting hurt there, in other words if you charge to ride the track owner must protect their ass by getting insurance, which comes at an insane price and does not guarantee victory in the courtroom

or

put up no trespassing signs and permit no one to ride there, so if they do and they get hurt, the property owner may have a wooden leg to stand on in court, and yet again there is no guarantee a jury won't feel sorry for a guy in a wheelchair who can't feed his family and reward the guy a settlement anyway....even though he broke the law

.................growing up riding dirtbikes in the midwest i have seen way too many riding spots disappear because we are a "sue society"
 
#91 ·
Re: The Abandoned Detroit VELODROME

There's also what's called an "attractive nuisance." If you have a ladder laying behind your garage, and some kids stand it up and start jumping off your roof, you're liable if one gets hurt. Somebody somewhere decided that that type of scenario is pretty much inviting someone to do something stupid. Yeah, it's ridiculous, but it's real.
 
#106 ·
Re: The Abandoned Detroit VELODROME

Interesting thread.

I've been in most of the industrial facilities in Detroit as part of my job - and there's an even bigger abandoned track in Shelby Township - behind the old Packard Plant. It's an oval track with banked turns - damned thing was about four miles long. The plant reverted to the government in the 50's, then to Ford - it's now abandoned.

The track is half gone with subdivisions - but you can still see it by Googling Utica, MI and then panning to the area between Mound and Van **** and 22 and 23 Mile roads. I recall seeing film footage of Packards lapping the track at 100+ MPH.

The plant was pretty cool, too - they made jet engines there for a while - there's a whole bank of engine test cells with 8' thick concrete walls to prevent a grenaded turbine from shredding the adjacent engines.

Thanks for jogging this memory!
 
#107 ·
Re: The Abandoned Detroit VELODROME

Interesting thread.

I've been in most of the industrial facilities in Detroit as part of my job - and there's an even bigger abandoned track in Shelby Township - behind the old Packard Plant. It's an oval track with banked turns - damned thing was about four miles long. The plant reverted to the government in the 50's, then to Ford - it's now abandoned.

The track is half gone with subdivisions - but you can still see it by Googling Utica, MI and then panning to the area between Mound and Van **** and 22 and 23 Mile roads. I recall seeing film footage of Packards lapping the track at 100+ MPH.

The plant was pretty cool, too - they made jet engines there for a while - there's a whole bank of engine test cells with 8' thick concrete walls to prevent a grenaded turbine from shredding the adjacent engines.

Thanks for jogging this memory!
Ah, the Packard Proving Grounds...That's actually being saved as much as possible. Ford Land Holdings or whatever it's called gave most of the property to the Packard Motor Foundation, and they're in negotiation to give them the rest (or already have done so).

Like you said, most of the track is long gone, but there was a portion intact on the grounds immediatley near the buildings. I've been there and it's pretty freaky to stand on what's left of the track and realize what it used to be, a huge test track that rivaled the huge rings in Europe....

Found a good ariel shot: http://www.packardmotorfdn.org/Aerial_View.htm
 
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