Construction Update 5/05/2008:

The mass grading crew is making great progress on the site, as the removal of all the remnants of the mining operation continues. The grading crew continued to use the scrappers to flip the dirt in the lower area of the site and started moving the large gravel pile on the West end of the site. Drainage pipe was delivered to the site as the underground work of storm drains is being started along with the staking of the trenching for the infrastructure that will be getting installed.

Construction Update 4/28/2008:

The mass grading crew is making great progress on the site, as the removal of all the remnants of the mining operation continues. The grading crew continued to use the scrappers to flip the dirt in the lower area of the site. A large foundation left over from the mining operation was unearthed several feet below the surface, which had to be demolished by a rock breaker and will be hauled off site.

Construction Update 4/21/2008:

The mass grading crew is making great progress on the site, as the removal of all the remnants of the mining operation continues. The grading crew continued to use the scrappers to flip the dirt in the lower area of the site. Some detail work has also been started, with the slopes of the pond being pulled back to the required 3 to 1 slopes.

Construction Update 4/14/2008:

The mass grading crew is making great progress on the site, as the removal of all the remnants of the mining operation continues. The grading crew keeps switching back and forth between the scrappers and rock trucks as they encounter large veins of rocks and boulders that the scrappers struggle to move without damaging the heavy equipment.

Construction Update 4/07/2008:

The efforts of the contractor continues to progress on the mining reclamation plan that has been developed over the past several years. Please note that entering the site is not allowed for anyone not involved in the actual work on hand. We want to thank you in advance for your understanding; the Pala Band of Mission Indians appreciates everyone showing them the ability to respect the rules that have been in put in place as of this date.

Construction Update 3/31/2008:

Week eight of construction went good as we entered the second month of the preparation for track building continues with its progress. The scrappers were in full force from Monday until Wednesday cutting and filling the sub grade. On Thursday and Friday the rock trucks and loaders were used to move some big boulders and rocks that were unearthed in the scrapping process. Theses boulders will be useful for an observed trials area or an Enduro cross track in the future. By Monday morning the scrappers were back working and moving dirt.

Construction Update 3/24/2008:

Week six of construction on the preparation to of the site for track building went well. The movement and screening of the dirt with rocks is still ongoing and over a quarter of the lower area has been capped with track dirt in the first two weeks of this process. We expect another eight to ten weeks before the track dirt in the lower track area is fully prepared to start the underground trenching for water and electrical lines.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here are some of the more frequently asked questions that our staff receives on a daily basis, hopefully if you had the same questions we can answer them here.

1. Is Pala Raceway Open/or when is Pala Raceway Opening?
   This is the main question that we get asked everyday. We know everyone is excited and can't wait to ride laps at Pala Raceway, but we still do not have an exact date for our Grand Opening. We feel we are making great progress and we are optimistic in the timeline, but with any construction project and especially one of this size; any number of things could cause a delay that would force a change of the Grand Opening date. We will have a date decided once we are confident that we will be able to meet that deadline. Everyone will be notified once a date is chosen.
   
   
2. Who do I talk to about Employment at Pala Raceway?
   Pala Raceway is not currently hiring for day to day operations, the current construction crews is a contracted grading company that is handling this phase of Earth work. Pala Raceway will post job openings for future roles in May, with resumes and job interviews taking place soon after. If you are interested in working for Pala Raceway check here for job openings: http://palaraceway.com/staff.asp. If you would like to be considered and contacted once we begin the hiring process send your resumes to info@palaraceway.com



3. My company wants to advertise at Pala Raceway?
   We will have many advertising opportunities for companies large and small. We are still developing all of our packages that will be available once we get closer to our Grand Opening. We will be offering a lot of cross promotion opportunities that allow for large scale advertising and one on one advertising that will benefit your company. To be contacted by our marketing staff once our advertising packages are available please contact marketing@palaraceway.com



4. How much are the Factory Memberships going to cost?
   We are still setting the price point for the Factory Memberships; we are still determining all of the added benefits that will be available for the Factory Members once we open. We will have a price point determined once we get closer to our grand opening.



5. Can I come out to the track and check it out?
   We are still not accepting visitors on site due to the dangerous nature of the site and Grading Contractor's need for unobstructed work areas for safety and for speed. Once the building of tracks begins we will organize small tours of the site for those that are interested.

Construction Update 3/17/2008:

Week seven of construction went good as the preparation for track building continues with its progress. A large area of track dirt was excavated and moved onto the area where the Vet track will be built. As the week came to a close the sub grade on the remainder of the Pro track was being cut and will be filled back up with track dirt. A few truck loads of old concrete foundations and chain link fencing were taken off site as well this past week as the site is being cleared of the remnants of the mining operation.

Construction Update 3/10/2008:

Week five of construction went good as progress is being made every day. The scrappers were going full force and flipping and screening the track dirt. In some areas we went down over twenty feet to get to the bottom of the good dirt that we will be using for most of our tracks. The scrappers are moving nearly 20,000 cubic yards per day and the site is evolving and changing every day.

Construction Update 3/03/2008:

Week four of construction saw the start of the scrappers as the dirt in the lower area of the site began to be cut to a sub base of four feet to allow for the four feet of clean track dirt to be flipped and screened. Dirt was still being hauled to the upper area where the SidexSide/ATV track and RV camp ground will be built, this is almost completed, but we plan on moving another 8-10,000 cubic yards of dirt to give us a good base of dirt for the SidexSide/ATV track

Construction Update 2/25/2008:

Week three of construction was a wet week of rain and mud. Grading crews worked right through the rain clearing the area where the UTV/SidexSide track will be built and continued to cap the RV camp ground area that should be finished by the end of this week. The scrappers were kept out of the mud and should begin flopping the dirt for the main motocross practice tracks by the middle of the week as long as conditions stay good and the weather forecast holds true.

Karting:
Since announcing the Pala Raceway development we have received numerous requests for a purpose built CIK/FIA certified Kart track similar to the former Moran Raceway in addition to the Supermoto/Kart track. Our group comes from the off road side of motor sports and is new to the karting industry and wants to learn as much as possible about karting before we invest heavily into a purpose built world class facility. We are in the process of assembling a round table discussion of the heads of the Southern California karting clubs/associations and businesses involved in karting that will be our sounding board to the development of the purpose built kart track. Stay tuned for more updates.

Sign the Petition to Show Your Support for Semi-Primitive Backcountry Recreation Designation!

There are some things you just cannot put a price on, the annual family camping trip to that remote spot at the end of the forest road, mountain biking with your friends in the backcountry, trail bike riding on primitive forest trails, fishing with your child at your dad's favorite spot, 4x4ing up that old logging road to your secret hunting camp.

Of course the key to enjoying all these special times is access to your public lands.

Wouldn't it be great if there were a way to ensure your grandchildren are able to enjoy all the same special places?

Please click here to sign the petition and show your support.

Construction Update 2/18/2008:

Week two of construction went smooth even with a day of rain and snow on Thursday 2/14/08. The main goal for the week was to clear brush from critical areas before the migratory bird breading season began on February 15th and to start capping the area planned to be the RV camp ground.

Lots of time was spent clearing brush from the main pond, which started off as a jungle of overgrown weeds and shallow water to a cleared out pond that is beginning to be filled with water again. There was a picture in last week's Pala Raceway Report showing crews cutting down all the vegetation with weed whackers. Here is a before and after.

More heavy equipment was delivered to the site over the course of the week and as of Friday there was 10 scrappers, 2 water tankers, 6 bull dozers (D9 and D10), 1 Wheel Loader, 4 articulating rock trucks, 1 blade, 1 excavator, and 2 water trucks. The scrappers were being prepped for grading and should be starting their round robins towards the end of this week.

Construction Update 2/11/2008:

During the past week since the last construction update, a lot has gone on. All of the silt fences have been installed, the grade stakes have been installed, the construction office trailers have been placed on pads, and two more water drop tanks have been brought onto the site.

Then the heavy equipment fleet was brought on site on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. It was almost a constant flow of tractor trailers entering the site with all of the equipment that is needed for the first phase of construction. On site are numerous paddle wheel scrappers, articulating rock trucks, D9 and D10 bull dozers, wheel loaders, blades, excavators, and water trucks.

With preliminary grading beginning Friday, the focus was on building the roads for construction and brushing weeds from critical areas that we will be working on over the next couple of weeks. On Monday the major earth movement commenced with two bull dozers, 2 rock trucks, a loader, a blade, and an excavator going to work at 7:00 am sharp. The grading crew began moving piles of dirt and rock left over from the mining operation.

Warning:
While the mass grading is going on the site is a closed site and no one besides authorized personal will be allowed on site due to the dangerous nature of the construction site. Please do not try and come out to the site, security will not let you through the front gate unless you are chaperoned by a member of the Pala Raceway Staff. Once the mass grading is done and the track building crews are on site we will begin offering site tours. We will be installing a web cam as soon as electricity is readily available on the site so you can view what is happening on the site. We will let you know when it goes live so you can keep updated on our progress.

Construction Update 2/4/2008:

Construction was started on January 31st. The first part of any earth moving process is to place all of the grade stakes and proper elevations that are essential during grading. The second major step is to secure the perimeters and to make sure all of the storm water run off protection is in place, which includes silt fencing and straw waddles to prevent mud from running off of the construction site.

The mass grading contractor is on site and the heavy equipment is being transported to the site while the storm water protection is being installed and it has to be in place before they commence grading. The estimated time line for the mass grading, screening, drainage control, and trenching is 120 days.

While the mass grading is going on the site is a closed site and no one besides authorized personal will be allowed on site due to the dangerous nature of the construction site. Please do not try and come out to the site, security will not let you through the front gate unless you are chaperoned by a member of the Pala Raceway Staff. Once the mass grading is done and the track building crews are on site we will begin offering site tours. We will be installing a web cam as soon as electricity is readily available on the site so you can view what is happening on the site. We will let you know when it goes live so you can keep updated on our progress.

Pala Raceway will be a multiphase construction project with each phase designed to allow Pala Raceway to open to the public in an expedited manner.

Phase #1:

The first phase will take the longest, and will be the most beneficial for setting a good foundation for the Raceway's future and the potential for expansion. With the natural soil being a mixture of clays, sand, and rocky soil, we are taking the time to screen the dirt to minimize the impact of rocks in the tracks. This phase will see the Pala Raceway crews screen over 400,000 cubic yards of soil. The total area screened will be over 60 acres, and will be at least 4 feet deep of clean soil, to insure a quality base of soil to work with and to ride on for years to come.

The next step of construction will involve laying the ground work for an underground high pressure watering system that will cover every square foot of racetrack, and will allow for proper watering and dust control throughout the park. We will also be laying the electrical work for a future lighting system and timing/scoring loops that will be run on multiple race tracks. After the underground is finished, the race tracks will begin to be built. As we go from track to track building each one to incorporate safety and fun into each track as well as scientific data such as wind directions, hydrology, and noise abatement, to create a track that is friendly to our neighbors and the environment. Sound fencing and track side fencing will be installed once the track is established and tested for fun and safety.

When the gates open to the public Pala Raceway plan on having the Main practice track, the Vet track, the Mini bike tracks and the ATV/SideXSide track finished and ready to ride. We plan on building the remaining planned tracks in between the prep and maintenance to the open tracks and we plan on opening them one by one as the Raceway is built out to its boundaries.

Phase #2:

During Phase #2 Pala Raceway construction crews plans on building several buildings and amenities that will allow Pala Raceway guests the ability to get out of the elements and relax while at the motocross track. During the second phase we plan on building a club house, restaurant, shade structures, and permanent restrooms. During this time we also plan on building the first phase of RV camp sites with hook ups. We will also be building an eight bay concrete bike wash with pressure washers and air compressors.

Pala Raceway also plans on building the Amateur Supercross night track, the Adult Mini bike track, the ATV/Mini ATV tracks, and the Grand Prix Motocross track during this phase. Each track will be designed and built with strict standards of quality and safety and will be opened as each track is completed and ready for full operation.

Phase #3:

The next phase of building construction is planned to include a gym, garages, Victory Suites, press center, a pro shop, and a Museum of Motocross. An expansion of the RV camp sites is also planned. The final tracks planned to be built, will be the Super Moto tracks and the AMA Pro Supercross test tracks. The Super Moto track will be designed and built utilizing a motorcycle specific design and will include an asphalt jump section a first of its kind in Southern California. Pala Raceway also plans on building a BMX race track and dirt jumping park.

Pala Raceway has been a long time in development and it will be a large construction project and will take some time to be built out to completion. We look forward to opening the gates as soon as possible to allow Southern California motocross enthusiasts to share our race track and our fun.

Construction updates will be posted as more information becomes available.

* All plans/amenities/services/buildings are subject to change at anytime.