Motocross track for dirt bikes and quads opening in Gibson County
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This weekend, a motocross track for dirt bike and quad riders will open to the public in Gibson County.
WHipp Motocross owner Daniel Hipp built the track in his backyard because he felt enthusiasts needed somewhere to ride within the region. So far, the pre-opening response has proven his theory.
“There’s no place for parents to take their kids. They have to drive two or three hours just to go someplace that allows this,” said Hipp. “I honestly can’t believe the amount of interest and support we’re getting from the community. We didn’t expect this much attention from it.”
The grand opening of WHipp Motocross is on May 4 at 6209 S 1050 W in Owensville. Hipp said there will be food trucks and music to celebrate the occasion.
During the first weekend, riders will pay admission fees to bring dirt bikes to the track. A weekend will be held later this month for quads, which are all-terrain vehicles with four wheels that can be two- or four-wheel drive. The full 2024 schedule will be released Wednesday on Facebook and the track’s website.
Hipp plans to hold special children’s events at WHipp Motocross and possibly get involved with other tracks around the state to give racers a traveling circuit.
“We have so much interest from families and from kid riders that we’re talking about bringing coaches out and offering a summer camp,” he said.
‘Dreamed by one, built by three’
Hipp’s enthusiasm for motocross began as a kid, but he wasn’t allowed to race. Once he joined the Marines, he started riding with his new friends.
“We rode out in California, Hawaii, North Carolina. The community is so amazing and awesome that I knew it was something that I wanted to be part of my life, something that I shared with some of my best friends I’ve ever met in the world. That’s a big reason I want to be able to walk out my back porch and have a track right there,” said Hipp.
Friends Jacob Allen and Brett Griffin helped Hipp turn the WHipp Motocross vision into a reality.
“Dreamed by one, built by three,” Hipp said. “We wanted to go into business together and build a life together. So this is us supporting each other.”
Hipp hired Owensville-based Crystal Evacating to construct the motocross track.
“[The contractor] grew up racing. He said when he was building my track, it felt more like having fun than actual work. The process has gone absolutely amazing,” he said.
Dirt bikes and quads
Allowing dirt bikes and quads at WHipp Motocross is one of the track’s unique features. However, these two groups won’t be on the track at the same time because they have different riding conditions.
“Dirt bikes like lines. Very thin tires, only two. So when they take corners, they stay inside their lines for jumps and stuff,” Hipp said.
“Whereas a quad, it makes its own two sets of ruts, and they actually can swing the back end around and they’ll wipe off the dirt bike ruts, making it tougher for dirt bikes to handle the corners,” added Mark Wendholt, whose 10-year-old son is a motocross racer.
Dirt bike and quad riders must follow safety criteria at WHipp Motocross. They’re required to have approved motocross helmets and boots and sign a liability waiver. Anyone under the age of 18 must have a guardian with them.
“I’ve never seen a parent allow more than a five or six-year-old on a little bike. We’re probably going to keep that age limit, like five to six. Small children will have their own devoted time every hour to ride. For their safety, we are segregating bikes and classes,” said Hipp.
Other safety measures include putting in an irrigation system, installing berms and using straw bales covered in sheets for crash protection.
Social media response
Hipp began posting pictures and information about the motocross track on Facebook in February. He’s received plenty of feedback since then.
“We never anticipated the amount of social media presence and people offering to volunteer. I have businesses calling me, thanking me for this, grandparents. It’s eye-opening how badly families who participate in this sport need recreational areas like this,” Hipp said.
Wendholt, who lives near Ferdinand, plans to visit WHipp Motocross as often as possible. His son, who started racing quads three years ago and dirt bikes two years ago, has won several competitions.
“[My son] grew up around [dirt bikes and quads], and we enjoy watching motocross on TV, so he always was around it and wanted to start racing once he got his own,” said Wendholt. “This year will be different. He stepped up to a full-blown race bike, 65cc 2-stroke, So it’s going to be a bit of a shock from his trail bike days.”
Wendholt said he knows of two other motocross tracks in the area, but they don’t allow quads.
“To ride [quads], we have to go down south in Kentucky or up north in Indiana towards the Indianapolis area. So it’ll save us a lot of time from having to drive and give us more track time,” he said.
Hours and admission
Weather permitting, WHipp Motocross will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, with reservations available Monday through Friday. Admission is $35 for ages 13 and over and $25 for ages 12 and under.
Hipp held several preview days in April to find out how many riders the track could handle. He expects to have a capacity limit but hasn’t pinpointed a number yet.
“We do know we are probably going to have to turn people away on opening weekend just by the sheer amount of excitement and involvement and commenting and sharing that we’re getting on social media,” said Hipp.
“It seems like, in the rural community, almost everybody has a [quad] or a dirt bike,” added Wendholt. “Maybe they don’t race, but it’s definitely a very popular activity. And now with more tracks opening, I think the racing will take off.”
Hipp is considering offering 50cc dirt bike rentals for parents who don’t know whether their child will stick with the hobby.
“[Parents] don’t have to go out and spend a handful of money to get [their child] a bike, and they may not like it. They can come out here. We’re going to make sure that it’s very affordable and realistic for you to go out to have fun and to see if your kid would be interested in it,” he said.
Hipp said he wants to keep hearing from the community about what they would like to see at the motocross track.
“Our biggest thing is if the community stays involved, we’ll stay involved. Any money that we make on the track is going to go directly back for upgrades, safety features, community involvement. We’re going to put it right back for everybody else,” he said.