Hangtown Motocross Classic

LocationPrairie City OHV Park - Rancho Cordova, CA
TimeJune 1, 2024

Est: 1974

Welcome to the 55th Annual Hangtown Motocross Classic in Rancho Cordova, CA. This legendary race will serve as the second round of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.

Track Profile

Founded in March 1968, the Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club (DDNMC) embarked on a plan to present a motocross competition that would bring top riders to Northern California. As a result, the Hangtown Motocross Classic was born.

The story actually starts in 1967, when a group of local motorcycle enthusiasts met at Marion Pyle's bike shop, the Orangevale Motorcycle Center. They hoped to bring big-time motorcycle racing to the area, and that meeting set the stage for the creation of the DDNMC. From the beginning, the founders-Ed Clark, Carl Cranke, Dave Duarte, Don Fallon, Don Fischer, Bill Groom, Kurt McKimmy, Gene Nunes, Ray Nelson, Bill Onga, Joe Pyle, and Roy Tillus-wanted to stage their own race, and a big one at that!

The first DDNMC race was held at Murray's Ranch outside of Placerville in 1969. The race took its name from the Gold Rush days, when Placerville was known as "Hangtown." With a turnout of about 150 sportsman riders and 30 pros, the event (with its $600 pro purse) set the stage for Hangtown's future. The day ended with Larry Mulock, Gary Bailey, and Dick Mann sharing the winner's podium.

DDNMC has hosted some of the wildest and most successful motorcycle events since the world of motocross came into being. However, the old days at the Placerville sand pit are now long gone, as are the hangovers and all-night parties. Also gone are "Bad" Brad Lackey hopping on the bulldozer to help build the track, the Saturday-night mechanics' races with 250cc Bultaco motors stuffed into minibike frames, and more of the good old days.

All this changed when the race outgrew the sleepy hillsides of Placerville, with its two-lane roads and the old-fashioned thinking of some local residents who didn't like the changes brought by the races (or their thousands of spectators). So in 1979, the Club and the Sacramento County Department of Parks and Recreation put together a permanent facility at the Prairie City OHV Park in Rancho Cordova, near Sacramento. Eventually, the State OHV Department took control of the park and, in conjunction with DDNMC, has provided permanent sprinklers, fencing, restrooms, running water, gazebos, a state-of-the-art announcing tower, and other facilities.

While Hangtown predates the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, a national series was the dream of the founders more than 40 years ago. The DDNMC is proud to own and produce the longest-running motocross national of all, the Hangtown Motocross Classic.

Today, the Hangtown Motocross Classic is big business. Almost three dozen members meet three to four times a month to prepare for the following year's race. Even though the club is comprised of volunteers, the members commit to full-time work assignments to get their jobs done. In addition to the weekly meetings, required rides, and individual work assignments, DDNMC members commit to a three-week period in May to take the Prairie City track from its normal state to one fit for an AMA Pro Motocross National. The club takes "possession" of the track in early May and brings together hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment to transform the track. The result is the continuation of a classic - the Hangtown Motocross Classic - at the only event on the schedule still run by a motorcycle club.

Amenities

  • Open Air Festival Seating
  • Covered Handicap Viewing Area
  • Covered Super Ticket Seating with live timing and scoring, private restrooms and catering available
  • Covered VIP Viewing Area
  • Open Air and Covered Corporate Suites
  • Air Conditioned Suites
  • Shaded Picnic Areas
  • Nearly 100% track viewing from a variety of vantage points
  • Interactive Sponsor Village
  • Event Simulcast on FM Radio
  • Food and Soft Drink Concessions
  • Beer Concessions
  • Children's play area
  • Flushing Restroom facilities
  • Permanent Restroom facilities
  • Baby Changing Station
  • Onsite Parking
  • Motorcycle Parking
  • Handicap Parking
  • Easy entry/Exit
  • Onsite Camping
  • RV spots
  • Potable water for Camper filling
  • RV septic pump service
  • Free Motorcycle Parking and Gear/Helmet Check

General Information

  • No drones allowed on property 
  • No pit vehicles. We do not allow bikes, quads, scooters golf carts, UTVs, etc. 
  • No pets on Saturday
  • No glass allowed on property
  • Rental car parking located outside of main pit gate.
  • Will call is at the main park entrance on the left.
  • Spectator parking $10
  • Be prepared to show credentials at all security checkpoints
  • No open campfires. Gas and charcoal cooking grills ONLY permitted.
  • Do not take banners. Banners and event signage are the private property of the promoter. Removal of these items is illegal and punishable by law. You will be prosecuted for theft.
  • Responsibility. Motocross racing, like all motorsports can be dangerous. When you enter the grounds you assume the risk of injury and/or damage. It is your responsibility to keep yourself and your children. Be aware of their location at all times. Never turn you back to oncoming racers.

Special Events

TBA

Local Partners

Get Connected

Facebook: @dirtdiggersnorth
Instagram: @hangtownmx

Contact Us

Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club
Bob Messer 1-800-HANGTOWN
[email protected]

Hangtown Motocross Classic Winners

450 Class
Date WinnerHometown Machine
6/4/22Jason AndersonRio Rancho, NMKAW
9/11/21Dylan FerrandisFranceYAM
2020COVID
5/18/19Ken RoczenMattstedt, GermanyHON
5/19/18Eli TomacCortez, COKAW
5/20/17Eli TomacCortez, COKAW
5/21/16Ken RoczenGermanySUZ
5/16/15Eli TomacCortez, COHON
5/31/14Ken RoczenGermanyKTM
5/18/13Ryan VillopotoPoulsbo, WAKAW
5/19/12James StewartHaines City, FLSUZ
5/21/11Chad ReedAustraliaHON
5/22/10Chad ReedAustraliaKAW
5/30/09Mike AlessiVictorville, CASUZ
6/1/08James StewartHaines City, FLKAW
5/20/07Ricky CarmichaelHavana, FL SUZ
5/21/06James StewartHaines City, FLKAW
5/22/05Ricky CarmichaelHavana, FL SUZ
5/16/04Ricky CarmichaelHavana, FL HON
5/18/03Ricky CarmichaelHavana, FL HON
5/19/02Ricky CarmichaelHavana, FL HON
5/20/01Sebastien TortelliFrance HON
5/21/00David VuilleminFrance YAM
5/16/99Kevin WindhamBaton Rouge, LA HON
5/17/98Jeremy McGrathMenifee, CA YAM
5/4/97Greg AlbertynSouth Africa SUZ
5/5/96Jeremy McGrathMenifee, CA HON
5/7/95Mike KiedrowskiCanyon Country, CA KAW
5/1/94Mike KiedrowskiCanyon Country, CA KAW
6/20/93Mike KiedrowskiCanyon Country, CA KAW
6/14/92Damon BradshawMooresville, NC YAM
3/24/91John DowdChicopee, MA HON
4/1/90Jeff WardSan Juan Capistrano, CA KAW
4/23/89Jeff StantonSherwood, MI HON
3/27/88Rick JohnsonEl Cajon, CA HON
3/22/87Rick JohnsonEl Cajon, CA HON
4/6/86Rick JohnsonEl Cajon, CA HON
3/31/85Jeff WardSan Juan Capistrano, CA KAW
4/8/84Alan KingTroy, MI HON
3/27/83Bob HannahWhittier, CAHON
3/28/82Rick JohnsonEl Cajon, CA YAM
3/29/81Kent HowertonSan Antonio, TX SUZ
3/23/80Kent HowertonSan Antonio, TX SUZ
3/25/79Bob HannahWhittier, CAYAM
4/9/78Bob HannahWhittier, CAYAM
4/10/77Marty SmithSan Diego, CA HON
4/4/76Jim EllisEast Hampton, CT CAN
4/6/75Kent HowertonSan Antonio, TX HQV
4/8/74Bill GrossiSanta Cruz, CA HON

 

250 Class
Date WinnerHometown Machine
6/4/22Jett LawrenceAustraliaHON
9/11/21Justin CooperCold Springs Harbor, NYYAM
2020COVID
5/18/19Adam CianciaruloPort Orange, FLKAW
5/19/18Zach OsborneAbingdon, VAHQV
5/20/17Zach OsborneAbingdon, VAHQV
5/21/16Joey SavatgyThomasville, GAKAW
5/16/15Jeremy MartinMillville, MNYAM
5/31/14Jeremy MartinMillville, MNYAM
5/18/13Ken RoczenGermanyKTM
5/19/12Blake BaggettGrand Terrace, CAKAW
5/21/11Blake BaggettGrand Terrace, CAKAW
5/22/10Eli TomacCortez, COHON
5/30/09Christophe PourcelFranceKAW
6/1/08Ryan VillopotoPoulsbo, WA KAW
5/20/07Ben TownleyNew Zealand KAW
5/21/06Mike AlessiVictorville, CA KTM
5/22/05Grant LangstonSouth Africa KAW
5/16/04James StewartHaines City, FL KAW
5/18/03Ryan HughesTemecula, CA KTM
5/19/02James StewartHaines City, FL KAW
5/20/01Grant LangstonSouth Africa KTM
5/21/00Steve LamsonPollock Pines, CA HON
5/16/99Ricky CarmichaelHavana, FL KAW
5/17/98Steve LamsonPollock Pines, CA HON
5/4/97Ricky CarmichaelHavana, FL KAW
5/5/96Steve LamsonPollock Pines, CA HON
5/7/95Ryan HughesEscondido, CA KAW
5/1/94Damon HuffmanSaugus, CA SUZ
6/20/93Jeremy McGrathMenifee, CA HON
6/14/92Steve LamsonPollock Pines, CA HON
3/24/91Doug HenryOxford, CT YAM
4/1/90Guy CooperStillwater, OK SUZ
4/23/89Damon BradshawMooresville, NC YAM
3/28/88Guy Cooper Stillwater, OKSUZ
3/22/87George Holland Kerman, CASUZ
4/6/86Erik KehoeGranada Hills, CA SUZ
3/31/85Ron LechienEl Cajon, CA HON
4/8/84Jeff WardSan Juan Capistrano, CA KAW
3/27/83Mark BarnettBridgeview, IL SUZ
3/28/82Mark BarnettBridgeview, IL SUZ
3/29/81Mark BarnettBridgeview, IL SUZ
3/23/80Mark BarnettBridgeview, IL SUZ
3/25/79Brian MyerscoughCalimesa, CA SUZ
4/9/78Broc GloverEl Cajon, CA YAM
4/10/77Danny LaPorte Yucca Valley, CASUZ
4/4/76Bob HannahWhittier, CA YAM
4/6/75Tim HartTorrance, CA YAM
4/8/74Marty SmithSan Diego, CA HON

500cc Motocross
Date WinnerHometown Machine
3/31/85Broc GloverEl Cajon, CA YAM
4/8/84David BaileyAxton, VA HON
3/27/83Danny ChandlerForesthill, CA HON