Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park Slated To Reopen

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — The Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park, which shut down five months after the death of a young rider, is set to reopen in the near future.

"A new operator has signed a lease to reopen Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park! Details to follow," Lake Elsinore City Councilman Bob Magee shared Feb. 26 on Facebook.

Patch has reached out to the city for more information.

The park at 20700 Cereal Street has been shuttered since November. The operators at the time shared on social media that the closure followed "a lawsuit from a tragic accident that occurred in June — the property owner has terminated our agreement as they are being brought into it as well."

Nine-year-old Brooke Carlton of Vista died June 2 at a local hospital following a same-day crash at the park.

According to the Lake Elsinore Sheriff's Station, which investigated the fatal incident, Brooke was riding an electric motorbike at the park and was struck by another juvenile who was also riding an off-road motorbike. Brooke was unconscious when first responders arrived at the scene.

The other child involved in the crash was treated at the scene for minor injuries, according to the sheriff's station.

In the days following the park's closure, a lawyer representing the Carlton family told CBS they had not filed any lawsuit against the park.

Motorsports have inherent risks, and the Lake Elsinore facility has been home to other fatal crashes.

An off-duty firefighter engineer with the Apple Valley Fire Protection District died Dec. 3, 2023, from injuries sustained in a crash there. Jared Shepard was at the park preparing for a local motocross event when he crashed, according to a report from the Victorville Daily Press.

In June 2012, Charles Wayt, 71, of Show Low, Arizona, was pronounced dead at Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar after falling from his motorcycle at the park.

Despite the dangers, enthusiasts have long reveled in Lake Elsinore's off-road history. The iconic 1971 Bruce Brown documentary film "On Any Sunday" was filmed in the city as part of the Lake Elsinore Grand Prix race coverage. The movie — which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature — chronicled off-road motorcycle racing.

Actor Steve McQueen, a racer off-screen, was featured in the film, along with Malcolm Smith and many other famous riders from the late 1960s and early 1970s.

"On Any Sunday" left a lasting impression on the city and millions of moviegoers.