If San Antonio is a draw for bicyclists, Dade City attracts the other type of two-wheelers – the ones that like to get muddy and make a hellacious racket.

The city known for antiquing and Southern charm, named one of the top places to retire, also has been home to four public and private motocross tracks.

Randy Yoho, who runs the Dade City Motocross at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, said the sport has a rich history in this area. His company, the only licensed track in the county, has been hosting motorcycle races every weekend for 31 years.

"We have 100 to 300 riders every (Saturday) night," Yoho said.

Dade City Motocross has been a training ground for generations of riders who have gone pro. It's always a big deal when Chad Reed, a two-time World Supercross champion, makes an appearance, he said.

Reed built his own private racetrack on 4 acres just off Enterprise Road and expanded it to 24 acres this year. Surrounded by cow pastures and commercial nurseries, Reed's state-of-the-art facility includes two replica indoor tracks, a paved track and a new, 11-acre dirt course.

Pasco County commissioners granted Reed a conditional-use permit for the motocross track Aug. 10, infuriating neighbors who said Reed flouted county zoning laws and expanded the course without a permit. He was fined $1,000 for the code violation.

"He expanded it to 24 acres, and he had no environmental studies done," neighbor Jacque Klein said. "We felt like they were rewarding him."

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