If you could have anything in your front yard, what would it be? A skatepark is my answer. I guess the answer may be limited to the size of your yard, but if you had ample room, what would you choose? For one motorcycle enthusiast, his answer was a flat track
Chastin Brand works as a pinstriper and sign painter by trade. It’s a dying art form, but he keeps it alive — he’ll letter and paint just about anything. Usually things with wheels: striping hot rods, airbrushing motorcycle tanks, lettering tractors, airplanes, dump trucks, you name it.
His craft doesn’t stop there — gold leafing glass doors, large murals, and even clothing. It’s a trade he’s mastered over the years, one that has taken him across the country, painting things near and far.
Brand and his wife, Lauren, have called middle Georgia home for nearly their entire lives. They live an inspiring and exciting life, eclectic even. The farm they call home is actually his wife’s family property where she grew up. Her father purchased the land after moving to Georgia from Switzerland in the 1970s.
The couple were high school sweethearts and are now in their 30s raising their daughter and continuing to cultivate the same land. While the livestock is long gone and the commercial farming has passed, motorcycles and good times are now the chosen crops.
Brand fancies himself an amateur racer of the vintage variety and would often ride his 1969 Triumph TR6 to the races, race, and then ride back home. If the bike survived that is, all with Lauren riding pillion, too. At the local races he’d typically participate in motocross, cross-country and woods racing. Some of the tracks in town also had dirt circles and would host the occasional flat track race. If you’ve ever seen one in person, you know just how exhilarating they are. The speed, the sound, the smells — it’s hypnotizing.
Occasionally the speedways would offer a “knobby class” — meaning more or less any type of bike could hop on the track and give it a try. Racing in general oftentimes has a high barrier to entry. Things like having the proper equipment, specific gear, and access to the courses are all part of the equation. The ways and means to support a race effort aren’t cheap either and neither is all of the maintenance. When Brand had the opportunity to hop on a dirt track and see what it was all about, he did, and was immediately hooked.
He and his wife saw an opportunity to do something unique with their land. The two of them are incredibly kind and giving folks, a goal of their property has always been to host others and cultivate good times. They’ve appropriately named their home “Wildsville” — for all of the wild things that happen there. And what better than a flat track in the front yard as the latest addition?
Their land is something out of a painting, a fairytale, really. Pine and pecan trees cover the property, rolling hills continue on for acres and acres. Even a lake and creek cut through the dense woods in the back. Vintage vehicles and tractors are everywhere, and of course motorcycles. Prior to the flat track being built, both a motocross and woods course already existed on the property. That was also their doing, the list of amenities at Wildsville really is hard to believe. The list keeps growing too, as they continue to blend their hobbies and lifestyles into a physical place.
You’d think digging a dirt circle would be easy enough, right? Brand thought mostly the same. I mean, it’s just a 1/10th mile long oval of Georgia dirt — how hard could it be? Hard.
Figuring out where to put it was one thing, finding a level enough area was another. Then came all of the heavy machinery and earth-moving equipment. Mowers, skid-steers, even a roller to smooth it all over. The composition of the track itself: a mixture of dirt, clay, and sand — paying attention to how much water to add. It was a process, but one that eventually came to fruition.
Not only did he build the ultimate moto playground footsteps from his front door, but now the couple created something else for others to experience and enjoy. Build it and they will come. And they sure did. Friends from far and wide would visit Wildsville to try their hand at the track.
Just as with constructing the track, maintenance and upkeep were just as important and involved. Things like making sure the track was properly irrigated or making sure the dirt was the right mixture of materials. In between uses, tires and chains would need to be dragged across to keep things packed and smooth
While he admits it may have been more of an undertaking than he originally imagined, he’s so glad he did it.
“But I probably wouldn’t do it again,” he laughs.
It’s a large-scale project to maintain — and it’s also expensive. To help subsidize their costs and support their efforts, Chastin and Lauren have created an event called the Wildsville Scramble. It’s a weekend of family fun, racing, camping, live music, and more. It’s vintage-focused and harkens back memories to weekend races of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Their farm fills with vehicles far and wide — trucks, trailers, and every make of motorcycle. The racing centers around the motocross, the woods course, and the flat track. The racing is low-stakes and egos are left at home. Whoever has the most fun, wins — that’s the spirit of Wildsville. “Run what ya brung” is the motto.
The flat track really has been a main attraction of the event and property. The scramble brings everyone from skilled racers looking to go head-to-head, to even first-timers wanting to get a taste for themselves. The Brand’s goal was to create something that everyone from the average person to a professional could enjoy. And they were successful. It was my first time on flat track there years ago. It’s even brought the likes of motorcycle royalty such as David Aldana. Yes, that Dave Aldana. No one could believe it, and everyone wanted a chance to go around the track with him.
Brand said the number of people who’ve had an opportunity to get on dirt and go around a track has made all the effort worth it. While it was hard to imagine what it would’ve ever taken, it is indeed rewarding.
