Beginner's Guide To The AMA Pro Motocross Nationals

When most people think of summer vacation, they typically think of trips to the beach, amusement parks, or week-long tropical cruises. For motocross fans, summer is spent camping out for the weekend watching the “second most-difficult sport in the world,” motocross. Owing its origins to post-World War I motorcyclists in England and France, motocross has quickly become one of the world’s premier motor racing sports with its popularity increasing every year, especially in the United States. The American Motorcyclist Association’s Pro Motocross Nationals are held in the US each summer, with riders and fans from around the world converging on the small-town tracks for three days in an all-out points battle to win the series and global glory. This is summer vacation.

            Motocross began across the pond in 1920’s Great Britain. These early pioneers of motocross created The Scrambles, a series of timed off-road races through the English countryside. Riders were on motorcycles that were essentially street bikes and not made for off-road use. The races continually increased in popularity in England until the start of World War II when racing was put on hold. After the war, racing dirtbikes took off again, this time making its way to the United States in the 1960’s. Motocross took off in the 1970’s and 80’s as television and media coverage launched the sport from a small group of weekend warriors to a full-blown racing circuit popular across the nation. With the advent of Japanese motocross bikes in the 80’s and the creation of two major governing bodies for the sport, motocross is poised to become one of the world’s top action sports.

Internationally, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) represents 98 countries throughout the world in the sport of motocross. The FIM Motocross World Championship is the global racing series that culminates in the Motocross of Nations. The Motocross of Nations is the Olympics of motocross, with the 98 FIM countries all represented by three riders from their respective nations.

Although motocross has a huge international following, the real action and competition is found in the States. Riders from Australia, Japan, Europe, and almost every other part of the world all come to the United States to ride for the large factory teams in the American Motorcyclists Association’s Professional Motocross Nationals.  

The Pro Motocross Nationals are held every summer at motocross tracks across the US. The 2009 Nationals started on May 23^rd and wrapped up in the beginning of September, on the 3^rd. There are 12 rounds in the Pro Nationals series, all of which take place at 12 different tracks. Riders compete in two different classes. The Motocross Lites class is for smaller bikes, usually 250cc machines (and the occasional 125cc bike).  The premier class, however, is the 450cc class, home to some 250cc machines but mainly 450cc motocross bikes. These machines—and their riders—are no more competitive than the smaller class, but the stakes are higher and the intensity of the race only increases with the increase in speed.

Each race consists of two individual “motos” that the riders must compete in. Each moto is a timed race lasting half an hour. At the conclusion of the half hour, the riders must then complete two final laps, and whoever crosses the finish line first at the end of the 30+2 wins that moto. The results from the two motos are put together, deterring the race’s overall winner. If a rider finishes 1-1, then they win outright. A tie, however, goes to the moto two winner, so someone who finishes in second for the first moto and third in the second moto (going 2-3) would lose out to the rider who went 3-2 for the day.

The overall points from each race are then added up and count towards each rider’s progression in the Pro Motocross Nationals Championship. A first place overall gives the rider 25 points, second place is 22, and third is 20, etc. The rider with the highest points total at the end of the series is crowned the overall winner.

While it may seem like the bike is doing all the work, motocross is one of the most physically challenging sports in the world. A study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center determined that motocross riders had a higher physical fitness level than track runners or football athletes. Since the motocross bikes weight upwards of 200lbs., riders must be able to maintain arm strength throughout the races to keep from crashing. Motocross also takes place during the summer months when the temperature is the hottest. Combined with all the protective clothing riders wear, plus the constant heat from being in the sun for hours, motocross is not for the faint of heart. Also, the amount of stress the heart and cardio system is under during a race keeps riders’ heart rates a constant state of elevation necessary to overcome the many obstacles they face on the track.

While motocross may not replace baseball or football in the near future, the popularity of the sport is continually growing in the United States. Competition from across the globe is all focused here in the US, as the motocross industry continues to evolve and draw in more fans thanks to increased broadcasting on TV and the Internet. Once people experience a Pro Motocross National and can experience the racing action first-hand, they will be hooked, and hopefully motocross will become our nation’s next great motorsport.