The AMA Supercross Championship is an American motorcycle racing series.
[1] The race
series was founded and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in
1974. Supercross is an offshoot of the sport of motocross which is held on natural terrain,
closed courses. Supercross racing involves off-road motorcycles on an artificial, man-made
dirt track consisting of steep jumps and obstacles. The AMA Supercross Championship is
sponsored by Monster Energy and is held from January through early May in major
league baseball and football stadiums. The easy accessibility and comfort of these stadium
venues meant that by the late 1970s, Supercross had surpassed motocross as a spectator
attraction in the United States.[2]
Contents
[hide]
1History
2Competition
3Track
4AMA Supercross Championship winners by year
5Winningest riders
6Venues
7World Supercross Championship winners by year
8See also
9References
10External links
History[edit]
The first motocross race held on an artificially created race track inside a stadium took
place on August 28, 1948 at Buffalo Stadium in the Paris suburb of Montrouge.[3]With the
surge in popularity of motocross in the United States in the late 1960s, Bill France added a
professional motocross race to the 1971 Daytona Beach Bike Week schedule.[3] The 1972
race was held at Daytona International Speedway on an artificial track on the grass surface
between the main grandstand and the pit lane.[3]
The event that paved the way for artificial, stadium-based motocross events was the 1972
race held in the Los Angeles Coliseum and won by Marty Tripes at the age of 16.[3][4] The
event was promoted by Mike Goodwin and Terry Tiernan, President of the AMA at the time.
[3]
It was billed as the "Super Bowl of Motocross" which eventually led to the coining of the
term Supercross. The Super Bowl of Motocross II held the following year was an even
greater success and, eventually evolved into the AMA Supercross championship held in
stadiums across the United States and Canada.[3] While Motocross and Supercross are
similar in many respects, they would become a distinctly different forms of racing, taking
motocross to more people and broader audiences through the use of television.
[3]
Supercross would evolve until it arguably became the most important motocross series in
the world, displacing the Grand Prix world championship as the premier off-road motorcycle
racing series.[2][3]
Originally, each of the AMA Supercross races were promoted by different companies, most
notably Mike Goodwin in the West, Pace Motorsports in the Midwest and Southwest, and
Super Sports in the East. In the 1980s, Mickey Thompson (MTEG) partnered Goodwin,
then took over the West region. In the 1990s, MTEG went bankrupt and Super Sports sold
its business to SRO/Pace, which became the single AMA Supercross promoter. The
company was bought by SFX Entertainment in 1998, and Clear Channel bought the latter
in 2000. The events division of Clear Channel was split off as Live Nation in 2005, and the
motorsports division was sold to Feld Entertainment in 2008, which currently promote the
championship.
While growing consistently since the '70s, in the early part of the 21st Century Supercross'
popularity really took off.[2] In the United States, Supercross races today are the second
most popular form of motorsport[citation needed] (behind NASCAR racing). The American
Motorcyclist Association awards three Supercross Championship Champs each year. They
are the 450cc (was known as 250cc two-stroke), and both an East and West division on the
250cc (was 125cc two-stroke). World Supercross Champions are named by other racing
organizations around the world. Supercross racing classifications are governed by the
displacement of the motorcycle's engine based on two-stroke engines until 2006, as four-
stroke engines replaced two-stroke engines. Since then, the AMA has labeled the classes
by four-stroke displacement. From 2007 until 2012, a formula nomenclature similar to
INDYCAR was used, with the 450cc class known as Supercross and 250cc as Supercross
Lites. Starting in 2013, the AMA and Feld Motor Sports returned to the traditional
nomenclature, based on four-stroke engines450cc (known as "MX1" in Europe), and
250cc displacement levels (also known as "MX2"). The 450cc Champion has always been
generally considered to be the most prestigious.
Competition[edit]
The AMA series begins in early January and continues until mid-May. It consists of 17
rounds in the 450cc Class, and 8 rounds in 250cc West Class and 8 rounds in the 250cc
East Class, which the final round has the East-West Shootout in May, and 14 major stadia
and one permanent racing circuit (in a temporary stadium setup) all over North America.
Each meet is structured similarly to Short track motor racing with two heat races and a
consolation race in each class. In both classes, each heat race is five minutes plus one lap.
Each heat features 20 riders (one may have 21 riders depending on qualifying results), with
the top nine advancing to the feature. The other 22-23 riders are relegated to the
consolation race, known as the Last Chance Qualifier, which is three minutes plus one lap,
with the top four advancing to the feature. In 2014, the number of riders taken from each
heat in the 450cc class was reduced to four, with a pair of five lap, sixteen rider semis being
added from which five additional riders would transfer and the remaining riders going from
there to the consolation race.
In the 450cc class, the highest placed competitor in points, provided he is in the top ten in
national points, and has yet to qualify after either heat race or consolation race, will receive
a provisional for the feature race. The feature race is 15 minutes plus one lap in the 250cc
class, and 20 minutes plus one lap for the 450cc class, with 25 championship points for the
race win.
For the season-ending East-West Shootout at Las Vegas for the 250cc class starting in
May 2011, each region's top 20 will race in the non-championship event for a 15-minute
heat race. Standard rules apply, with the feature race being 10 laps. In 2016, the East-West
Shootout became a points-paying round where both regions' champions would be decided
in the same feature.
Starting with the 2012 Season, riders who are in first place in the Series' Points Lead will
use the red plate to race in the Series.
If at any point during the Heat Races, LCQs or the Feature Races, that the race is red-
flagged within less than 3 laps, the race will be a complete restart. However, if the race is
red-flagged with more than 3 laps completed but less than 90% of the total race distance
and after a minimum of a 10-minute delay, the race will be a staggered restart with riders
lined up from the previous lap they went.
Track[edit]
Among the obstacles, riders must navigate through every lap. The track takes a
combination of obstacles such as whoop sections (where riders skim along the tops of
multiple bumps), rhythm sections (irregular series of jumps with a variety of combination
options), and triple jumps (three jumps in a row that riders normally clear in a single leap of
70 feet or more). Many of the turns have banked berms, but some are flat. It takes roughly
five hundred truckloads of dirt to make up a supercross track. Soil conditions can be hard-
packed, soft, muddy, sandy, rutted, or any combination thereof.
AMA Supercross Championship winners by year[edit]
Merged with World Supercross Championship in 2008.[5][6][7][8]
450cc Class 250cc West 250cc East
Year (formerly 250 cc 2- (formerly 125 cc 2-stroke (formerly 125 cc 2-stroke
stroke) West) East)
2016 Ryan Dungey Cooper Webb Malcolm Stewart
2015 Ryan Dungey Cooper Webb Marvin Musquin
2014 Ryan Villopoto Jason Anderson Justin Bogle
2013 Ryan Villopoto Ken Roczen Wil Hahn
2012 Ryan Villopoto Eli Tomac Justin Barcia
2011 Ryan Villopoto Broc Tickle Justin Barcia
2010 Ryan Dungey Jake Weimer Christophe Pourcel
2009 James Stewart, Jr. Ryan Dungey Christophe Pourcel
2008 Chad Reed Jason Lawrence Trey Canard
2007 James Stewart, Jr. Ryan Villopoto Ben Townley
2006 Ricky Carmichael Grant Langston Davi Millsaps
2005 Ricky Carmichael Ivan Tedesco Grant Langston
2004 Chad Reed Ivan Tedesco James Stewart, Jr.
2003 Ricky Carmichael James Stewart, Jr. Branden Jesseman
2002 Ricky Carmichael Travis Preston Chad Reed
2001 Ricky Carmichael Ernesto Fonseca Travis Pastrana
2000 Jeremy McGrath Shae Bentley Stphane Roncada
1999 Jeremy McGrath Nathan Ramsey Ernesto Fonseca
1998 Jeremy McGrath John Dowd Ricky Carmichael
1997 Jeff Emig Kevin Windham Tim Ferry
1996 Jeremy McGrath Kevin Windham Mickal Pichon
1995 Jeremy McGrath Damon Huffman Mickal Pichon
1994 Jeremy McGrath Damon Huffman Ezra Lusk
1993 Jeremy McGrath Jimmy Gaddis Doug Henry
1992 Jeff Stanton Jeremy McGrath Brian Swink
1991 Jean-Michel Bayle Jeremy McGrath Brian Swink
1990 Jeff Stanton Ty Davis Denny Stephenson
1989 Jeff Stanton Jeff Matiasevich Damon Bradshaw
1988 Rick Johnson Jeff Matiasevich Todd DeHoop
1987 Jeff Ward Willie Surratt Ron Tichenor
1986 Rick Johnson Donny Schmit Keith Turpin
1985 Jeff Ward Bobby Moore Eddie Warren
1984 Johnny O'Mara
1983 David Bailey
1982 Donnie Hansen
1981 Mark Barnett
1980 Mike Bell
1979 Bob Hannah
1978 Bob Hannah
1977 Bob Hannah
1976 Jimmy Weinert 500 cc Winner
1975 Jimmy Ellis Steve Stackable
1974 Pierre Karsmakers Gary Semics
Winningest riders[edit]
Source:[9]
All time Supercross wins list
450/250 Class Wins 250/125 Class Wins
Jeremy McGrath 72 James Stewart Jr. 18
James Stewart Jr. 50 Nathan Ramsey 15
Ricky Carmichael 48 Jeremy McGrath 13
Chad Reed 44 Ricky Carmichael 12
Ryan Villopoto 41 Ryan Dungey 12
Ryan Dungey 33 Kevin Windham 12
Ricky Johnson 28 Ernesto Fonseca 12
Bob Hannah 27 Damon Huffman 12
Jeff Ward 20 Brian Swink 12
Damon Bradshaw 19 Christophe Pourcel 12
Kevin Windham 18 Eli Tomac 12
Jeff Stanton 17 Ryan Villopoto 11
Mark Barnett 17 Marvin Musquin 11
Jean-Michel Bayle 16 Jeff Matiasevich 11
Ezra Lusk 12 Justin Barcia 11
David Bailey 12 Cooper Webb 11
Mike Bell 11 Ivan Tedesco 10
Ken Roczen 11 Mickal Pichon 10
Mike LaRocco 10 Jake Weimer 9
Broc Glover 10 Travis Pastrana 8
Ron Lechien 8 Denny Stephenson 8
Jimmy Ellis 8 Keith Turpin 8
David Vuillemin 7 Dean Wilson 8
Jeff Emig 7 Grant Langston 7
Johnny O'Mara 7 Davi Millsaps 7
Eli Tomac 7 Stphane Roncada 7
Davi Millsaps 5 John Dowd 7
Mike Kiedrowski 5 Ezra Lusk 7
Kent Howerton 5 Doug Henry 7
Trey Canard 5 Trey Canard 7
Donnie Hansen 4 Josh Hansen 7
Darrell Shultz 4 Chad Reed 6
Jim Weinert 4 Jeff Emig 6
Kent Howerton 4 Damon Bradshaw 6
Larry Ward 3 Braden Jesseman 5
Marty Smith 3 Andrew Short 5
Marty Tripes 2 Ken Roczen 5
Tony Distefano 2 Jason Anderson 5
Justin Barcia 2 Cole Seely 5
Jason Anderson 2 Justin Hill 5
Marvin Musquin 1 Martn Davalos 4
Cole Seely 1 Jeremy Martin 4
Andrew Short 1 Michael Brown 4
Josh Grantl 1 Travis Preston 4
Josh Hill 1 David Pingree 4
Nathan Ramsey 1 David Vuillemin 4
John Dowd 1 Ryan Hughes 4
Sbastien Tortelli 1 Jimmy Button 4
Damon Huffman 1 Donnie Scmit 4
Greg Albertyn 1 Rich Tichenor 4
Michael Craig 1 Willie Surratt 4
Doug Dubach 1 Blake Baggett 4
Jeff Matiasevich 1 Broc Sellards 4
Rex Staten 1 Joey Savatgy 4
Chuck Sun 1 Justin Bogle 3
Steve Wise 1 Blake Wharton 3
Gaylon Mosier 1 Adam Cianciarulo 3
Jaroslav Falta 1 Austin Stroupe 3
Jim Pomeroy 1 Jason Lawrence 3
Pierre Karsmakers 1 Ben Townley 3
Rick Ryan 1 3
450/250 Class SX Championships
250/125 Class is a divisional championship featuring 2 regional champions per year
450/125 Class Titles 250/125 Class Titles
Jeremy McGrath 7 Jeremy McGrath 2
Ricky Carmichael 5 Jeff Matiasevich 2
Ryan Villopoto 4 Brian Swink 2
Ryan Dungey 3 Damon Huffman 2
Jeff Stanton 3 Mickael Pichon 2
Bob Hannah 3 Kevin Windham 2
Chad Reed 2 Ivan Tedesco 2
James Stewart Jr. 2 James Stewart 2
Rick Johnson 2
Jeff Ward 2
Jeff Emig 1
Jean-Michel Bayle 1
Johnny O'Mara 1
David Bailey 1
Donnie Hansen 1
Mark Barnett 1
Mike Bell 1
Jimmy Weinert 1
Jimmy Ellis 1
Pierre Karsmakers 1
Venues[edit]
2017 Series Schedule
January 7
Anaheim 1
Angel Stadium
January 14
San Diego
Petco Park
January 21
Anaheim 2
Angel Stadium
January 28
Phoenix
University of Phoenix Stadium
February 4
Oakland
O.co Coliseum
February 11
Dallas
AT&T Stadium
February 18
Minneapolis
U.S. Bank Stadium
February 25
Atlanta
Georgia Dome
March 4
Toronto
Rogers Centre
March 11
Daytona
Daytona International Speedway
March 18
Indianapolis
Lucas Oil Stadium
March 25
Detroit
Ford Field
April 1
St. Louis
The Dome at America's Center
April 8
Seattle
Century Link Field
April 22
Salt Lake City
Rice-Eccles Stadium
April 29
New York
Met Life Stadium
May 6
Las Vegas
Sam Boyd Stadium
Sources:[10][11]
Venue City State Period
