A brief history of motocross racing

With a long legacy of short tracks, big jumps, and thrilling holeshots, the sport of motocross racing has grown into a worldwide spectacle with an especially American twist of the throttle.

By Mike Berard

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Motocross began in the United Kingdom at the turn of the century. In the early 1900s, automotive clubs hosted time trials, which turned into off-road versions called “Scrambles.” The very first official motorcycle Scramble went down in 1924, presumably with wool pants and a lot of British mud flying. For decades, the sport evolved lap by lap as bikes became more powerful and tires improved. There is no argument that the UK invented the sport, but to get to the real heart of modern motocross racing, you have to follow it across the pond to America. This is where MX truly took flight, if only for short, throttle-twisting durations between berms and whoops.

MX Jumps Across the Pond

Contrary to popular opinion, Edison Dye didn’t bring motocross to America. Motocross—the sport of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits—had been officially sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association as early as 1959. He did, however, have an ulterior motive when he attempted to popularize it. Dye worked for Husqvarna motorcycles and simply wanted to sell more of their lightweight motorcycles to Americans. It worked well. Whereas the scrambles of yesteryear had been loose and fast bomb runs worthy of the name “scramble,” European motocross racing (or MX has it is now often called) was athletic and dynamic, racers jockeying in a manner similar to car racing. In February 1966, at a desert race in Imperial Valley, California, Dye showed Americans what two-stroked bikes were capable of. Fast. By the end of the year, he brought world champion Torsten Hallman to America. He destroyed the competition. Spectators loved it.

Two Stroke Growth

American motocross racing—and by extension around the world—really blew up in the 1970s. Before Dye had brought racing to the U.S., the AMA had sanctioned only 15 motocross races throughout America. In the 70s, the throttle was pinned, with hundreds of races happening annually. Considered the “Golden Era of USA Motocross”, this era made MX accessible to people from all ages and every skill level. Southern California was the epicenter. Since then, motocross has grown to become a massive juggernaut in motorsports, with multiple sister disciplines like Supercross (SX) arena racing, freestyle motocross (FMX), ATV and SuperMoto. The world's fastest MX racers at the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship—the largest race series sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing—took home around one million dollars in pro purse money. But before then, it was all about partying and going fast.

The More Modern MX Era

The excess of the 80s pushed motocross into the 90s with a new bold image. Now aligned with what was then called “extreme sports”, MX went full-on party style. It was all about punk rock and skate-inspired culture. Every rider looked like a billboard and personalities began to shine brighter with every year, but that still didn’t stop races from being won simply by speed. Mike LaRocco, Jeremy McGrath, and the simply unstoppable Ricky Carmichael defined the sport in this era, while a faction of riders began to concentrate solely on Supercross and FMX. Travis Pastrana and James "Bubba" Stewart Jr. rose to the top shortly thereafter, and inspired a while new legion of racers who could not only race MX but SX too, all the while still throwing big ol’ backflips and whips in films like the iconic Crusty Demons of Dirt franchise. The modern motocross racer can do it all, from hole shots at Vegas SX to throwing Indian Air seat grab backflips at the X Games.

The Rules of an Unruly Sport

It’s pretty simple. Competitions consist of two races, each called a “moto” with a duration of 30 minutes plus two laps. Races begin with a mass start at a gate. The racers sprint to the first corner to try and gain the coveted first rider-to-the-corner position, which is called the “hole shot.” From there, racers skip over whoops (a line of bumps), “rail” berms, and, of course, jumps, jumps, jumps. First racer over the finish line jump wins the moto. There are a few unwritten rules in the sport. Do not look behind you, ever. You lose time, get distracted, and show weakness. Two, be prepared for the crash, not the podium. Wear clothing that will protect you, because you won’t win when you first get started, or ever for that matter. Next, know your gear inside out for race day. Don’t be taking chances when it comes to the racetrack. Test new gear midweek. Also, be nice to the slow riders. Whether you’re passing or lapping another racer, don’t be mean about it. And never take your goggles off. Motocross is infamous for flying dirt; having your eyes exposed is crazy dangerous. Finally, have fun. Motorbikes are fast and fun but can seem intimidating when many of them come together in a loud flurry of dirt and competition. The reality is the sport is super welcoming.

Want to try motocross for yourself?

First things first, you’ll need a bike. Most buy a used motorcycle first to save cash and get properly acquainted with the sport. You’ll need a good helmet (that meets or exceeds ECE 22.05 and/or DOT certifications) and specialized protective motocross boots. These are the most important pieces of gear. You will also need MX-specific goggles (with tear-off strips or roll-off), gloves, pants and a chest protector. You’ll probably want a neck brace too. Don’t fool yourself: crashes are inevitable.

Find the nearest motocross tracks and figure out when you can get on there to practice. Alternatively, you can also attend motocross riding school. If you’re a joiner, find a club and like-minded moto-heads to learn from. You’ll need a roadworthy trailer, or a van, to get your bike to different tracks. Most motocross participants get started when they are kids, and there is usually a race series in or near each American city of any notable size. Many small towns even have a track. The age groups for competitive riding vary. Four to six-year-olds start with a 50cc (often bike, also known as a pit bike. By approximately eight years old, step them up to a 65/80cc motorbike. At age 10, kids can giv’er on a four stroke, which have become the standard over the past years. Start slow. Be safe. Have fun.