A Primer In
SUPERCROSS AND MOTOCROSS

The AMA Supercross Series

This is the premier dirt-bike racing series in the world, featuring the world's fastest off-road riders. Supercross races take place inside stadiums and domes usually reserved for NFL Football and Major League Baseball teams across the country. Points are awarded to the riders taking the top finishing positions in each race, and are added up to determine an overall season champion.

The twisting one- to two-mile tracks are entirely man-made, requiring up to 700 tons of dirt trucked in to shape all sorts of hair-raising obstacles. These include vicious stutter-bumps the riders call "whoops," and the Supercross-signature triple-jumps that shoot racers 40 feet up and 60 feet across. Most people who watch a Supercross race for the first time can't believe what they are seeing.

Some of the riders have made a name for themselves over these Supercross jumps, twisting the bike sideways in midair, laying it flat, and even letting go of the handlebars.

Supercross finals are 20-lap sprint races that put an emphasis on pure speed. This type of dirt-bike racing originated in 1971 when the American Motorcyclist Association built a temporary track in front of the grandstands at Daytona International Speedway. The series was born in 1974 and is now the most popular dirt motor sport in America.

The Supercross Format

The 250cc Class:
Two heat races, two semis and a last-chance qualifier

Heat 1&2: 20 riders, 8 laps (1st-4th go to the main event)
Semi 1&2: 16 riders, 6 laps (1st-5th go to the main event) (6th-16th go to the last chance qualifier)
Last Chance: 22 riders, 6 laps (1st-2nd go to the main event)
250 Main Event: 20 riders, 20 laps

The 125cc Class
Two heat races, one last-chance qualifier

Heat 1&2: 20 riders, 6 laps (1st-9th go to the main event)
Last chance: 22 riders, 4 laps (1st-4th go to the main event)
125 Main Event: 22 riders, 15 laps

Points
(for both the 125cc and 250cc classes)
1st - 25 points
2nd - 22
3rd - 20
4th -18
5th - 16
6th - 15
7th - 14
8th - 13
9th - 12
10th - 11
11th - 10
12th - 9
13th - 8
14th - 7
15th - 6
16th - 5
17th - 4
18th - 3
19th - 2
20th - 1

The AMA National Championship Motocross Series

Supercross grew out of AMA motocross races, and most of the dirt-bike racers, including the men of Team Suzuki, compete in both series throughout the year. Motocross races are traditional dirt-bike events held on natural-terrain tracks carved over hills and through woods. Compared to Supercross tracks, motocross courses are faster, longer (varying in length but around two to two and one-half miles), and generally have less-radical obstacles and jumps. Every motocross event features two heats or "motos" per class, each lasting 35 minutes, placing great emphasis on rider stamina and conditioning.

The Nationals are split into two divisions: the 125cc and 250cc classes (a 500cc class was included until 1994). Motocross originated in Europe after World War II and came to America in the '60s. The AMA National Championship Series began in 1972 and several of its winners and heroes have gone on to Supercross as well as World Championship Motocross victories.

The Men

Both Supercross and motocross are a lot more than merely twisting the throttle as far as it will go. Top riders are among the best-conditioned athletes in the world. To be capable of winning, riders have to train extremely hard, running, weightlifting, and practicing hour after hour on dirt bikes. Many of the top riders rely on special diets and the advice of sports trainers and doctors. When it comes to body conditioning, these specialists place motocross riders in the same league with boxers and football and soccer players. Racing is not a weekend hobby for these competitors; even off the track it's a full-time occupation and obsession for the best of them.

Just as racing requires a great deal of physical ability, it also demands mental skill. Tactics, strategy, and hand-eye coordination are all crucial to winning. Out on the track a rider must quickly determine the fastest way around the course, finding just the right "line." He must be acutely aware of where the other competitors are and try not to hit them when scrambling to get ahead. Like a gymnast on the high bars, a rider must have the right "touch," and use just the right body-English when sailing over jumps some 40 feet high, all while straddling a 215-pound machine. Supercross and motocross racing are largely sports for the young, with most riders being between the ages of 16 and 31.

The Machines

Supercross and motocross bikes are highly specialized machines built for one purpose; getting around an obstacle and jump-filled dirt track as quickly as possible. These motorcycles are lightweight (from 195 to 220 pounds), feature long-travel suspension to soak up bumps and knobby tires to grab the dirt. The engines on these machines are either quick-revving, highly powerful two-strokes that sound like buzzsaws, or they are torquey four-strokes that are recognizable by their deep thumping exhaust tone.

As impressive as they are, Team Suzuki's RM125 and RM250 race bikes are not special prototypes but actually start out as the same bikes available at local Suzuki dealers. Suzuki's factory race mechanics start out with production machines and add some special parts and their own special touches learned over years and years of tinkering with and tuning race bikes. Some of these touches wind up on future production machines, benefiting local racers and privateers who ride Suzukis.

The Money

There's more money to be made in dirt-bike racing than most people realize. In fact, a hot 16-year-old rider can make as much as six figures in one year, and an established star can earn nearly $1 million. Rider earnings come in a number of ways. First there are factory contracts, worth anywhere between $30,000 and nearly half a million. Then there's prize money. More than one-million dollars is paid out to riders in the AMA Supercross season. Riders also earn money, sometimes in excess of six-figures per year, with motorcycle-related clothing endorsements.

Local racers and privateers aren't left out either. The Suzuki RM Contingency Program posts millions of dollars in dozens of racing series nationwide, helping to make racing more affordable.

The Teams

Talking about the racers without mentioning the teams behind them is like talking about John Elway without saying "Denver Broncos." Supercross and motocross are team sports and each rider is backed by his mechanic, a support crew, a manager and dozens of engineers going all the way back to the factories. Team Suzuki is one of the major factory-sponsored teams competing on the national racing circuit. There are several serious efforts backed by major aftermarket companies as well.

The Crowds

Supercross attendance is growing every year as Americans are discovering the fun and excitement of motorcycle racing. Who attends these races? Everyone from blue-collar and white-collar backgrounds, teens on dates, moms, dads and kids. When Supercross enthusiasts canāt come to the stadiums, they can still watch on national television as each of the Supercross races are broadcast on cable and satellite.

Team Suzuki invites you to come out to the races and experience the exciting world of Supercross and motocross. Look for the factory Suzuki squad in the bright yellow 18-wheeler.