Running down the signature sections of the USA’s premier motocross series that guarantee fireworks.
Every motocross track has its own unique and crazy areas, but in AMA Pro Motocross, those obstacles are on a whole other level. There’s airtime to be had on Fly 160 at Hangtown and LaRocco’s Leap in Michigan while Unadilla’s rocks and Spring Creek’s sand whoops will leave your knees trembling. These are the spots that spectators rush to as soon as they get their ticket stamped at the entrance and we’ve managed to cram them all into one place. Here are five of the gnarliest sections on the calendar.
The Fly 160
The Fly 160 at Hangtown© Garth Milan/Red Bull Content Pool
LaRocco’s Leap
Named after former factory rider and current GEICO Honda team manager “Iron” Mike LaRocco, this jump used to be the biggest and longest in all of AMA Motocross until the Fly 160 was born. But just because it’s no longer the longest doesn’t mean it’s any less intimidating. As riders come around the left-hander that precedes The Leap, all that’s visible is a towering jump face, seemingly pointing straight up. “All you see is the ginormous takeoff and you don’t know where you’re landing,” Ken Roczen says. “You’re in the air for almost four seconds, and if you come up short you have a lot of time to think about what’s going to happen!”
Horsepower Hill
Horsepower Hill at Washougal© Garth Milan/Red Bull Content Pool
As steep and long as this signature Washougal hill is, it’s not very intimidating by itself. The tough part comes from having to blast up this hill at full throttle when you’re behind a pack of high-horsepower bikes with throttles jammed to the stops. “It’s an absolute drag race,” says Jessy Nelson. “If you’re stuck behind a bunch of guys that hill is awful. Washougal has the worst roost of the series — it’s like getting hit by paintballs!”
Unadilla’s Rocks
This New York track’s most infamous, and inescapable, obstacle isn’t located in just one straight, corner or jump, it’s all over the entire track. The Unadilla soil is filled with rocks that not only make traction a precious commodity, but become dangerous projectiles when hurled into the air by fresh, whirling knobbies. Dean Wilson probably says it best when he describes the Unadilla roost as “lethal and not very enjoyable.”
The Sand Whoops
Many tracks have sandy whoop sections, but when you say the words, “sand whoops” to any AMA motocross racer, he’ll know instantly that you’re talking about the infamous set of energy-sapping sand whoops at Spring Creek. Entering the section with plenty of speed is key, as momentum makes them easier to double, but it’s also dangerous — it’s easy to get cross-rutted or out of shape in the soft spots, and there are plenty of sharp edges lurking beneath the surface. For a while the section even had its own self-proclaimed mascot named “The Whoop Monster.”