For anyone who loves motocross, the AMA motocross championship is must watch action. For more than 50 years, since day one, names like Gary Jones, Brad Lackey, Pierre Karsmakers, Jimmy Weinert, Tony DiStefano, Kent Howerton, Marty Smith, Bob Hannah and Broc Glover have entertained us, often back in the day through magazines like Motocross Action or Cycle News, often a week or two after the race was run and won.

When the 1980s rolled around, it was Ricky Johnson, Jeff Ward, Mark Barnett, David Bailey, who caught our attention and into the 90s Jeremy McGrath, Jeff Stanton, Jeff Emig, Mike Kiedrowski, J. M. Bayle, Doug Henry and Mike Larocco who showed the way to World motocross as they all picked up multiple championships in USA.

The "GOAT" Ricky Carmichael would lead the AMA series into the 2000s and along with James Stewart, Chad Reed, Grant Langston, Mike Brown and Ryan Villopoto, the sport grew some more and the American riders fought against the mighty Belgians for World honour.

Now, as we sprinkle names like Ryan Dungey, Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, Cooper Webb, Jett Lawrence, Jorge Prado, Chase Sexton and Haiden Deegan, we see the exciting new era taking over from the old. Every era has its legends and ever era something a little different from the last.

On the 24th of May, the AMA Motocross championships takes us into the 2025 outdoor season and I for one, cannot wait to see how many we call the BIG ?. Will it be five, four or three riders who will command the respect of the remainer of the field?

For me, hard to not see Jeff Lawrence, Jorge Prado and Chase Sexton going head to head in a battle that will remind us of the all-time great fights, the Johnson vs Ward vs Bailey era, or maybe even Smith vs Hannah, all the way back to the 1970s.

Whatever we get, we will all be watching, because as much as it was a great AMA supercross season, the real work starts on Pala Raceway and then we find out which riders really did their work to prepare for the toughest sport the World has seen.

The Opener

Pala previously served as the season finale of the Pro Motocross Championship for back-to-back seasons in 2010 and 2011, which signified the return of the sport to the San Diego area following an absence that spanned multiple decades after the closure of famed Carlsbad Raceway.

During those two seasons, Ryan Dungey and Dean Wilson claimed back-to-back victories in the 450 Class and 250 Class, respectively, with Wilson amassing an undefeated record by winning all four motos.

The Pala Band of Mission Indians have been tremendous motocross supporters for many years and we're proud to partner with them. The goal of the Fox Raceway is not only to elevate the track experience, but also to support and grow the entire core motocross community.

In addition to six beginners to pro-level motocross tracks, Fox Raceway has an all-new covered patio area, a fully stocked retail store complete with product demo and jersey printing capabilities, the first "Jeff Emig's Learn To Moto" centre, and a year-round schedule of consumer activations.

AMA Motocross History

The series began in 1972 with the introduction of two classes based on 500 cc and 250 cc engine displacement formulas. A 125 cc class was added in 1974. As motocross technology developed, 500 cc two-stroke motocross bikes became too powerful for the average rider and, faced with diminishing numbers of competitors, the AMA discontinued the 500 cc class after the 1993 season. A women's national championship series was introduced in 1996.

Facing tightening federal emissions regulations in the United States, the A.M.A. increased the allowable displacement capacity for four-stroke engines in 1997, in an effort to encourage manufacturers to develop environmentally friendlier four-stroke machines.

Due to the low relative power output of four-stroke engines, compared to the then-dominating two stroke design, the AMA had increased the allowable displacement capacity for four-strokes. By 1994, the displacement limit of a four-stroke power motocross bike was up to 550 cc in the 250 class, to incentivize manufactures to further develop the design for use in motocross.

In 2006, the 250 cc division was renamed the MX Class, with an engine formula allowing for 150–250 cc two-stroke or 250–450 cc four-stroke machines. The 125 cc class was renamed the MX Lites Class, allowing 0–125 cc two-stroke or 150–250 cc four-stroke engines. In 2009, the MX class was renamed the 450MX Class and the MX Lites Class was renamed the 250MX Class, to reflect the fact that all the competing manufacturers had adopted four-stroke machinery.

Fox Raceway - National Winners

450 Class

2024 Jett Lawrence

2023 Jett Lawrence

2022 Chase Sexton

2021 Dylan Ferrandis

2020 Chase Sexton

2019 Eli Tomac

250 Class

2024 Haiden Deegan

2023 Hunter Lawrence

2022 Jett Lawrence

2021 Jett Lawrence

2020 Jett Lawrence

2019 Adam Cianciarulo