Spring Creek Motocross Park is highly considered as the best track of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship season. The mix of dirt and clay provides superior traction while the elevation change adds another layer of difficulty. It’s one of the tracks that I truly enjoyed riding versus the occupational side of racing each weekend. The drive through the corn fields on Saturday morning is a peaceful one, too, just don’t break the speed limit or you’ll be poorer on arrival. All in all, this race is a bright spot on the calendar and that’s saying something on the backside of RedBud.
There are key sections that are imperative for success. The downhills, the sand whoops, and corner exits are the areas that demand performance. The downhills are prime passing zones as they separate those who can simply release the brakes and allow their motorcycle to handle the braking bumps at speed. Some will try and miss the rut at the bottom at best, go flying over the handlebars at worst. Others will use their dialed-in suspension to brake hard and catch that inside rut.
The sand whoops were always difficult for me to utilize as a strength, but many do. The key is carrying speed through the first right-left dogleg and using that to stay “on top” of the section. The slower the entry, the lower the tires will hit each whoop, the more abrupt impact, and the less speed will be maintained. Higher speed is how big crashes happen, though, and why many would give a vigorous shaking of the head to grabbing a higher gear. It can be difficult to pass in the sand whoops as riders can block/lean on the following rider but as far as time savings, this section is hard to top.
Corner exits seem like a no brainer but when traction is at a premium, being aggressive in the sweet spot of a rut or berm is critical. If the tire is climbing up the side of the rut or too high or too low in the berm, there will be more wheel spin and less drive. When traction allows a scoop tire to really dig (like Spring Creek does), riders need to lean into that. Tracks like Washougal reward carried momentum while Spring Creek rewards unbridled aggression. Knowing and understanding how to approach differing levels of traction is what makes a good rider great.
One other note of importance is the start. Sure, the start is always important, but the proximity of the sand whoops provides a huge opportunity for the first few riders to gap those mid-pack or worse. The corners funnel down to a crawl on that opening lap, meaning the leaders can easily put 10-15 seconds on a rider who gets stuck in traffic. Being able to sprint unimpeded on lap one is a big part of a successful Spring Creek equation.
- Motocross
Spring Creek
Saturday, July 13- QualifyingLiveJuly 13 - 10:30 AM
- QualifyingLiveJuly 13 - 10:30 AM
- 450 Class Moto 1LiveJuly 13 - 1:30 PM
- MotosLiveJuly 13 - 1:30 PM
- MotosLiveJuly 13 - 1:30 PM
- Motos (Re-Air)July 15 - 2:00 AM
Who’s Hot
Chase Sexton is trying to assume control of this series with the departure of Jettson Lawrence. His 1-1 at RedBud was good enough to claim the red plate (and 450SMX points lead as well).
Aaron Plessinger was turning in impressive laps in the middle spot of the second moto and grabbed a runner-up finish to boot.
Chance Hymas won the first overall of his career and has to be the surprise of the summer. His Honda HRC renewal is confirmation of the improvement he’s made.
Jo Shimoda is finding his stride with back-to-back podiums.
Ty Masterpool won the first moto at RedBud and must have Mitch Payton breaking out the white board for his 2025 team structure.
Who’s Not
Jett Lawrence will miss the remainder of Pro Motocross and will be on a tight timeframe for Charlotte’s opening round of the SMX World Championship Playoffs.
Tom Vialle has crashed while in A+ positions on three consecutive weekends.
Max Anstie came in white hot to Southwick on the expectation scale, but it’s been a slow burn to find results so far.
Bold Predictions
Jett Lawrence makes a guest appearance as the whoop monster Saturday afternoon.
Aaron Plessinger announces his bid for President.
Alex Martin runs a marathon before heading to the track Saturday morning for his family’s national.
My Picks
250
Haiden Deegan
Tom Vialle
Chance Hymas
