Tens of thousands of fans will fill the hillsides for the 38th running of the Unadilla National. (Photo Courtesy of MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.)

NEW BERLIN– The world’s most prestigious off-road motorcycle racing series is set to continue its second half-century of thrilling competition with the 53rd season of the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. The centerpiece of the SuperMotocross World Championship Series has provided one-of-a-kind thrills for race fans across the country since 1972, becoming its own unique American pastime as the toughest test in motorsports.

The 11-round summer campaign will visit 10 different states on a compelling journey to crown a pair of AMA National Champions with the sport’s most distinguished title. Of the 11 legendary venues that comprise the championship, only one was part of the inaugural season more than a half century ago – Unadilla MX in New Berlin.

The oldest track in American motocross, which opened in 1969, has been a fixture of Pro Motocross since its inception and the rolling hills of Central New York’s Unadilla Valley will once again come to life on Saturday, August 10, as the storied legacy of this iconic venue continues with the 38th running of the ELF Unadilla National, which will kick off the season’s stretch run with Round 9 of the 2024 season.

At the heart of Pro Motocross are the colossal giants of America’s most imposing racetracks, many of which, like Unadilla MX in particular, have been challenging racers and thrilling audiences since the championship’s early years. The sprawling, natural terrain layouts feature awe-inducing obstacles, from massive jumps to towering hillsides, which provide the setting for an incredible spectacle of speed, skill, and a relentless pursuit of victory. While the unparalleled skill of these uniquely gifted athletes make navigating the challenging terrain look graceful, this championship is the ultimate test of physical and mental fortitude that will push even the best in the world to the absolute limit.

From the moment one walks across State Highway 8 and sets foot onto the property at Unadilla MX, it’s apparent that this sprawling landscape is hallowed ground. The history that has been made on its undulating hills and dynamic terrain is integral to the fabric of the sport in the United States. Everything about Unadilla MX has an old school feel, largely because the track takes full advantage of the geography of the valley, with natural elevation changes that provide several of the most infamous obstacles in all of motocross like Gravity Cavity, Sky Shot, and The Wall.

It’s a European-style layout with the flair of American passion, which has allowed Unadilla to become one of the cornerstones of the Pro Motocross Championship and ascend to being one of the world’s most popular destination races for riders and fans alike. While so much of the track remains true to its roots, it’s still one of the most formidable challenges in the sport, where the incredible performance of modern motorcycles and the supreme fitness of the athletes provide a one-of-a-kind spectacle for the tens of thousands of fans that will fill the hillsides.

On the track, a decorated contingent of the best racers on the planet, who come from across the globe, comprise the competitive field set to wage battle over the course of the summer.

The fastest American-born racers like Jason Anderson, social media sensation Haiden Deegan, Chance Hymas, Aaron Plessinger, Chase Sexton, along with former champions Eli Tomac and Cooper Webb, will go bar-to-bar against the most elite international competitors, headlined by the likes of Australian Hunter Lawrence, championship-winning Frenchmen Dylan Ferrandis and Tom Vialle, and Japanese rising star Jo Shimoda. Unadilla fans will also be treated to the anticipated return of German superstar Ken Roczen, a two-time champion and arguably the sport’s most popular rider.

The SuperMotocross World Championship is a comprehensive 31-race season the combines the winter AMA Supercross Championship, which takes place on man-made racetracks in major stadiums across the country from January to mid-May, and the summer Pro Motocross Championship, the original homegrown series that visits the most iconic, rural venues in off-road motorcycle racing from late-May through August.

Awaiting at the conclusion of these two series is the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs and Final in September, which will crown the ultimate champions across a full calendar year of this grueling and captivating motorsport.

Event Information:

ELF Unadilla National, Round 9: 2024 Pro Motocross Championship at Unadilla MX in New Berlin on August 10, 2024.

Events: 8 a.m. Practice & Qualifying, 12:30 p.m. Opening Ceremonies, 1:00 First Motos (250 Class & 450 Class), 3:00 p.m., Second Motos (250 Class & 450 Class)

Ticket Information: General Admission: $65 Adults / $30 Kids (Ages 6-10), Pit Pass: $30 (All Ages).

For information about the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, please visit ProMotocross.com.

-From Brandon Short,

Next Level Sports