GP tracks

It’s the world championship, why do you want to turn into the nationals? 
 

 The who point is to have them on different soil, not the same watered ripped slot car tracks. 

Have you watched the GPs? Far from all hard pack. 
 

 That track was far from one lined, it was fast, but definitely not one lined. 

X2. Why does every track need to have the same prep to be good? Aren't these guys the best riders in the world?

Ernée was great this year. Lots of passing opportunities, off-camber, ruts but not too much... And was far from real hard pack tracks like in Italy, Spain of south of France. 

Doesn't matter when it's 28 degrees Celsius outside and baking sun. No hard packed track stays soft.

That track was about the same as Pala has been when it's dry, so don't get the "we don't have those tracks in US".

Agreed.  Much more interesting and builds a more rounded sklll set to race on a variety of track types.

I think it adds something if riders all have different strengths on different track types.

As someone pointed out in another thread, it was notable that the Roczen and the Lawrences, although established in the US, have their roots in GP racing and had little trouble adapting to an entirely different style of track.

That is what impresses me the most when watching a GP in person. You see all those bumps, square edges, ruts,... Those guys still haul ass on the most deteriorated tracks you've ever seen. And the elite even use some of the worst things to go faster. Roczen's mid moto bunny hop in the downhill for instance... Pure poetry...

Local motocross has gotten stupid with the slot car prep! No berms anymore, just axle dragging ruts. 

This, tracks that used to be fun and soft have now hauled in hard clay and ruined what used to be great tracks in the name of rut cross. 

If the track was one lined how did Jett make so many passes ? 
 

When riders are more similar in speed you might see less passes, at the nationals there is a far greater variety of speeds so it might appear easier to pass. 

 

I was at ernee and the track was awesome , Motocross track with character the way it should be , if the likes of RJ Hampshire worried as much about getting in the top 10-15  as they did moaning about track prep he might get a result 👍

Normally find it's the  dudes who had there arse handed to them who say it's 'one lined'

I think ripping it deeper wouldn’t create more lines…. 

I have been thinking about this for awhile. I'll start with I'm old (67). But I have been riding MX since 1970. So back then and all the way up to around 1990. Tracks weren't prep at all other than maybe if you were lucky, a little water to keep the dust down. Then slowly the MX tracks started discing the tracks. That was great and made the tracks more fun I admit. But there still were some rough clapped out tracks so you had a mixture. When I retired from the Air Force and moved to So Cal in 2004. I went to all the tracks and they were all prepped so good. I was shocked how smooth in the morning they were. If you stayed long enough they would get breaking bumps and some ruts but even places like Pala back then would run everybody off the vet track mid day and they would prep it again. Just for us slow people. Yes we got spoiled. But I don't think it helped in making the riders prepared for a rough track. I've been to many nationals over the last 45 years and the same goes for the National tracks. There isn't much variety anymore because they are all prepped the same. 

I watched the the MXoN and I thought the track looked great. Of course that's on tv as I wasn't there. But to me I like that tracks are difficult and different. I think riders unless they have a bike issue or have an injury they shouldn't complain about the track. Only reason I see to complain would be if they didn't water to keep the dust down as that can be very dangerous. Otherwise it's the same for everybody who lines up. I feel part of being really good at riding dirt bikes is being good on all types of tracks. You have to adapt.

I hear all the time from riders that the tracks are one lined. Like was mentioned earlier, Ernie' looked like its had plenty of lines and I saw plenty of people making passes. 

I do think tracks need to be prepped to start with, but they don't need to be prepped all day. They should get rough and it should be hard. That's what makes our sport so difficult but rewarding. 

Try riding club tracks in the UK. If it’s not watered, ripped deep and then six ruts wide people can’t post pictures on instagram calling it ‘prime’. We’ve a generation of riders growing up who can’t ride hard pack, loam or sand because all they can do is scalextric. 

We also have loads of ankle, knee and lower leg injuries. I can’t think why though…

Ernee and Matterley the weekend before looked like proper tracks, good mix of rutted sections, berms, natural and man made obstacles. Good like choices and rough as guts developed bumps. I can’t wrap my head around anyone complaining at that (although Ernee was a bit tight, but that’s about the only knock on it). 

I think it’s great to have different type of soil/track prep. It gives character and flavor to certain places and you can sometime guess from which part of the world a track is located just by looking at the dirt.

With this being said, I hate riding hard pack tracks tho as I feel they are a lot less forgiving. You get these long, concrete hard ruts that you’re sure to eat shit if you ever step out of by mistake, bunch of kickers at the top of jumps, square edges everywhere and if you hit the ground you’re basically hitting concrete. Maybe I’m just not good enough!