Ironman: the best RACE track in the US

Zachintosh
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Orange County, CA, USA

No National tracks have anywhere near as many viable outside options as Ironman. Passing options were all over the place, and it was so incredibly refreshing to watch riders use the entire track and not just funnel to the inside in every turn. 

Other track operators need to take note: this is how you prep/design a proper RACE track. 



 

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8/25/2024 9:02am Edited Date/Time 8/25/2024 9:03am

I’ve been on the Ironman train for a few years now. Looks like so much fun to ride even at the amateur level, just the amount of fast that gets your heart pumping but not scary fast like some sections of Spring Creek. Dirt always looks incredible. The racing was incredible yesterday and their changes were great! Very few times we see changes to National tracks work out for the better. Perfect track for MXON IMO. 

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aeffertz
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La Crosse, WI, USA
8/25/2024 10:31am Edited Date/Time 8/25/2024 10:37am

Every year they make improvements, it’s getting tough to say otherwise for sure! I can admit my bias here towards Millville being an amazing track with everything considered but track wise, Millville is pretty narrow in a lot of places that leads to one lined sections and makes it hard to pass. That being said, I can say Ironman is a better race track. It’s really tough to surpass RedBud though. Between the track and facility (even though I know this thread is about the track) that place is basically the best track you could imagine IMO.

I know Pala gets a lot of flack but to me it feels like every year Budds produces the most boring races. 

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2
8/25/2024 11:56am

Love the split lanes options in certain sections on the track.  It prevents that funneling, one-fast-line effect.  Track prep was on point outside of a little slipperiness at the starts, hard to avoid that though.  Great racing yesterday was proof positive as to the track design and prep.  Kudos to those in charge.

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joshd
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Lucedale, MS, USA
8/25/2024 12:57pm

I love the track, that big downhill tabletop looks absolutely terrifying on tv. 

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The Shop

OwenJakes
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sebree, KY, USA
8/25/2024 1:02pm

Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these guys to be open. You should not be able to hold a national unless you have at least 15 practice days a year. 

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mb60
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GRAPEVINE, TX, USA
8/25/2024 1:54pm

Looking forward to the Des Nations being there next year. I will be my first time to visit the track. 

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Soul Indigo
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Phuket, TH
8/25/2024 7:16pm
OwenJakes wrote:
Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these...

Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these guys to be open. You should not be able to hold a national unless you have at least 15 practice days a year. 

AMA? Stand up? For regular riders? 😭

Basically asking for a politician to care about you. 

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8/25/2024 7:17pm
joshd wrote:

I love the track, that big downhill tabletop looks absolutely terrifying on tv. 

They did that on 125 all star race. I would Love to jump it.  It you really want to see scary there’s a extremely narrow mtn pass with no guard rails that’s 45+ % in the Altoona,Pa. Area.  More in New Hampshire. I couldn’t believe roads that dangerous existed in this country.  Could b worse than India.  They raced down some mtn in Pa. Back in the 40,s or 50,s a lot of them died. Anyway where is the high light vid of the series. I hardly saw any 

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CPR
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8/25/2024 7:47pm

Red Bud and Washougal are overrated, while Millville and Ironman are underrated imo.

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Marty1028
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Lafayette, IN, USA
8/25/2024 7:49pm
OwenJakes wrote:
Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these...

Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these guys to be open. You should not be able to hold a national unless you have at least 15 practice days a year. 

This This This.

Ironman is literally only open for the two GNCCs, the ATV national, and the Pro national. Can’t even practice it.

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CPR
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AU
8/25/2024 7:54pm
OwenJakes wrote:
Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these...

Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these guys to be open. You should not be able to hold a national unless you have at least 15 practice days a year. 

Marty1028 wrote:

This This This.

Ironman is literally only open for the two GNCCs, the ATV national, and the Pro national. Can’t even practice it.

That may well be the secret to their success. Enables more time for quality improvements and upgrades. 
 

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NV825
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Carson City, NV, USA
8/25/2024 7:55pm

Hangtown raced really well this year too with outside lines for passing. But when also factoring in how visually pleasing the track is, Ironman is the easy winner.

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Brent
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Temecula, CA, USA
8/25/2024 8:58pm
NV825 wrote:
Hangtown raced really well this year too with outside lines for passing. But when also factoring in how visually pleasing the track is, Ironman is the...

Hangtown raced really well this year too with outside lines for passing. But when also factoring in how visually pleasing the track is, Ironman is the easy winner.

The Prairie City national track this year was amazing, they brought in all that sand and it kicked the quality of the track up a notch.

Kudos to the Dirt Diggers.

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Stewyeww
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AU
8/25/2024 9:01pm

They said on the broadcast they were watering just the insides to try keep the outsides running fast, is that normal or just something that happened at ironman

OwenJakes
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sebree, KY, USA
8/25/2024 9:36pm
OwenJakes wrote:
Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these...

Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these guys to be open. You should not be able to hold a national unless you have at least 15 practice days a year. 

Marty1028 wrote:

This This This.

Ironman is literally only open for the two GNCCs, the ATV national, and the Pro national. Can’t even practice it.

CPR wrote:

That may well be the secret to their success. Enables more time for quality improvements and upgrades. 
 

You and all the other downvote crew don’t even ride anymore. Remember: no practice days, no bike sales, no pro moto. 

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soyMotero
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Cantabria, Cantabria, ES
8/25/2024 11:54pm
Marty1028 wrote:

This This This.

Ironman is literally only open for the two GNCCs, the ATV national, and the Pro national. Can’t even practice it.

CPR wrote:

That may well be the secret to their success. Enables more time for quality improvements and upgrades. 
 

OwenJakes wrote:

You and all the other downvote crew don’t even ride anymore. Remember: no practice days, no bike sales, no pro moto. 

Could it be that local regulations don't allow the track to be open for practice? Hence that's why is used only for Pro races, at the end of the day, MX Sports picks the tracks for the championship, not the AMA, agree that the AMA should help the common Man, but I do belive that the way to have more riding áreas is to have a more enviromentally friendly sport (Less sound or things like that...) 

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CPR
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AU
8/26/2024 12:02am
Marty1028 wrote:

This This This.

Ironman is literally only open for the two GNCCs, the ATV national, and the Pro national. Can’t even practice it.

CPR wrote:

That may well be the secret to their success. Enables more time for quality improvements and upgrades. 
 

OwenJakes wrote:

You and all the other downvote crew don’t even ride anymore. Remember: no practice days, no bike sales, no pro moto. 

I just downvoted your comment so you could be right.

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dinger212
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Minneapolis, MN, USA
8/26/2024 5:33am

I agree. What a track. 

Smart prep (did anyone catch Weege saying they watered the insides more in hopes to slow them down to encourage riders to develop lines outside).

Great facilities as well. 

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kawasa84
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Flower Mound, TX, USA
8/26/2024 5:43am
NV825 wrote:
Hangtown raced really well this year too with outside lines for passing. But when also factoring in how visually pleasing the track is, Ironman is the...

Hangtown raced really well this year too with outside lines for passing. But when also factoring in how visually pleasing the track is, Ironman is the easy winner.

Hangtown has multiple passing opportunities. Definitely not one lined. Wasn't there a rider this year in the 450 class that raced up from 40th to 1ST!!

Zycki11
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Edwardsville, IL, USA
8/26/2024 5:47am
OwenJakes wrote:
Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these...

Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these guys to be open. You should not be able to hold a national unless you have at least 15 practice days a year. 

AMA? Stand up? For regular riders? 😭

Basically asking for a politician to care about you. 

Still waiting…… 💀 

Mr. Afterbar
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Green Bay, WI, USA
8/26/2024 5:50am
OwenJakes wrote:
Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these...

Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these guys to be open. You should not be able to hold a national unless you have at least 15 practice days a year. 

Practice days? I could get on board with a push for a couple of amateur RACES. 

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mx317
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USA
8/26/2024 5:57am
OwenJakes wrote:
Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these...

Great track but being a one trick pony sucks. I wish the AMA would stand up for the regular riders a little more and push these guys to be open. You should not be able to hold a national unless you have at least 15 practice days a year. 

At least a few AMA races. 

1
GrapeApe
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Mc Kinney, TX, USA
8/26/2024 6:04am Edited Date/Time 8/26/2024 7:02am
Marty1028 wrote:

This This This.

Ironman is literally only open for the two GNCCs, the ATV national, and the Pro national. Can’t even practice it.

CPR wrote:

That may well be the secret to their success. Enables more time for quality improvements and upgrades. 
 

OwenJakes wrote:

You and all the other downvote crew don’t even ride anymore. Remember: no practice days, no bike sales, no pro moto. 

I get what you're saying but the property owner is not in the business of running a motocross track. That would be the equivalent of asking Loretta Lynn's Dude Ranch to open for practice throughout the year, there's nobody there to prep and run the track.

 

8/26/2024 6:06am

Spring Creek is the absolute best track on the circuit. Ask the pros.

3
2
flackracing
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Sanford, NC, USA
8/26/2024 6:36am
joshd wrote:

I love the track, that big downhill tabletop looks absolutely terrifying on tv. 

Every time someone would land well down the hill from the top of the downside, I held my breath a little!

1
JF953
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South Lake Tahoe, CA, USA
8/26/2024 6:37am
NV825 wrote:
Hangtown raced really well this year too with outside lines for passing. But when also factoring in how visually pleasing the track is, Ironman is the...

Hangtown raced really well this year too with outside lines for passing. But when also factoring in how visually pleasing the track is, Ironman is the easy winner.

Brent wrote:
The Prairie City national track this year was amazing, they brought in all that sand and it kicked the quality of the track up a notch.Kudos...

The Prairie City national track this year was amazing, they brought in all that sand and it kicked the quality of the track up a notch.

Kudos to the Dirt Diggers.

Dirt Diggers had zero to do with the Hangtown track this year, and thank god because they are the absolute worst !!! Mike Power Excavation designed and built the track

MX Culture
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Lake Geneva, WI, USA
8/26/2024 6:51am
NV825 wrote:
Hangtown raced really well this year too with outside lines for passing. But when also factoring in how visually pleasing the track is, Ironman is the...

Hangtown raced really well this year too with outside lines for passing. But when also factoring in how visually pleasing the track is, Ironman is the easy winner.

Brent wrote:
The Prairie City national track this year was amazing, they brought in all that sand and it kicked the quality of the track up a notch.Kudos...

The Prairie City national track this year was amazing, they brought in all that sand and it kicked the quality of the track up a notch.

Kudos to the Dirt Diggers.

JF953 wrote:
Dirt Diggers had zero to do with the Hangtown track this year, and thank god because they are the absolute worst !!! Mike Power Excavation designed...

Dirt Diggers had zero to do with the Hangtown track this year, and thank god because they are the absolute worst !!! Mike Power Excavation designed and built the track

I believe Shane Schaefer (Schaefer Tracks) was a major part of it. 

JF953
Posts
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Joined
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Location
South Lake Tahoe, CA, USA
8/26/2024 6:57am
Brent wrote:
The Prairie City national track this year was amazing, they brought in all that sand and it kicked the quality of the track up a notch.Kudos...

The Prairie City national track this year was amazing, they brought in all that sand and it kicked the quality of the track up a notch.

Kudos to the Dirt Diggers.

JF953 wrote:
Dirt Diggers had zero to do with the Hangtown track this year, and thank god because they are the absolute worst !!! Mike Power Excavation designed...

Dirt Diggers had zero to do with the Hangtown track this year, and thank god because they are the absolute worst !!! Mike Power Excavation designed and built the track

MX Culture wrote:

I believe Shane Schaefer (Schaefer Tracks) was a major part of it. 

Mike hired Shane to help move dirt, but as far as design, construction, and prep, it was all Mike Power!

1
SonofThor32
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Location
Corryton, TN, USA
8/26/2024 7:52am

Another angle to this thread, I agree the track looked amazing, a good mix of old school natural terrain, but also some good leaps in the mix as well so it looks fun, but racy too.  Flip side, I was watching for spectators and spectator sections, distance to the track, etc. and from what I could tell, there is a lot of sections you can't walk to, and the distance from the fans to the track was huge (compared to RedBud, Washougal, etc.).  So from a fan viewing perspective, it didn't look too hot.  I usually don't really watch for that on broadcasts for tracks I have not been to, but with the possibility of MXoN coming to this track, my eyes were a little wider is all.

I could be wrong, but from the broadcast, that is what I gathered.

joshd
Posts
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Location
Lucedale, MS, USA
8/26/2024 8:05am
joshd wrote:

I love the track, that big downhill tabletop looks absolutely terrifying on tv. 

Every time someone would land well down the hill from the top of the downside, I held my breath a little!

I caught a glimpse of Jcoop dropping the nose way down on that thing like Hanny will do sometimes. It amazes me how comfortable and causal they make it look. 

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