"It's a s***** track. " -Jett

captmoto
Posts
5859
Joined
4/22/2009
Location
Rancho Cucamonga, CA US
6/15/2026 9:47am Edited Date/Time 6/15/2026 9:51am
Zachintosh wrote:
Or leave the wood chips and sawdust at home and just let hardpack be hardpack? I don’t understand why every track has to feature a rutty...

Or leave the wood chips and sawdust at home and just let hardpack be hardpack? I don’t understand why every track has to feature a rutty, intermediate terrain surface. 

True and let riders deal with the hardpack like they would do with mud, sand etc. At least they would have some consistency. It's all about dust control for television looks. 

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zehn
Posts
7871
Joined
1/15/2013
Location
Anchorage, AK US
6/15/2026 10:42am

Aren’t there local and state requirements about air pollution/dust for many tracks?

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Motodude
Posts
5249
Joined
2/2/2008
Location
Sydney AU
6/15/2026 6:14pm Edited Date/Time 6/15/2026 6:15pm
Zachintosh wrote:
Or leave the wood chips and sawdust at home and just let hardpack be hardpack? I don’t understand why every track has to feature a rutty...

Or leave the wood chips and sawdust at home and just let hardpack be hardpack? I don’t understand why every track has to feature a rutty, intermediate terrain surface. 

30minmotos wrote:
Because there’s no way to keep the dust down on a purely hard pack track. Nobody wants to watch that or ride that, or film it...

Because there’s no way to keep the dust down on a purely hard pack track. Nobody wants to watch that or ride that, or film it trackside.


 

Yeah, they used to water it just before the lower grade race. Slick as ice but soaked in by the main moto.

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Sully
Posts
9329
Joined
8/24/2006
Location
JP
6/15/2026 8:37pm Edited Date/Time 6/15/2026 8:39pm
Zachintosh wrote:
Or leave the wood chips and sawdust at home and just let hardpack be hardpack? I don’t understand why every track has to feature a rutty...

Or leave the wood chips and sawdust at home and just let hardpack be hardpack? I don’t understand why every track has to feature a rutty, intermediate terrain surface. 

captmoto wrote:
True and let riders deal with the hardpack like they would do with mud, sand etc. At least they would have some consistency. It's all about...

True and let riders deal with the hardpack like they would do with mud, sand etc. At least they would have some consistency. It's all about dust control for television looks. 

Of course it's all about dust control for television looks. This is one of my favorite videos on YouTube, but imagine how pissed we'd be if we had to spend 3+ hours watching a race through dust like this on a service we pay good money for...

3

The Shop

6/15/2026 8:53pm

Everyone has to ride the same track. If the dirt was absolutely primo all day long, the results sheet would still be the same. 

MX690
Posts
826
Joined
11/13/2009
Location
AU
6/15/2026 8:53pm Edited Date/Time 6/15/2026 8:54pm

Aussie WMX racer Emma Milesivic's front brake jammed up with mulch.Screenshot 20260616 134922 Instagram 0

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Afireball
Posts
29
Joined
9/2/2016
Location
Åre SE
6/15/2026 11:24pm
Zachintosh wrote:
Or leave the wood chips and sawdust at home and just let hardpack be hardpack? I don’t understand why every track has to feature a rutty...

Or leave the wood chips and sawdust at home and just let hardpack be hardpack? I don’t understand why every track has to feature a rutty, intermediate terrain surface. 

captmoto wrote:
True and let riders deal with the hardpack like they would do with mud, sand etc. At least they would have some consistency. It's all about...

True and let riders deal with the hardpack like they would do with mud, sand etc. At least they would have some consistency. It's all about dust control for television looks. 

Sully wrote:
Of course it's all about dust control for television looks. This is one of my favorite videos on YouTube, but imagine how pissed we'd be if...

Of course it's all about dust control for television looks. This is one of my favorite videos on YouTube, but imagine how pissed we'd be if we had to spend 3+ hours watching a race through dust like this on a service we pay good money for...

That looks really cool tbh! No ruts, a totally different beast to tame. Would really like to see it 😄🤘

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6/16/2026 3:57am Edited Date/Time 6/16/2026 3:58am
zehn wrote:

Aren’t there local and state requirements about air pollution/dust for many tracks?

Yes, and for Thunder Valley, it's the proximity to the highway. For some, it's migrant dust on neighbor farms. 

In 10 years they'll all be data centers or fracking anyway. 

 

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2
6/16/2026 4:19am
MX690 wrote:
Aussie WMX racer Emma Milesivic's front brake jammed up with mulch.

Aussie WMX racer Emma Milesivic's front brake jammed up with mulch.Screenshot 20260616 134922 Instagram 0

Some time ago a local track used a ton of mulch and the guy that pit next to me had a chunk of mulch stuck between the chain and the sprocket. That thing was wedged in there so good that no one could spin the rear wheel or even get it out. I believe he took off the master link to free it up. He was lucky the rear wheel locked up on the flat. 

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APLMAN99
Posts
12457
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Tualatin, OR US
Fantasy
6/16/2026 6:44am

The constant complaining about tracks is tiresome. Imagine if they had to race in the 70s (or earlier) on real, original tracks that were just laid out with stakes, ribbon, and snow fence during the week prior……

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jay59
Posts
4
Joined
1/20/2023
Location
Carlisle, PA US
1 day ago
30minmotos wrote:

Every track that uses mulch instead of saw dust is missing such an easy tweak.

Expect sawdust is alot more expensive!! At least in the northeast it is!!

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1 day ago
30minmotos wrote:
That’s the thing: just use saw dust. Mixes in way easier and breaks down and adds life to soil way faster. Mulch will break down and...

That’s the thing: just use saw dust. Mixes in way easier and breaks down and adds life to soil way faster. Mulch will break down and help the soil in a month or two but until then exactly what they’re saying it’s total shit. Too chunky and loose for too long.


Saw dust is the secret weapon. Learned it on here and it’s the truth. 

Bremen MX in GA used sawdust.. they got it by the semi tractor trailer loads and ripped it in deep. They had the best traction anywhere.

If the wood chips were ripped deep and allowed to break down for a few months it has a similar effect but you have to get it into the soil. Sounds like they did not do this at Thunder Valley and a lot of it was on the surface instead

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Dave v3.0
Posts
669
Joined
7/15/2022
Location
Ozark, AL US
1 day ago

Nature had a pretty good plan for the dirt in every area.  Why we insist on making every track the same is almost criminal.  The best riders need to be able to handle the different terrains on every track.  One of the best features of outdoor motocross is being erased by the constant tinkering with the track surfaces.  Let them race on the native soils.  We're missing hard pack with blue groove one week, deep sand the next week, red clay the next, and black farm dirt.  That's a true test of the outdoors.

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1
1 day ago
Sully wrote:
Of course it's all about dust control for television looks. This is one of my favorite videos on YouTube, but imagine how pissed we'd be if...

Of course it's all about dust control for television looks. This is one of my favorite videos on YouTube, but imagine how pissed we'd be if we had to spend 3+ hours watching a race through dust like this on a service we pay good money for...

I can’t think of anything worse than riding an old 500 on that track haha

WZB
Posts
73
Joined
1/3/2024
Location
Steamboat Springs , CO US
Fantasy
1 day ago

Next thing you now these pansy racers will be complaining about lime on the tracks!

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1
Spike33
Posts
530
Joined
1/6/2024
Location
Malibu, CA US
1 day ago

Deegs hasn’t complained once about the track or his bike setup. 

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30minmotos
Posts
961
Joined
8/7/2025
Location
Rising Sun , MD US
1 day ago
30minmotos wrote:

Every track that uses mulch instead of saw dust is missing such an easy tweak.

jay59 wrote:

Expect sawdust is alot more expensive!! At least in the northeast it is!!

You can play the long game with either.


If you’re gonna use mulch - compost it, let it break down in a pile and rip it a few times in an area where you let it break down before putting it on the track.


Or the long game with saw dust is before you know it you’re track surface is unbelievable and you get people driving 5 hours each way every week to ride it, passing 5 tracks on their way because yours is amazing.


Or throw mulch on it and have everyone bitch.

1
jay59
Posts
4
Joined
1/20/2023
Location
Carlisle, PA US
1 day ago
30minmotos wrote:

Every track that uses mulch instead of saw dust is missing such an easy tweak.

jay59 wrote:

Expect sawdust is alot more expensive!! At least in the northeast it is!!

30minmotos wrote:
You can play the long game with either.If you’re gonna use mulch - compost it, let it break down in a pile and rip it a...

You can play the long game with either.


If you’re gonna use mulch - compost it, let it break down in a pile and rip it a few times in an area where you let it break down before putting it on the track.


Or the long game with saw dust is before you know it you’re track surface is unbelievable and you get people driving 5 hours each way every week to ride it, passing 5 tracks on their way because yours is amazing.


Or throw mulch on it and have everyone bitch.

Trust me i know how it works we only use sawdust.  Ive spent well over 100 grand on sawdust over our 30 year existence as a top notch mx race facility here in Pennsylvania. 

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30minmotos
Posts
961
Joined
8/7/2025
Location
Rising Sun , MD US
1 day ago
jay59 wrote:

Expect sawdust is alot more expensive!! At least in the northeast it is!!

30minmotos wrote:
You can play the long game with either.If you’re gonna use mulch - compost it, let it break down in a pile and rip it a...

You can play the long game with either.


If you’re gonna use mulch - compost it, let it break down in a pile and rip it a few times in an area where you let it break down before putting it on the track.


Or the long game with saw dust is before you know it you’re track surface is unbelievable and you get people driving 5 hours each way every week to ride it, passing 5 tracks on their way because yours is amazing.


Or throw mulch on it and have everyone bitch.

jay59 wrote:
Trust me i know how it works we only use sawdust.  Ive spent well over 100 grand on sawdust over our 30 year existence as a...

Trust me i know how it works we only use sawdust.  Ive spent well over 100 grand on sawdust over our 30 year existence as a top notch mx race facility here in Pennsylvania. 

That’s awesome then you see it’s worth it!! 

What track do you have? I’ll have to make a trip out!

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downard254
Posts
4073
Joined
12/10/2012
Location
Bremen, OH US
1 day ago Edited Date/Time 1 day ago

Those of us who raced Honda Hills in Linnville, OH back in the mid 80’s would probably have kicked ass there then.  Old Dick Klamfoth would dump about 6” of sawdust on top of watered concrete.  Talk about an ice skating rink.  You always railed the berms, there were no other lines. 

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GBS
Posts
138
Joined
11/11/2022
Location
Grove City, PA US
1 day ago

Vital guys keep saying less ruts, but the team in charge of the track and work with the riders can tell you 100% of the riders want it rough, bumpy and lines which are created with what you call ruts. Picture the hard dirt at Thunder Valley without the ruts, it would be a one line polished groove with no passing. When track are hard it is the only choice, then when they are sandy they end up one line of not wet enough to hold multiple line. Jett woudl wanted the track ripper, watered and a decent surface but then you would complain about ruts. They do not mind ruts.

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AMDnutt
Posts
78
Joined
3/7/2015
Location
Fort Wayne, IN US
1 day ago

Wah! Suck it up and ride it, they shouldn't all be "perfectly groomed"...   Jesus, these guys would hate the old Carlsbad!

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4
jay59
Posts
4
Joined
1/20/2023
Location
Carlisle, PA US
15 hours ago
30minmotos wrote:

Every track that uses mulch instead of saw dust is missing such an easy tweak.

jay59 wrote:

Expect sawdust is alot more expensive!! At least in the northeast it is!!

Doublingap mx in shippensburg pa

mxaniac
Posts
570
Joined
9/9/2019
Location
Airway Heights, WA US
9 hours ago

I rarely complain about a track, for every rider that thinks it's too rough, another thinks it's too smooth. Overwatered, too dry whatever. I do however HATE woodchips/mulch. Wet wood is horrible traction, and wood chip slivers go right through the air filter. Via roost, those slivers can get everywhere. Not a fan!

49weasel
Posts
974
Joined
4/12/2013
Location
CANAL WINCHESTER, OH US
8 hours ago

So I’m the guy most tracks and facilities in the USA buy their tillers/ implements from.  So the last 2 yrs the owner of TV has contacted me to buy a new Maschio power harrow and never has.  This yr is was 2-3 weeks before the national , needless to say they didn’t buy one again.  

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