Here is my track review for the upcoming 2015 SX season.
Here is my track review for the upcoming 2015 SX season.
Finally, Anaheim is around the corner and all the riders are in their last few weeks of their preparation. The tracks will play a big part of the entertainment. Before I start talking analyzing the track maps, you have to know what I like… I like long rhythm lanes, 180 degree turns, long start and dislike sand sections. Let’s see what Dirt Wurx came up with…
Anaheim I:
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Coming with an interesting track on a baseball field is always challenging. Those stadiums are made for baseball not supercross. The start is really short which means only half of the gates will be good to get a good start. This also means, as a rider, you will have to be good from the timed practice to get a good pick in the heat race to put yourself in a good position to transfer right away and, obviously get a good pick in the main. There are seven 90 degree (or close) turns and only 3 180 turns. That’s not ideal for passing. Only one long rhythm section, a sweeping sand section and a short whoops section. I can hear the technical riders that aren’t known to be good starters already complaining.
Phoenix:
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Another baseball stadium, a short start and a lot of tight turns. The big rhythm section looks like triple on the table top, on the table, on the table, off and triple out. Pretty standard. We still have the two 70 foot triples. The first half of the track will become pretty one line with a flat first turn followed by a whoops section and 4 tight turns where I can see everyone staying inside the whole way. The passes will happen in the 180 degree turn after the first triple and the turn after the finish line.
Anaheim II
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The track looks faster and more open. The over under bridge is back which is cool for the fans and also a split lane. Split lanes are also pretty fun to watch but in my experience one side is always faster and all the riders end up racing on half of the track. But sometimes, when the track deteriorate, the other side become faster. It’s more the case when the track is on the east coast when ruts are a factor. Ruts aren’t too much of a factor in Anaheim though. There are still more 90 degree turn then 180’s which is often the case on a baseball field.
Oakland:
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This is the 4th round of the season and we haven’t seen a long whoops section. This one is still short. I still think there are a lot of turns on this track. The switch back across the starting line combined with what it looks like a sand section doesn’t look very interesting and very one lined once again. There are a few 180 degree turns where we could see some good block passes though like after the two triples.
Anaheim III:
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So far, my favorite track. We got a long start where you could start good from pretty much anywhere. Decent length lanes for side by side racing and good turns for passing as well as 2 short whoops sections. The 2 similar double on/off sections before and after the whoops will use the over-on-off way on both of them. It’s usually the faster way on those obstacles. Looks like a wall/launch before the sand section which could be spectacular.
San Diego:
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Qualcomm stadium was my favorite stadium. Not because I won twice there but because it’s always a big track on a football size layout… The series is going to Petco Park this year, a baseball stadium… What’s odd is the sweeping right hand first turn. It’s rare that they build the first turn going right. Start looks super short which means gate pick will be very important. The long sweeper going back on the starting line might be fun to watch but, I might repeat myself, there are too many turns for my taste which makes the lanes too short.
Arlington:
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Finally a real football stadium with long lanes and “U-Turns”… The challenge in Texas is the dirt and the traction. It always gets super hard packed and the riders will have to use their throttle control. This track looks fun and I like the size of the start. It’s a pretty basic layout but it looks good. I am not a fan of the last section before the finish line because it makes the track narrow. I would’ve liked to see a regular 180 degree turn before the finish which would have made more room to get 2 longer rhythm sections after the finish line/start…
Atlanta I:
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I am excited to see two races in the ATL this season. Those crazy 70 thousand fans deserved two races for sure. It has been the biggest crowd of the series for a while now. The layout is exactly what I’m looking for for a supercross race. Long lanes, 180 turns and only two 90 degree corners. Looks like there is a split lane which I could’ve done without. But overall, it might look simple to most of you but for the riders it will be fun to ride and fun for racing
Atlanta II:
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They put a lot of thoughts into this layout. Over under bridge is back but the the way they put it, it’s gonna be a freight train for the 4 turns after it. The start is short because it’s using the width of the stadium and having short lanes and a ton of corners it will be difficult to pass in my opinion. When the lanes are short, it’s difficult for the riders to get side by side because there isn’t enough time between the turns to do so.
Indianapolis:
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It looks a lot like ATL I which I liked. The first turn goes between the take off and the landing of the finish line which we haven’t seen in a while. Only 7 turns on the track but 5 of them are 180s. Great for racing and it should be a good spectating race.
Detroit:
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Very simple layout once again with long lanes. I approved this track. It’s going up in the stand like the old Pontiac Silverdome rounds in the 80s/90s. Looks like there is only one triple and 4 rhythm sections. Triples are cool for the fans but i’d rather see only one and have 1 extra rhythm lane like we have here in Michigan.
St Louis:
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This is the best dirt of the series. The traction is awesome which makes for good racing because you can go anywhere on the track and not worry about being on egg shells. I like the sideways start but the guys will super fast in turn on because it’s a 120 degree turn. But, it’s narrow and you will see rider on the outside fly off the track at pretty much every start. There are bunch of bowl turns and with the help of the great dirt, you gonna see some aggressive riding.
Houston:
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This layout is confusing and it took me a while to figure it out. If I understand correctly, the first rhythm lane after the start is going backwards then you go under the bridge and you get back on the track the right way. I don’t know if this has been done before… Houston also has good dirt and, i’ll repeat myself, I like the basic layout with bowl turn. When it comes to track layout, in my opinion, there is no reason to reinvent the wheel but to be creative in the obstacles. It’s why I like the last few tracks
Santa Clara:
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Like Detroit, it looks like the rhythm lane after the start in going backwards only for the first lap with the following turn only taken on the first lap. The track only has one triple and a bunch of rhythm section with a ton of combinations. It’s a busy and demanding track and it’s good the riders will have to full starting line to breathe on every lap
East Rutherford:
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The NYC round is a big floor plan. It mixes open rhythm sections and a tight section after going over the over/under bridge. Since there is the bridge and the finish line, they decided to build only one triple which is a good idea. There are a few rhythm sections, bowl turn and I like what they came up which for this track
Las Vegas:
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This is a very challenging track. There are 2 things I never liked on this track. With the dirt not being great, that makes 3. I am not a fan having the start outside. It’s much for fun to watch live than on a big screen. Never really like the “Monster Alley” 4th gear wide open with a 1979 flat jump in the middle. I don’t see the point even if it could be entertaining for some. The track itself is pretty good actually. They are using the full floor plan and I like the little switch back before going out of the stadium. They always have a fast section going out and it’s nice to see something to slow the riders down before going out. But the main thing I’m looking for in Vegas is not having the Champ crowned the race before so we can have a dramatic race instead of having one that counts for nothing in the 450 class…
