2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Schedule Announced

INSTAGRAM | @promotocross
www.promotocross.com

We’re so focused on the start of the Supercross season that this announcement took us by complete surprise. MX Sports has unveiled the 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship schedule, a 12-round series that will travel the country with spectators set to be in attendance at every race. An assortment of obstacles and restrictions brought massive changes to the 2020 season, and although this current plan for 2021 resembles a “normal” schedule, there are still some notable differences.

The 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will begin at Fox Raceway in Pala, California, on May 28. This later start day will allow riders and teams to regroup after the Supercross season and put in the necessary preseason prep. The travel will begin immediately after that, as the series will head East and stop at Thunder Valley in Colorado (June 4), High Point in Pennsylvania (June 18), Southwick in Massachusetts (June 25), RedBud in Michigan (July 2), and Spring Creek in Minnesota (July 16).

The usual cross-country trip from Washougal in Washington (July 23) to Unadilla in New York (August 12) is back, as are rounds at Budds Creek in Maryland (August 21) and Ironman in Indiana (August 28).

The most notable change comes at the very end of the year. The series will return to Fox Raceway for the penultimate round (September 4), making it the only venue slotted to run multiple races, while Northern California’s iconic Hangtown track will return after a year away but will serve as the finale to the schedule (September 11). 

The Florida Motocross at WW Ranch in Jacksonville is absent from the schedule completely. The venue hosted Pro Motocross rounds in 2019 and 2020.

MX Sports Pro Racing, in partnership with NBC Sports, has announced a 12-round schedule for the upcoming 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. As the sport continues to navigate the ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic this summer’s racing calendar will welcome the return of some of the most iconic venues in American motocross, with spectator attendance anticipated at every event.

“The 2021 schedule has been developed through a collective effort alongside all of our event organizers, and we’re thrilled to see such legendary venues back on the calendar,” said Roy Janson, Managing Director at MX Sports Pro Racing. “The outlook surrounding the fight to eradicate COVID-19 has provided a sense of optimism amongst our group, which has us hopeful to welcome spectators at all the races while also allowing nearly every one of our events to remain on their traditional dates.

“Safety remains paramount in our efforts to host a successful season and we will continuously monitor all national, state, and local guidelines in an effort to ensure the well-being of our fans, competitors, and series personnel,” continued Janson. “While that may require some level of restriction or limited capacity, it will be in the best interest of all parties.”

The world’s most prestigious off-road motorcycle racing series will visit 10 different states on the journey to crown a pair of national champions, kicking things off on Memorial Day Weekend in the heart of the motocross industry, Southern California. By moving the start of the season to the holiday festivities, competitors will receive a full three weeks of preparation from the conclusion of the AMA Supercross season, which will help ensure that all riders are healthy and at the top of their game for the first gate drop of the summer.

After the opening round the championship will crisscross the country, making highly anticipated returns to venues like High Point Raceway, The Wick 338, Washougal MX Park, Unadilla MX, and Budds Creek Motocross Park before culminating with the season finale on September 11 at Hangtown, the oldest event in American motocross. Along the way, the series will observe four off weekends, further reducing the physical demands of the racers over the course of 29 total events between January and September.

“This is the most prestigious championship in all of motocross and we want to make sure our competitors have the opportunity to be at their best each and every weekend,” explained Davey Coombs, President of MX Sports Pro Racing. “We’ve listened to the challenges they face over the course of a season and have determined that expanding the overall breadth of the 2021 schedule will ultimately benefit the competitiveness on the racetrack, to which our audience will hopefully be rewarded with compelling title fights in both the 450 Class and 250 Class.”

Defending titleholders Zach Osborne and Dylan Ferrandis will headline a decorated contingent of international talent that will go bar-to-bar over the course of 24 motos across both the 450 Class and 250 Class, battling one another as well as Mother Nature in one of motorsports’ most challenging championships. The most coveted titles in motocross await, as the Edison Dye Cup (450 Class) and Gary Jones Cup (250 Class) carry a legacy that spans five decades.

“Passion has and continues to define the legacy of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. From our incredibly loyal fan base to the fearless racers who lay it all on the line in pursuit of victory, there is something truly special about a summer of American motocross,” added Coombs. “On the heels of a difficult year, the return of our most beloved venues and the expectation to welcome fans back to the race means the 2021 season is poised to rejuvenate that passion that has made this the most storied motocross series on the planet.”