The Vault: History from Lakewood
Thursday, May 31, 2012 | 2:20 PM
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Have you checked out www.Vault.racerxonline.com, our online data base to every single pro AMA Motocross National and Supercross race ever? If you haven’t, you’re missing out on some quality bench-racing ammo. That's right, The Vault contains the results to every MX National and Supercross race ever. Ever! From obscure local pros who raced one national ever, to a run down of every race Ricky Carmichael ever competed in, to a list of every venue that ever hosted a Supercross or National, the Vault has it all. You’re gonna’ get lost in there!
This week, we’re opening The Vault to highlight the history of this weekend’s host site for Lucas Oil Pro Motocross, Thunder Valley in Lakewood, Colorado.
The track debuted on the schedule in 2005. Teams were really struggling to deal with the Colorado altitude and summer heat, especially since most factories were racing four-strokes outdoors for the first time. Bikes were burbling and fuel was boiling, but, not surprisingly, Ricky Carmichael was winning. He went 1-1 to take the victory.
http://vault.racerxonline.com/2005-07-24/250mx/thunder-valley-motocross-park
Josh Grant (33) and Christian Craig (144) lead last year's race.
Simon Cudby photo
The 2007 National was one of the wildest ever. Teams were still struggling to get their bikes to run clean in the heat and altitude,
http://vault.racerxonline.com/2007-07-22/mx/thunder-valley-motocross-park
In 2008, Thunder Valley hosted the first-ever night National under the lights. James Stewart continued his perfect season in 2008 at that race:
http://vault.racerxonline.com/2008-06-29/mx/thunder-valley-motocross-park
Jake Weimer's first win in AMA Motocross came at Lakewood in 2009.
Simon Cudby photo
In 2009, Jake Weimer collected the first National Motocross win of his career with a solid 2-1 day on his Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki. The second moto featured an incredible duel between Weimer, Justin Barcia, Tommy Searle and Ryan Dungey, with Weimer pulling out a spectacular win, and edging teammate Christophe Pourcel for the overall.
http://vault.racerxonline.com/2009-06-27/250/thunder-valley-motocross-park
In 2010, Ryan Dungey continued his incredible run through the 450 class with another overall win, however, he received his stiffest challenge of the year in the first moto. JGR/Toyota Yamaha’s Josh Grant was simply on it in the first moto, and he passed and left Dungey in moto one. But a first-turn crash ended Grant’s bid for an overall in moto two.
http://vault.racerxonline.com/2010-06-26/450/thunder-valley-motocross-park
Ryan Dungey won the 450 overall in 2010 and 2011, and also has a Motocross of Nations win at this track.
Simon Cudby photo
BONUS!: In its current guise, the Thunder Valley track didn’t join the series until 2005. However, the track also hosted Nationals in the 1980s, but under different ownership, and the track conditions were so different that the place doesn’t even seem recognizable.
Check out the results from 1983, where Goat Breker took the 500 National win.
http://vault.racerxonline.com/1983-08-21/500mx/lakewood-sports-cycle-center
In 1979 and 1980, Lakewood also hosted a National at a different track, less than a mile away from the current location.
http://vault.racerxonline.com/1979-06-24/500mx/lakewood-sports-cycle-park
The old Lakewood tracks ran under a few different names, but you’ll find them all here in the Venues section under the letter L:
http://vault.racerxonline.com/venues/l
Shorty running the Broncos helmet!
Simon Cudby photo
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I have video of Hannah practicing for the 83 Lakewood race. The lay out and track are alot different...so much better now! Mx Sports is doing a great job of moving motocross forward in both production and image.....
Hey Weege or vault editor, in the 2010 results for Lakewood it says that Ben Townley is from Belgium....Pretty sure he's from New Zealand, unless I'm missing something really strange.
that vault thing didnt work to well for me....I couldnt scroll down.....2007 was a weird one...nobody was too consistent....Alessi tied with Stew in pts, but Stew took the overall with the 4-2 over the 3-3.....crazyness...
The nightime race must have not been too sucessful......hasnt happened a second time....last year was a good day.....thats when the real RV started to show up...
Actually the race was ran at night for two years and it was awesome for spectators. The races said the shadows were really bad so that might have had something to do with it. Sorry Mr MX I don't see Lakewood going anywhere anytime soon, don't forget they held the Des Nations race there a couple of years ago. The track only continues to get better every year, David and his crew work very hard to make it a world class track.
I say Stewie gets smoked Saturday gets 5th overall 1 - 12
1981 and 1982, the Colorado race was held in Castle Rock. 1983 and 1984 were run at the old Lakewood track, which was shuttered due to a supposed housing development that was to be built there. The current location for the Lakewood track was first used in 1985, and all subsequent races have been run at the current location albeit with different track configurations, and different management.
Here is a video from that first race in 1985.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=J3Nz1bCrP_A#!
@Mr-Mx, I agree about Freestone.I'm sure it's a good track but I think Kenworthy's was better,had awesome dirt and was more challenging.Damn I miss that place.
And when have I ever slammed you?
OK, I'm catching up now.
what about 2006 ?
I think 2007 was the year that Stewart had a back injury. I remember watching a Thunder Valley race when his back was hurting bad. He looked so stiff it was just ridiculous.