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.
https://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,
https://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:
https://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.
https://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.
https://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.
https://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.
https://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:
https://vault.racerxonline.com/venues/l
Shorty running the Broncos helmet!
Simon Cudby photo
