Welcome to the Black Hole. Oakland has been on the schedule since 2011, after replacing San Francisco. I would have to say it hasn’t been a great trade-off as far as the atmosphere and experience, but the racing doesn’t seem to suffer. Oakland is a notoriously rough area, but once everyone is inside the confines of supercross-land, it’s all the same. It’s round four for those not paying attention and things are beginning to take shape. While there is no real historical significance for this round, the points are piling up and everyone is taking notice.

Dirty Little Secrets:

Oakland is in the bay area, and that means there is always a chance for rain. Luckily, it looks like we will be treated to perfect weather this year, but I never rule out anything with that area. The dirt in Oakland has been a bit different each time I’ve been there. In 2011, there was a light rain throughout the night, and the track deteriorated as the night continued. In 2012, it was dry and slippery, with big patches of icy hard-pack. The past two years have been somewhat similar, with decent dirt, but it can get a bit rutty at times. The one thing I notice is that there’s some loose, rocky dirt on the top of the soil, almost a gravel-type substance. It makes the turns a bit tricky and is very similar to what was at San Francisco; it could even be that exact same dirt.