The foggy hills of upstate New York have come calling and the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship has answered. Unadilla is one of the most iconic locations in all of motocross. Its history goes back decades and has hosted events all of the biggest events. Ask any motocross fan on the globe and they likely know of Unadilla. The legacy expands far beyond America’s border and is arguably the facility most steeped in tradition. It is also a track that most resembles the flowing, natural terrain layout of yesteryear. Modern obstacles have worked their way into today’s Unadilla but it’s impossible to circulate this racetrack without feeling the flow of the 1970s.

Dirty Little Secrets

The surprising thing about this track is that many racers don’t love it. The soil is very difficult to agree with and traction comes at a premium as the day grows long. The Unadilla rocks are a nuisance, only exacerbated by the powerful four-strokes that have taken over the sport. While those facts are hard to dispute, the organizers deserve credit for trying to reverse the difficulties. Ten or so years ago, truckloads of topsoil were brought in to replace the decades of erosion. Rocks have been filtered to remove the largest and most damaging. It’s a constant battle to recreate the loam of the past and decrease the rocks that continue to protrude from the New York landscape.

As far as storylines go, there are plenty to follow. The 250 championship has started to separate in the favor of defending champ Jett Lawrence, but anything can still happen. Justin Cooper got back to his winning ways in Washougal’s second moto and also catapulted himself back into the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations Team USA conversation. His “home race” of Unadilla might open the door to turning that conversation into a real possibility. I do believe he should be considered as there is no guarantee that we won’t see an injury to a potential pick before we head to Michigan.