In 1974 and ’75 AMA Supercross crowned two riders—Gary Semics and Steve Stackable—for 500cc class championships that have been all but forgotten by history.

WORDS: DAVEY COOMBS
PHOTOS: DICK MILLER ARCHIVES

Fifty years ago, what we now know as the Monster Energy Supercross Championship was launched. The year was 1974 and the series was much different than the glitzy, high-dollar, nationwide tour that now stops at 16 different stadiums (Angel Stadium, twice), has multi-million-dollar investments from motorcycle manufacturers, and streams live all over the world. Supercross is now the largest and most prestigious dirt bike championship of all, but it looked and felt much different in its infancy—it didn’t even have the same name!