AMA Motocross Championship

The AMA Motocross Championship (commercially known as Pro Motocross Championship) is an American motorcycle racing series. The motocross race series was founded and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in 1972.^[1] The series is the major outdoor motocross series in the United States and is sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing and managed by MX Sports Pro Racing.

With respect to the MXGP holding the discipline's worldwide title, and the advent of the FIM Supercross World Championship resulting in the AMA Supercross Championship losing its world title status, the two series will form the SuperMotocross World Championship from 2023.^[2][3][4]

Series history

The series began in 1972 with the introduction of two classes based on 500 cc and 250 cc engine displacement formulas.^[5] A 125 cc class was added in 1974. As motocross technology developed, 500 cc two-stroke motocross bikes became too powerful for the average rider and, faced with diminishing numbers of competitors, the AMA discontinued the 500 cc class after the 1993 season. A women's national championship series was introduced in 1996.^[6]

Facing tightening federal emissions regulations in the United States, the A.M.A. increased the allowable displacement capacity for four-stroke engines in 1997, in an effort to encourage manufacturers to develop environmentally friendlier four-stroke machines.^[7] Due to the low relative power output of four-stroke engines, compared to the then-dominating two stroke design, the AMA had increased the allowable displacement capacity for four-strokes. By 1994, the displacement limit of a four-stroke power motocross bike was up to 550 cc in the 250 class, to incentivize manufactures to further develop the design for use in motocross.^[8]

In 2006, the 250 cc division was renamed the MX Class, with an engine formula allowing for 150–250 cc two-stroke or 250–450 cc four-stroke machines.^[9] The 125 cc class was renamed the MX Lites Class, allowing 0–125 cc two-stroke or 150–250 cc four-stroke engines. In 2009, the MX class was renamed the 450MX Class and the MX Lites Class was renamed the 250MX Class, to reflect the fact that all the competing manufacturers had adopted four-stroke machinery.

National champions

References:^[6][10][11]

Year	500cc (2-stroke)	250cc (2-stroke)	125cc
1972	Brad Lackey (Kawasaki)	Gary Jones (Yamaha)
1973	Pierre Karsmakers (Yamaha)	Gary Jones (Honda)
1974	Jimmy Weinert (Kawasaki)	Gary Jones (Can-Am)	Marty Smith (Honda)
1975	Jimmy Weinert (Yamaha)	Tony DiStefano (Suzuki)	Marty Smith (Honda)
1976	Kent Howerton (Husqvarna)	Tony DiStefano (Suzuki)	Bob Hannah (Yamaha)
1977	Marty Smith (Honda)	Tony DiStefano (Suzuki)	Broc Glover (Yamaha)
1978	Rick Burgett (Yamaha)	Bob Hannah (Yamaha)	Broc Glover (Yamaha)
1979	Danny LaPorte (Suzuki)	Bob Hannah (Yamaha)	Broc Glover (Yamaha)
1980	Chuck Sun (Honda)	Kent Howerton (Suzuki)	Mark Barnett (Suzuki)
1981	Broc Glover (Yamaha)	Kent Howerton (Suzuki)	Mark Barnett (Suzuki)
1982	Darrell Schultz (Honda)	Donnie Hansen (Honda)	Mark Barnett (Suzuki)
1983	Broc Glover (Yamaha)	David Bailey (Honda)	Johnny O'Mara (Honda)
1984	David Bailey (Honda)	Ricky Johnson (Yamaha)	Jeff Ward (Kawasaki)
1985	Broc Glover (Yamaha)	Jeff Ward (Kawasaki)	Ron Lechien (Honda)
1986	David Bailey (Honda)	Ricky Johnson (Honda)	Micky Dymond (Honda)
1987	Ricky Johnson (Honda)	Ricky Johnson (Honda)	Micky Dymond (Honda)
1988	Ricky Johnson (Honda)	Jeff Ward (Kawasaki)	George Holland (Honda)
1989	Jeff Ward (Kawasaki)	Jeff Stanton (Honda)	Mike Kiedrowski (Honda)
1990	Jeff Ward (Kawasaki)	Jeff Stanton (Honda)	Guy Cooper (Suzuki)
1991	Jean-Michel Bayle (Honda)	Jean-Michel Bayle (Honda)	Mike Kiedrowski (Kawasaki)
1992	Mike Kiedrowski (Kawasaki)	Jeff Stanton (Honda)	Jeff Emig (Yamaha)
1993	Mike LaRocco (Kawasaki)	Mike Kiedrowski (Kawasaki)	Doug Henry (Honda)

Year	250cc (2-stroke)	125cc men's (2-stroke)	125cc women's (2-stroke)
1994	Mike LaRocco (Kawasaki)	Doug Henry (Honda)
1995	Jeremy McGrath (Honda)	Steve Lamson (Honda)
1996	Jeff Emig (Kawasaki)	Steve Lamson (Honda)	Shelly Kann
1997	Jeff Emig (Kawasaki)	Ricky Carmichael (Kawasaki)	Tracy Fleming
1998	Doug Henry (Yamaha)*YZM400F	Ricky Carmichael (Kawasaki)	Dee Wood
1999	Greg Albertyn (Suzuki)	Ricky Carmichael (Kawasaki)	Stefy Bau
2000	Ricky Carmichael (Kawasaki)	Travis Pastrana (Suzuki)	Jessica Patterson
2001	Ricky Carmichael (Kawasaki)	Mike Brown (Kawasaki)	Tania Satchwell
2002	Ricky Carmichael (Honda)	James Stewart Jr. (Kawasaki)	Stefy Bau
2003	Ricky Carmichael (Honda)	Grant Langston (KTM)	Steffi Laier
2004	Ricky Carmichael (Honda)	James Stewart Jr. (Kawasaki)	Jessica Patterson
2005	Ricky Carmichael (Suzuki)	Ivan Tedesco (Kawasaki)	Jessica Patterson
Year	450cc (4-stroke)	250cc men's (4-stroke)	250cc women's (4-stroke)
2006	Ricky Carmichael (Suzuki)	Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki)	Jessica Patterson
2007	Grant Langston (Yamaha)	Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki)	Jessica Patterson
2008	James Stewart Jr. (Kawasaki)	Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki)	Ashley Fiolek
2009	Chad Reed (Suzuki)	Ryan Dungey (Suzuki)	Ashley Fiolek
2010	Ryan Dungey (Suzuki)	Trey Canard (Honda)	Jessica Patterson
2011	Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki)	Dean Wilson (Kawasaki)	Ashley Fiolek (Honda)
2012	Ryan Dungey (KTM)	Blake Baggett (Kawasaki)	Ashley Fiolek (Honda)
2013	Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki)	Eli Tomac (Honda)	Jessica Patterson (Honda)
2014	Ken Roczen (KTM)	Jeremy Martin (Yamaha)	Marissa Markelon (Kawasaki)
2015	Ryan Dungey (KTM)	Jeremy Martin (Yamaha)	Kylie Fasnacht (Kawasaki)
2016	Ken Roczen (Suzuki)	Cooper Webb (Yamaha)	Kylie Fasnacht (Kawasaki)
2017	Eli Tomac (Kawasaki)	Zach Osborne (Husqvarna)	Kylie Fasnacht (Kawasaki)
2018	Eli Tomac (Kawasaki)	Aaron Plessinger (Yamaha)	Jordan Jarvis (Yamaha)
2019	Eli Tomac (Kawasaki)	Adam Cianciarulo (Kawasaki)
2020	Zach Osborne (Husqvarna)	Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha)
2021	Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha)	Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2022	Eli Tomac (Yamaha)	Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2023	Jett Lawrence (Honda)	Hunter Lawrence (Honda)

Most wins by rider

Source:^[12]

Most Championships

450/250 Class	Titles	250/125 Class	Titles	500 Class	Titles
Ricky Carmichael	7	Ricky Carmichael	3	Broc Glover	3
Eli Tomac	4	Ryan Villopoto	3	Jeff Ward	2
Ryan Dungey	3	Mark Barnett	3	Ricky Johnson	2
Jeff Stanton	3	Broc Glover	3	David Bailey	2
Ricky Johnson	3	Doug Henry	2	Jimmy Weinert	2
Tony DiStefano	3	Jeremy Martin	2	Jean-Michel Bayle	1
Gary Jones	3	James Stewart Jr.	2	Mike LaRocco	1
Ken Roczen	2	Steve Lamson	2	Mike Kiedrowski	1
Jeff Emig	2	Mike Kiedrowski	2	Darrell Schultz	1
Jeff Ward	2	Micky Dymond	2	Chuck Sun	1
Kent Howerton	2	Bob Hannah	2	Danny LaPorte	1
Bob Hannah	2	Marty Smith	2	Rick Burgett	1
Ryan Villopoto	2	Jett Lawrence	2	Marty Smith	1
Chad Reed	1	Cooper Webb	1	Kent Howerton	1
James Stewart Jr.	1	Eli Tomac	1	Pierre Karsmakers	1
Grant Langston	1	Blake Baggett	1	Brad Lackey	1
Greg Albertyn	1	Dean Wilson	1
Doug Henry	1	Trey Canard	1
Jeremy McGrath	1	Ryan Dungey	1
Mike LaRocco	1	Ivan Tedesco	1
Mike Kiedrowski	1	Grant Langston	1
Jean-Michel Bayle	1	Mike Brown	1
David Bailey	1	Travis Pastrana	1
Donnie Hansen	1	Jeff Emig	1
Zach Osborne	1	Guy Cooper	1
Dylan Ferrandis	1	George Holland	1
Jett Lawrence	1	Ron Lechien	1
		Jeff Ward	1
		Johnny O'Mara	1
		Aaron Plessinger	1
		Adam Cianciarulo	1
		Dylan Ferrandis	1
		Zach Osborne	1
		Hunter Lawrence	1

Most overall wins

450/250 Class	Wins	250/125 Class	Wins	500 Class	Wins
Ricky Carmichael	76	James Stewart Jr.	28	Broc Glover	19
Ryan Dungey	39	Ricky Carmichael	26	Pierre Karsmakers	16
Eli Tomac	32	Mark Barnett	25	Brad Lackey	16
Bob Hannah	27	Steve Lamson	20	David Bailey	15
Ricky Johnson	22	Jeremy Martin	20	Jeff Ward	12
Ken Roczen	21	Ryan Villopoto	19	Ricky Johnson	11
James Stewart Jr.	20	Guy Cooper	16	Jimmy Weinert	9
Kent Howerton	18	Blake Baggett	14	Jeff Stanton	8
Jeff Emig	16	Broc Glover	14	Chuck Sun	7
Jeremy McGrath	15	Jett Lawrence	14	Mike Bell	6
Jeff Ward	13	Jeff Emig	13	Rick Burgett	6
Ryan Villopoto	12	George Holland	13	Danny LaPorte	5
Mike Kiedrowski	12	Eli Tomac	12	Kent Howerton	5
Jeff Stanton	12	Jeff Ward	11	Jean-Michel Bayle	4
Mike LaRocco	11	Mike Kiedrowski	10	Danny Chandler	4
Jett Lawrence	11	Ron Lechien	10	Mike Kiedrowski	3
Kevin Windham	10	Dylan Ferrandis	9	Gary Semics	3
Chad Reed	10	Grant Langston	9	Darrell Schultz	3
Doug Henry	7	Micky Dymond	8	Goat Breker	3
Pierre Karsmakers	7	Bob Hannah	8	Mike Hartwig	3
Jimmy Weinert	7	Marty Smith	8	Bob Hannah	2
Damon Bradshaw	6	Mike Brown	8	Mike LaRocco	2
Ron Lechien	6	Aaron Plessinger	8	Ron Lechien	2
Marty Tripes	6	Hunter Lawrence	8	Marty Smith	2
Marvin Musquin	6	Travis Pastrana	7	Tony DiStefano	2
Dylan Ferrandis	6	Kevin Windham	7	Gaylon Mosier	2
Chase Sexton	6	Doug Henry	7	Rex Staten	2
John Dowd	6	Erik Kehoe	7	Barry Higgins	2
Jimmy Ellis	5	Johnny O'Mara	7	Mike Runyard	2
Tony DiStefano	5	Adam Cianciarulo	7	Steve Stackable	2
Greg Albertyn	5	Joey Savatgy	7	Tommy Croft	2
Zach Osborne	4	Cooper Webb	7	Marty Tripes	1
Justin Barcia	4	Christophe Pourcel	7	Alan King	1
Donnie Hansen	3	Ryan Dungey	7	Bill Grossi	1
Grant Langston	3	Mike LaRocco	6	Rich Thorwaldson	1
David Vuillemin	3	Zach Osborne	6	Bryan Kenney	1
Sebastien Tortelli	3	Tyla Rattray	6	Denny Swartz	1
Ezra Lusk	3	Robbie Reynard	5	Eric Eaton	1
David Bailey	3	Ben Townley	5	Wyman Priddy	1
Johnny O'Mara	2	Dean Wilson	5
Broc Glover	2	Trey Canard	5
Marty Smith	2	Broc Hepler	5
Gary Bailey	2	Ryan Hughes	5
Gunnar Lindstrom	2	Damon Bradshaw	4
Sonny Defeo	2	Justin Cooper	4
Blake Baggett	2	Larry Ward	4
Adam Cianciarulo	2	R.J. Hampshire	4
Mike Alessi	2	Stephane Roncada	4
Tim Ferry	2	Justin Barcia	3
Jason Anderson	2	Jake Weimer	3
Jean-Michel Bayle	2	Jean-Michel Bayle	3
Matt Goerke	1	Andrew Short	3
Josh Grant	1	Damon Huffman	3
Jeffrey Herlings	1	Donny Schmit	3
Ivan Tedesco	1	Mike Alessi	3
Jimmy Button	1	Danny LaPorte	3
Mickael Pichon	1	Jo Shimoda	3
Jeff Matiasevich	1	Jeremy McGrath	2
Alan King	1	Keith Bowen	2
Billy Liles	1	Brian Myerscough	2
Kenny Keylon	1	Tim Hart	2
Steve Wise	1	Ken Roczen	2
Ken Zahrt	1	John Dowd	2
Bill Grossi	1	Shane McElrath	2
Rich Thorwaldson	1	Ivan Tedesco	2
Tim Hart	1	Alex Martin	2
John DeSoto	1	Broc Sellards	2
Jim Pomeroy	1	Eddie Warren	2
Cooper Webb	1	Haiden Deegan	2
Justin Bogle	1	Nick Wey	1
Tallon Volant	1	Scott Sheak	1
Brett Metcalfe	1	Tim Ferry	1
Trey Canard	1	James Dobb	1
Tommy Hahn	1	Brian Swink	1
		Jeff Matiasevich	1
		A.J. Whitling	1
		Gaylon Mosier	1
		Warren Reid	1
		Jimmy Ellis	1
		Steve Wise	1
		Austin Forkner	1
		Danny Smith	1
		Josh Grant	1
		Craig Anderson	1
		Jalek Swoll	1
		Kelly Smithy	1
		Chad Reed	1
		Tom Vialle	1
		Marvin Musquin	8

Venues

Television coverage

Current

In 2023, there are three broadcast partners from the NBC family of networks: NBC, USA and Peacock.

Source:^[14]

AMA Supercross

In the 1970s promoters such as Bill France started bringing motocross races in from the country to stadiums within cities. Instead of being built upon natural terrain, dirt was imported into the stadiums where promoters tried to emulate the motocross tracks. In 1972 Mike Goodwin and Terry Tiernan, the president of the AMA, put on one of these stadium races in the Los Angeles Coliseum. The race was dubbed as the Super Bowl of Motocross. Eventually this form of racing evolved into its own sport and series with the name Supercross which was a shortening of the original "Super Bowl of Motocross". American motocross racing distinguished itself from European motocross by having two different season championships run each year for each class both sanctioned by the AMA. Currently^[when?] the AMA runs their 17-round Supercross championship from the first weekend in January to the first weekend in May and then the 11-round outdoor Motocross championship from mid-May through late August.

Whereas AMA Motocross is two 30-minute plus 2 lap per each round with the winner being the rider with the highest combined points total for the two motos, in Supercross there is only one points-paying race per round. Around 40 riders qualify for each Supercross round. Heat races and LCQs are used to bring the field down to 22 riders for a points-paying main event for each round. A main event is 20 minutes plus 1 lap for the 450 class and 15 minutes plus 1 lap for the 250 class. There is no 250 Supercross national champion like there is for motocross. The 250 class in Supercross is split into East and West divisional rounds with an All Star race combining the top riders of each division at the final round in Las Vegas.

AMA Motocross and Supercross champions

Year	450 MX (formerly 250 cc 2-stroke)	450 SX (formerly 250 cc 2-stroke)	250 MX (formerly 125 cc 2-stroke)	250 SX West (formerly 125 cc 2-stroke)	250 SX East (formerly 125 cc 2-stroke)	500 MX
1972	Gary Jones					Brad Lackey
1973	Gary Jones					Pierre Karsmakers
1974	Gary Jones	Pierre Karsmakers	Marty Smith			Jimmy Weinert
1975	Tony DiStefano	Jimmy Ellis	Marty Smith			Jimmy Weinert
1976	Tony DiStefano	Jimmy Weinert	Bob Hannah			Kent Howerton
1977	Tony DiStefano	Bob Hannah	Broc Glover			Marty Smith
1978	Bob Hannah	Bob Hannah	Broc Glover			Rick Burgett
1979	Bob Hannah	Bob Hannah	Broc Glover			Danny LaPorte
1980	Kent Howerton	Mike Bell	Mark Barnett			Chuck Sun
1981	Kent Howerton	Mark Barnett	Mark Barnett			Broc Glover
1982	Donnie Hansen	Donnie Hansen	Mark Barnett			Darrell Schultz
1983	David Bailey	David Bailey	Johnny O'Mara			Broc Glover
1984	Rick Johnson	Johnny O'Mara	Jeff Ward			David Bailey
1985	Jeff Ward	Jeff Ward	Ron Lechien	Bobby Moore	Eddie Warren	Broc Glover
1986	Rick Johnson	Rick Johnson	Micky Dymond	Donny Schmit	Keith Turpin	David Bailey
1987	Rick Johnson	Jeff Ward	Micky Dymond	Willie Surratt	Ron Tichenor	Rick Johnson
1988	Jeff Ward	Rick Johnson	George Holland	Jeff Matiasevich	Tod DeHoop	Rick Johnson
1989	Jeff Stanton	Jeff Stanton	Mike Kiedrowski	Jeff Matiasevich	Damon Bradshaw	Jeff Ward
1990	Jeff Stanton	Jeff Stanton	Guy Cooper	Ty Davis	Denny Stephenson	Jeff Ward
1991	Jean-Michel Bayle	Jean-Michel Bayle	Mike Kiedrowski	Jeremy McGrath	Brian Swink	Jean-Michel Bayle
1992	Jeff Stanton	Jeff Stanton	Jeff Emig	Jeremy McGrath	Brian Swink	Mike Kiedrowski
1993	Mike Kiedrowski	Jeremy McGrath	Doug Henry	Jimmy Gaddis	Doug Henry	Mike LaRocco
1994	Mike LaRocco	Jeremy McGrath	Doug Henry	Damon Huffman	Ezra Lusk
1995	Jeremy McGrath	Jeremy McGrath	Steve Lamson	Damon Huffman	Mickael Pichon
1996	Jeff Emig	Jeremy McGrath	Steve Lamson	Kevin Windham	Mickael Pichon
1997	Jeff Emig	Jeff Emig	Ricky Carmichael	Kevin Windham	Tim Ferry
1998	Doug Henry	Jeremy McGrath	Ricky Carmichael	John Dowd	Ricky Carmichael
1999	Greg Albertyn	Jeremy McGrath	Ricky Carmichael	Nathan Ramsey	Ernesto Fonseca
2000	Ricky Carmichael	Jeremy McGrath	Travis Pastrana	Shae Bently	Stephane Roncada
2001	Ricky Carmichael	Ricky Carmichael	Mike Brown	Ernesto Fonseca	Travis Pastrana
2002	Ricky Carmichael	Ricky Carmichael	James Stewart	Travis Preston	Chad Reed
2003	Ricky Carmichael	Ricky Carmichael	Grant Langston	James Stewart	Branden Jesseman
2004	Ricky Carmichael	Chad Reed	James Stewart	Ivan Tedesco	James Stewart
2005	Ricky Carmichael	Ricky Carmichael	Ivan Tedesco	Ivan Tedesco	Grant Langston
2006	Ricky Carmichael	Ricky Carmichael	Ryan Villopoto	Grant Langston	Davi Millsaps
2007	Grant Langston	James Stewart	Ryan Villopoto	Ryan Villopoto	Ben Townley
2008	James Stewart	Chad Reed	Ryan Villopoto	Jason Lawrence	Trey Canard
2009	Chad Reed	James Stewart	Ryan Dungey	Ryan Dungey	Christophe Pourcel
2010	Ryan Dungey	Ryan Dungey	Trey Canard	Jake Weimer	Christophe Pourcel
2011	Ryan Villopoto	Ryan Villopoto	Dean Wilson	Broc Tickle	Justin Barcia
2012	Ryan Dungey	Ryan Villopoto	Blake Baggett	Eli Tomac	Justin Barcia
2013	Ryan Villopoto	Ryan Villopoto	Eli Tomac	Ken Roczen	Will Hahn
2014	Ken Roczen	Ryan Villopoto	Jeremy Martin	Jason Anderson	Justin Bogle
2015	Ryan Dungey	Ryan Dungey	Jeremy Martin	Cooper Webb	Marvin Musquin
2016	Ken Roczen	Ryan Dungey	Cooper Webb	Cooper Webb	Malcolm Stewart
2017	Eli Tomac	Ryan Dungey	Zach Osborne	Justin Hill	Zach Osborne
2018	Eli Tomac	Jason Anderson	Aaron Plessinger	Aaron Plessinger	Zach Osborne
2019	Eli Tomac	Cooper Webb	Adam Cianciarulo	Dylan Ferrandis	Chase Sexton
2020	Zach Osborne	Eli Tomac	Dylan Ferrandis	Dylan Ferrandis	Chase Sexton
2021	Dylan Ferrandis	Cooper Webb	Jett Lawrence	Justin Cooper	Colt Nichols
2022	Eli Tomac	Eli Tomac	Jett Lawrence	Christian Craig	Jett Lawrence
2023	Jett Lawrence	Chase Sexton	Hunter Lawrence	Jett Lawrence	Hunter Lawrence

Rookie season champions

• 2023: Jett Lawrence claimed the 450 class Motocross championship in his rookie year and became the only rookie to go undefeated in his inaugural title campaign.
• 2021: Dylan Ferrandis claimed the 450 class Motocross championship in his rookie year.
• 2014: Ken Roczen claimed the 450 class Motocross championship in his rookie year.
• 2010: Ryan Dungey became the only rider to capture both the Supercross and Motocross titles in his rookie year.
• 2002: James Stewart claimed the 125(250cc) class Motocross Championship in his rookie year.
• 2000: Ricky Carmichael claimed the 250 class Motocross championship in his rookie year.

^[15]

• 1993: Mcgrath won the Supercross title as a rookie.^{[note 1]}

See also

• List of Trans-AMA motocross champions

Notes

References

External links

• AMA Pro Racing official website
• MX Sports Pro Racing official website

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