Supercross Super Facts
What: Monster Energy AMA Supercross, Part of the FIM World Championship
Where: Georgia Dome, 1 Georgia Dome Drive NW, Atlanta.
When: Doors open for practice and qualifying at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Main Event at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $20 - $60 and $5 additional the day of the event. Pit pass is an extra $15 or free by bringing a Monster Energy drink can to recycle. Sections 239-242 are designated as "Family Sections" with no alcohol served.
Who: Almost 100 racers from all over the country in two classes.
Don't Forget: Your ear plugs if you don't like loud noises
Talk to anyone who has attended an AMA Supercross event and they will use words like exciting, breathtaking, high-flying and action-packed.
If you talk to the Supercross racers who will be hitting jumps at blazing speeds and navigating hairpin turns on Saturday night at the Georgia Dome, they will say fans should watch to see which bikers have “the feel.”
The Monster Energy AMA Supercross FIM World Championship opens its doors on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. for practice and qualifying heats. The main event starts at 7 p.m.
Two different classes of motorcycles and riders will be doing their thing. The 250cc class features racers aged 16-25 while the 450cc class is for veteran professional riders from 19 into their mid-30s.
Justin Brayton, 29, a native of Iowa but now living in Cornelius, N.C., has been racing on the AMA Supercross circuit since 2006 and will be one of the top racers in Atlanta.
Brayton races the blue Toyota bike for the Joe Gibbs Racing team and he says if you’ve never been to a Supercross race, this is the year to come.
“The (points) race is real close this year and the crowds in Atlanta are always huge,” said Brayton, who was fifth in the 450 points standings after last weekend’s race in Arlington, Texas. “For fans, it’s a great show with the opening ceremonies, fireworks and laser displays and then the non-stop action.”
Brayton says he knows that NASCAR rules the South, but even stock car racing fans can relate to familiar terms you hear around the pits at an AMA Supercross event.
“You’ll hear words like suspension, chassis and motor thrown around,” said Brayton. “But the word the true Supercross fans and racers want to hear is ‘feel.’”
“The feel”
What is “the feel?” Brayton said it’s hard to describe, but it’s a zone a racer gets in when he seemingly can do anything on the bike. He can take any jump, any corner and outrace a pack at will.
“When you get to that point, you have ‘the feel,’” he said.
“The feel” has carried Brayton to victories in Bercy and the Steel City race in 2009, along with a rookie of the year award.
In Atlanta, Brayton hopes to be among the top 40 to advance to the final heats on Saturday night. The four top finishers from the heats go straight to the finals while the others will attempt to navigate a series of “last chance” races to make the finals.
The pits
Another unique aspect of the AMA Supercross series is the fans can get up close and personal with the riders and their bikes in the pits.
AMA Supercross calls it a Pit Party and it happens in every team’s pit from the time the gates open until 6 p.m. Fans can get free entrance to the Pit Party by recycling an empty Monster Energy drink can at the pit entrance or purchasing a pit pass for $15. Fans must have a valid Saturday ticket to receive a pit pass.
The racers
While Brayton will be riding his Yamaha YZ 450, he said there are other racers who fans will want to follow throughout the day.
Brayton’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Josh Grant, recently won X Games gold on ESPN in motocross. James Stewart was the first African-American racer to win an AMA Supercross Championship in 2007 and he added a second title in 2009.
If you are looking for a showman on two wheels, you may want to keep an eye on Justin “Bam Bam” Barcia. Barcia owns 25 national titles and lets nothing get in his way when it comes to getting to the finish line. That aggressive “Bam Bam” style of racing has made him a fan favorite.
The teams
On the surface, AMA Supercross may look like an individual sport. But take a closer look and you will find teammates helping each other.
Brayton says at Joe Gibbs Racing they have a motto: “You win with people,” he said.
Supercross in many ways is like any team sport. Everyone on the team works together, Brayton says, and they have a bit of an advantage.
“We have a great leader in former football coach Joe Gibbs, who has won Super Bowls,” Brayton said. “We also have a NASCAR team so we can try anything on the bike by utilizing the NASCAR shop.”
Brayton, who has been on a bike since the age of 3, said he frequently offers advice to kids looking to get involved in Supercross.
His advice: “Get in shape, have fun with it and work hard.”
Brayton wants fans to get “the feel” of Supercross Saturday night.
“One time and you will be hooked,” he said.
About the Author
