Best Pro Nationals To Attend.

GforceCoatings wrote:

My favorites are Millville, Washougal, Unadilla, Iron Man and Red Bud in that order.

GforceCoatings wrote:

My favorites are Millville, Washougal, Unadilla, Iron Man and Red Bud in that order.

TeamGreen wrote:

I don’t think I can give it any specific order other than I’d put Washougal towards the top of that list.

MX114 wrote:

Budds creek has great viewing but the atmosphere and vibe isn’t anything like a red bud or unadilla. Southwick is really cool it’s in the middle...

Budds creek has great viewing but the atmosphere and vibe isn’t anything like a red bud or unadilla. Southwick is really cool it’s in the middle of the suburbs which is unique and the tracks sick but the viewing is not good at all. Prolly the worst of any national I’ve been too. Unadilla would be my pick for overall best. Has a ton of history, good viewing, bad ass track, always a huge party. Washougals on my bucket list tho. Never been. Need to go

sandtrack315 wrote:

I have been to Hangtown, Washougal, Glen Helen, Southwick, Budds Creek, Pala, and High Point. They were all awesome. Something about Southwick and Budds, though!

PastranaWho wrote:

Unadilla is my favorite, stopped going to the southwick never enjoyed the lack of track view.

Anton_514 wrote:

Of the 12 venues that were on the 2019 schedule... Hangtown is good, viewing seems decent from anywhere and it's a rough, fast track. TV doesn't...

Of the 12 venues that were on the 2019 schedule...

Hangtown is good, viewing seems decent from anywhere and it's a rough, fast track. TV doesn't do justice to the speeds that they carry down the technical hills, how big the FLY 150 area is, and the step-up in the back section. Plus it's always rad to see the pack come around that big first turn for the first MX rounds of the summer. Sacramento is cool, plenty to do and see with mountains are to the east, San Francisco to the west, Goldclub Centerfolds is practically at the end of the road if you want to bring backs some of the 90s moto vibes, there's a big outdoor amphitheater an hour or so away.

Pala is different. Not bad, just different. Lots of places for you to walk around and see the action close, thanks to the way they run the track right in front of the spectator areas, and they get creative with a layout that's unlike any of the 12. You'll see the whos who of MX since it's right down the road from the Temecula hub, but it doesn't have the fan vibe of Glen Helen. Anyone that's in SoCal knows what I mean. Depending on what you're into will determine where you fly into. San Diego County is cool and has a huge beer scene, North County beach vibe is laid back, plenty of tracks to ride in the IE, Orange County has Disney, LA has Universal and the studios, etc.

Thunder Valley is excellent. Lots of good viewing from the hillsides if you don't mind the hike, but you can see a lot from the infield, all because there aren't too many things like trees or bushes to block the view. Like Hangtown, the track is really fast, the roost is brutal, the ruts get deep. Everyone in the pits seems pretty laid back, probably because they are out of California for the first time. Denver has everything you can think of, the Rocky Mountains are literally what the track's built on, Coor's Brewery tour, the greenery, and food of every kind.

WW is straight survival. The heat and humidity, the dark dirt and sand, the lack of a breeze, etc. If it rains and the ground gets saturated, then you will feel like you are in the swamp. The GP there are a few years ago was one of the hottest days I've ever had at a pro race. It's pretty flat, so you have to walk around to see the different sections. If you're a Florida vacation guy, the coast isn't far away and everything like Daytona, NASA, and Orlando is no more than two hours away.

High Point is real East Coast moto. It's a bit of process to get out there, a decent drive from Pittsburgh and then you take some country roads from Morgantown into the track. Don't expect the best cell service, so follow the signs MX Sports puts out. High Point is a party to some, so you might really like it, but you can be on your own and see huge parts of the track depending on where you sit up your chairs. The changes they've made to the layout in the last few years make it nothing like it was, but those big up and downhills are cool and it's got the big jumps people love to stand by for hours. Prepare to do a lot of walking. Morgantown is a college town, but not too big, and there are plenty of hotels to stay at and local spots to eat.

Everything you've ever heard about Southwick being in the middle of town is true. The property is well taken care of, you can move around to see different things, it's cool to see how different guys tackle the sand and a lack of any big jumps makes it interesting. There's a smaller airport nearby and Boston is a longer drive, but like anywhere you can make it a vacation. The surrounding towns have what you'd expect when you think of the Northeast, small and colonial.

RedBud is RedBud. That's the only way to put it. The fans take it to a new level and everyone is there for a good time, but there comes a point when you're like "Okay, I'm good on the RedBudddddd chants every 45 seconds." Another track with good viewing if you're willing to walk around. The Leap is a must, the long uphill sweeper where Dungey went over the bars on a Suzuki is a cool spot to watch guys get on the gas, and the two big hillsides will let you see large patches of the track. South Bend is a much larger college town, but aside from Norte Dame, I don't know what there is to do there. If you camp, then just watch the races on the smaller tracks each night.

If High Point is East Coast Moto, then Spring Creek is Midwest Moto. You never know what the weather will do there, could be hot or cold, sunny or storming. Be prepared for either. Watch by the sand rollers, climb Mount Martin, hang out in the infield. You're not going to be able to see everything from one place. The hillside by the finish line is an underrated spot to watch from. Fans seem very polite and into the action, so it could be a good time in the camping lots, but it won't be RedBud crazy. Stay in Rochester.

Washougal might be one of the best races on the schedule. Guys are starting to know where they stand in the championship by this point in time and the battles on track are very, very good. This is the only National that I've personally camped at, so I can confirm it's a fun time and everyone in the PNW comes out for their weekend in the woods. Yeah, it can be a party but it's not out of control like B Lot. If you really want a good time, spend the first night in Portland, which is close by, so you can go to SeeSee and get a coffee, watch PIR on Thursday, stop at the food stands in the center of the city, then hit one of the countless strip clubs. Camp Friday night at the track, so you can really soak it in all night and all day Saturday. It's a pain to leave on Saturday, so either camp again or wait for the traffic to die down and drive back to town.

Unadilla is excellent. The drive through that part of New York is nice, no matter if you come from the south or from the north. There's really not much to see or stop at, so you know you've made it when you see the big barn. Again, walk around, but you'll see a lot from a handful of hillside spots. It sounds like the party vibe from the past has gone away, which is a bummer. But if you're a diehard moto fan, then going to Dilla is a must. So much history has happened there and it's a trip to know all the greats have put a knob to the rocky dirt. In normal circumstances, you'll see Team USA announced, LL grads make their debut, and guys are still really pushing to get a good result for their rank in the series. Like I said, nothing is really around, so you've got to really love moto to go there.

Budds Creek is like Southwick in a lot of ways. Right next to a road, you have no idea that there's a massive moto track on the other side of some trees. Parts of the track are right on the fence and I cannot think of any other round that has that. Again, you're gonna walk and some of the areas are steep, but it's worth it to get to a hill and see big parts of the track. By this time of year we have an idea who is going to win the title. Budds can get super humid and the trees block any sort of breeze but don't offer much shade. I always like seeing what signs those fans paint every year. I stayed in Lexington Park, MD, last year, which is a short drive away with plenty of hotels but IDK what to see. Only reason I say that is because there is a place called Saturday's Choice, a trailer in a dollar store parking lot, and the crab cakes there were one of the best meals I had all summer.

Despite being so close to RedBud, Ironman is nothing like it. Everyone from IN/KY/OH/MI/IL makes the trip to watch the last race, so you'll have a lot of similar Rust Belt Moto people in one place. I know some people that camp there every year, but again, it's nothing like B Lot. They've done a good job making changes to the track and getting good viewing opportunities, but it's not the greatest because it's so spread out. You'll walk a lot, but it's mostly flat. Depending on how a racer's season as gone will determine how much effort they put in at this race. Guys that will want to impress teams will send it, guys with confirmed rides and a year of good results to their credit will go through the motions a bit. Some people will hang out, others bail as fast as they can.

Every track has pros and cons, so hopefully, that kind of helped summarize what I've seen going to all of them. If you want to drink and mingle at the track, then I'd recommend High Point and Washougal. If you want to have a hotel base camp and explore a city, with some beers in-between, then Thunder Valley and Washougal are good choices because of Denver and Portland. Unadilla, Southwick, and Budds Creek are excellent races to attend if you want to connect with the roots of US MX, but they aren't the easiest to get to attend.