FUN FACTS:
AMSOIL Arenacross, featuring Ricky Carmichael’s Road to Supercross
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AMSOIL Arenacross is the world’s premier form of enclosed off-road motorcycle racing, providing captivating competition on one-of-a-kind, man-made dirt tracks filled
with jumps, turns and other various obstacles in only 18,000 square feet of space (220’ x 80’). In 2015, the championship will feature 15 rounds of competition.
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AMSOIL Arenacross is home to the Road to Supercross, created by the winningest rider in the history of the sport, Ricky Carmichael. This program is the official
development platform for Monster Energy Supercross, in which the brightest up-and-coming riders in the sport embark on their professional careers in the highly
competitive landscape of AMSOIL Arenacross, ultimately earning their supercross endorsement.
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In total, the 2015 AMSOIL Arenacross season will cover 11,234 miles over the course of the 15-round season, spanning as far east as Pennsylvania and as far
west as Washington.
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A total of 19 personnel members will travel to all 15 rounds of the championship, making sure each event goes off without a hitch. When adding riders,
additional team members, friends, family and fans, each night of AMSOIL Arenacross competition becomes arguably the most popular destination for any city.
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Approximately 170 truckloads – 40,500 cubic feet – of dirt are brought into each arena to build an AMSOIL Arenacross track on any given weekend. That is
more than enough dirt to fill a Boeing 747 or the International Space Station.
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For a 15-round season, 607,500 cubic feet of dirt will be used, which is enough to fill London’s Big Ben three-and-a-half times. In weight, 3,000 tons of dirt is
used per event, which is the equivalent to 20 blue whales – the largest animal on the planet.
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All dirt used in AMSOIL Arenacross is stored locally within the city the event is taking place. Storage will vary depending on location, but will always be within
short distance of the venue, where it is protected from water and wind erosion with minimal saturation. The life expectancy of arenacross dirt is 10-12 years as
it is depleted via transport as well as being broken down by constant use.
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The dirt from one region to the next also possesses its own unique characteristics, adding another element of challenge for the riders. In the Northeast, the dirt
has a sandy texture, but turns into a clay base further down the coast. In the northern part of the West and Midwest, the soil is rich with a lot of moisture, but
turns hard and dry crossing into the Southwestern portions of the U.S.
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Riders will reach nearly 30 feet in height and cover over 50 feet in distance when they cross the finish line, affectionately known as the “Catapult,” the largest
jump on the track. That is enough height and distance to jump over six school buses side-by-side.
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Each track design in AMSOIL Arenacross is unique unto itself. No two tracks are exactly alike and no track will ever be duplicated. While elements like the “Catapult”
are staple obstacles, the track designers are always looking for a way to challenge the riders with something they have never seen before, providing the opportunity
for anyone to win on any given night. Additionally, each arena’s own unique floor plan can limit or broaden the opportunities available in track design.
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It typically takes two days to build an entire AMSOIL Arenacross track, but the record for the quickest build stands at nine hours. Five heavy machinery vehicles
will accomplish the task – 1 bulldozer, 1 front-end loader, 1 excavator, and 2 skid steers. These vehicles will use approximately 200 gallons of fuel over the
course of a race weekend.
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A lap time on an AMSOIL Arenacross track can be between 28-38 seconds. A track is typically 1,000-feet in length, meaning riders will cover approximately 30
feet per second on a layout filled with tight turns and challenging obstacles.
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Each motorcycle weighs nearly 230 pounds with exceptional torque and acceleration ability that elicits a force capable of throwing a rider off the back. Factor
this into a rider’s need to navigate through a 1,000-foot track of tight turns and challenging obstacles as fast as possible against other competitors. The
physical ability needed to do so is unlike anything else in sports and can best be described as a combination of bull riding and elite cycling.
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There are only four turns on an AMSOIL Arenacross track and with only 6 or 7 laps of racing amongst 16 riders, there is a necessity for physical aggression in
order to win, making arenacross a contact sport and adding to the physical demands of navigating the track and controlling the motorcycle.
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AMSOIL Arenacross riders are some of the most-fit athletes on the planet, with research comparing them to elite soccer players or endurance runners in terms
of stamina and cardiovascular fitness. A typical race will last no longer than seven minutes, with riders pushing their body to its absolute physical limit the entire
time at maximum heart rate.
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An AMSOIL Arenacross rider will begin riding at the age of three or four, and will typically start racing competitively by the age of five. Nearly every competitor
in the sport has over 10 years of racing experience.
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Nearly 150 riders will attempt to qualify for an AMSOIL Arenacross race on any given weekend, with only 32 spots available in either the Arenacross Class or
Arenacross ]\