How to Make a Supercross Track

Supercross riders thrill onlookers with death-defying jumps, burnouts and spills, all within the space of a single football field. Although you can design your track to be bigger if you have the room, most tracks fit within stadiums where supercross races take place. To build a successful track, you’ll need heavy equipment, lots of dirt and a good design.

Things You'll Need

  • Site to build track
  • Dirt
  • Heavy equipment
  • Knowledge of jumps and obstacles
  • Surveying equipment
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get permits and permission before you begin. Meet with the zoning board in your county to determine the requirements you must meet in order to make your track a reality. Many communities will not allow a permanent track close to a residential area.

    • 2

      Determine the size of your track. Dirt Wurx, a worldwide supercross design firm, recommends a minimum width of 220 feet by 400 feet. This allows you to create a track with six lanes and five spaces in-between each lane. Both the lanes and spaces measure 20 feet across. Allow a little more room if you plan to fence the track.

    • 3

      Locate the dirt. The best choice is to use dirt already on the site but if you’re creating a track in a football arena, you will obviously need to have it hauled in. Clay-based soil compacts easily, holds its form and is a popular choice of track designers. If you’re creating a long-term track, choose a site with some existing terrain, if possible. Either way, you’ll need approximately 3,500 cubic yards of dirt for a decent track.

    • 4

      Create a workable design on paper first. Although you can and should, make your track unique in the placement of jumps and obstacles, arranged in parallel lanes with 180-degree turns. Include a section for whoops, a series of jumps the racer can double or triple and lanes in which the racer can generate speed for big tricks. Study other supercross designs before making your own. Allow room for safe landings from jumps.

    • 5

      Build your lanes in reverse. Start at the far end and work your way backwards. In that manner, you’re always facing the jumps and obstacles as you push the dirt. However, build large tabletops or hotdog jumps first due to their size and form the rest of the lane around them. Stake out and survey your lanes as you go to ensure the measurements are correct.

    • 6

      Scale down the size of jumps and takeoffs if you’re building an amateur track. Unless you’re hosting a big race, your riders will appreciate longer tabletops and shallower jumps. Tracks built in stadiums feature tight turns, short landings and challenging jumps appropriate only for professional level riders.

    • 7

      Maintain your supercross track with a small skid steer after the initial building is complete. As riders use the track, ruts will form in the lanes and at the top of the jumps. Frequent maintenance by pushing up more dirt and smoothing out the track will keep your riders happy.