Red Bud MX is a
US motocross race track located in
Buchanan, Michigan
Buchanan is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,456 at the 2010 census. The city is located at the southeast corner of Buchanan Township, about 5 miles (8 km) west of Niles.
History
The community ...
, USA. The track is located just north of town, surrounded the agricultural farming fields. It is home to one of the largest motocross tracks in the Midwest, is favorite to many pro riders, and is also known to have "The best dirt on earth." The track attracts 30,000+ attendees every
Fourth of July
Independence Day (colloquially the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States ...
weekend for the
AMA Motocross Championship
The AMA Motocross Championship (commercially known as Lucas Oil Pro Motocross) is an American motorcycle racing series. The motocross race series was founded and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in 1972. The series is th ...
.
History
The property Red Bud MX sits on was purchased in 1972 by Gene Ritchie and his wife Nancy with the Patterson and Miller families as partners. Gene, originally from Pennsylvania, had visited Buchanan on a snowmobiling trip.
He saw the potential for a great motocross track in Buchanan, and within a few years he and his partners bought land on the west side of North Red Bud Trail, and began to build his track. They named the track Red Bud TNT (Track n Trail) after the name of the road the track sits on, the numerous Red Bud trees in the region, and because of Buchanan's
city nickname A city nickname or municipality nickname is an alias, sobriquet, or slogan by which a city or other municipality is or has been known. They have various purposes and anecdotally have led to economic benefits for communities.
Description
A municip ...
, Red Bud City.
Red Bud first began holding races in 1973 and held its first AMA National race in 1974 which was won by
Mike Hartwig
Mike may refer to:
Animals
* Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum
* Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off
* Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and document ...
.
The Red Bud track itself has been renovated and remodeled over the years but the infamous jump called LaRocco's Leap still remains. LaRocco's leap, constructed in 1991, is the longest jump in the MX circuit stretching .
Named after
Laporte, Indiana
La Porte (French for "The Door") is a city in LaPorte County, Indiana, United States, of which it is the county seat. Its population was estimated to be 21,341 in 2022. It is one of the two principal cities of the Michigan City-La Porte, India ...
, native
Mike LaRocco
Michael Wayne “Mike” LaRocco (born February 12, 1971) is an American former professional motocross and supercross racer. He competed in the AMA Motocross Championships from 1988 to 2006. During his nineteen-year professional motocross career, ...
who was the inspiration for the jump which was based on a jump at Larocco' personal track called "Kong." Larocco was the first man to clear it and did so on a 125cc bike.
The
Traxxas TORC Series
TORC: The Off-Road Championship (TORC) was an American short course off-road racing series. It tours throughout the United States featuring professional four and two-wheel-drive Trophy Trucks along with a Pro Light class. TORC was founded by off ...
held off-road truck and buggy races at the track from 2011 to 2013. The 2012 two-day weekend was the second event of the season and it was televised on Discovery Network's Velocity channel.
There is an unofficial call and answer that has been adopted by Redbud fans and residents of southwestern Michigan. An individual will call, "ReeeedBuuuud!" and all the fans who hear will shout, "ReeeedBuuuud!" in return. The call has become a chorus that can be heard throughout the summer in the RedBud community.
The venue hosted the 72nd running of the
Motocross of Nations on October 6–7, 2018. This was one of the biggest races the track hosted.
RedBud is currently run by two of Gene and Nancy's children, Amy Ritchie and Tim Ritchie. Gene Ritchie died on February 20, 2016, age 79.
[http://www.wndu.com/content/news/RedBud-founder-Gene-Ritchie-passes-away--369579421.html ]
Amenities
Red Bud MX has three tracks: the professional motocross track and a KTM Kids track for younger riders. Along with a "Night track" used only on the Fourth of July national.
The big weekend of the year is Nationals weekend, visitors are allowed to camp out on the property every 4 July weekend. There are spaces throughout the grounds for tents, campers, and RVs.
During AMA Pro Motocross Nationals weekend, there are concession stands and food vendors from the local community selling food, water, and spirits. During regular race weekends there are also concessions and a few vendors as well.
Champions
Red Bud AMA Motocross Results:
References
* Bradford, Mark. “Racers Ready for Red Bud Motocross.” South Bend Tribune 2 July 2004: B1. Print.
* “10 Things To Watch For At Red Bud.” Allisports. n.d. Web. 26 March 2013.
* "RedBud Motocross Notes 2012." ''Motorcycle-USA.'' 6 July 2012. Web. 24 March 2013.
External links
Official websiteLucas Oil Pro Motocross ChampionshipsMike HartwigMotoscribble
{{TORC race venues
Buildings and structures in Berrien County, Michigan
Motorsport venues in Michigan
Off-road racing venues in the United States
Tourist attractions in Berrien County, Michigan
1973 establishments in Michigan
Sports venues completed in 1973