The Jeremy McGrath Invitational (JMI) press day has just concluded and its official: there's never been a race like this before.
It will all go down at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California this weekend, October 6th and 7th. That's where 20 of the top Supercross racers in the world will throw down in a Supercross trifecta of sorts, racing for $500,000. With tons of star power, thrilling jumps and a unique race format, the JMI is going to be something unique indeed.
The track will be an adventure ride for riders and spectators alike with two freestyle-type ramp jumps with huge 16 foot landings and all the regular SX stuff you'd expect. We sat and watched MC, K-Dub, Josh Grant, and Josh Hansen lay it flat like we've never seen on a SX track over one of the ramps for about a half hour. The huge air and long hang time the FMX-style ramps provide will really make it exciting from the stands. Will we see Travis Pastrana do the first mid-race back-flip come this weekend?
Supercross berms are back and Randy Mennenga designed alternate fast lines into the course which should make for some incredible dicing. The podium for the JMI is about 15 times the size of one at any other SX; it actually houses the start pad and gate so the riders will not be seen until after the gate drops. And it doubles as a rider-hangout as MC himself wants all the racers to hang out and watch the race action...there won't be any trips back up to the semi trucks at this race.
The riders will not be separated into Supercross Lites and Supercross classes; they will race in a run whatcha brung style with 250F's going up against 450's for the first time in Supercross. The format is two nights of racing beginning with a fast lap qualifying session.