The fourth largest city in the United States, Houston has been one of the most recognizable stops on the circuit. Coincidentally, the area has hosted the fourth most Supercross rounds ever, trailing only Anaheim, Daytona and Detroit/Pontiac. Between two of America’s most recognizable domes, Houston is rich with Supercross history and tradition.
Venues
Two venues have hosted Supercross races in Space City, both of which are iconic venues that have been favorites of the top sports leagues in America.
The legendary Astrodome was the first venue in Houston to showcase two wheel action, hosting rounds from 1974 to 2002. The home of the Houston Astros held doubleheaders from 1977 to 1983, but closed in the early 2000’s after the team moved to the new Minute Maid Park.
Starting in 2003, Supercross moved to Reliant (now nrg) Stadium. Built as the home of the newest NFL team, the stadium is one of a few locations to host the opening round of a season, kicking off the 2021 campaign with a three race residency.
Iconic Moments
One of the host cities during the inaugural Supercross season, Houston has its fair share of major moments, including a manufacturer taking the win in their first race.
1974-Something To Taco 'Bout
The second ever round of the inaugural Supercross season emanated from the Astrodome. Comprised of four motos over two days, the first season was a test and a experiment to see if indoor racing would become a spectacle. Washington’s Jim Pomeroy etched his name into the record books, taking the overall win with 3-1-1-2 finishes aboard his Bultaco. The final round of the new series crowned Dutch racer Pierre Karsmakers as the inaugural champion. Winning in Daytona the previous week, Karsmakers secured second overall to become the first rider to climb the Supercross mountain.
2001-Inevitable
2001 will be forever remembered as the year that Ricky Carmichael went from budding superstar to dominant force. Houston was a prime example, scoring his eighth consecutive win after a ride through the pack. Carmichael started inside the top ten but had to work past the likes of Tim Ferry, Ezra Lusk and Heath Voss early. As Suzuki’s Kevin Windham led the way, Carmichael caught 7-time champion Jeremy McGrath for second and made an aggressive move to get ahead of The King once more. RC quickly passed Windham for the lead and sprinted away, as McGrath and the rest of the field were left scratching their heads once more.
In the 125 class, a bizarre turn of events put Travis Preston on top for the first time in his career. KTM factory ace Grant Langston controlled the race, leading from the beginning until the last lap. After pumping his fist over a triple, Langston lined up a tricky double and cased the jump, going down and throwing away the victory. Preston put the struggling Husqvarna team on top, the brand’s only lites class win before their return to action in 2015.
2012-Almost Over
While the 2012 Houston Supercross seemed like just another round that season, with another Ryan Villopoto victory, a crash left another champion contemplating his future. The JGR/James Stewart relationship was a bumpy ride. After leaving the L&M Racing team for a seven figure deal, Stewart won a pair of races but continued to grow frustrated with the backwards engine Yamaha. The straw that broke the camel’s back came in Houston, where Stewart crashed hard once again. After a mid-pack start, Stewart moved up to ninth but went down hard, clipping a jump and ending his night. On the first episode of his popular Bubba’s World podcast, Stewart explained that he all but retired after the incident, following three rough years of crashing and mental battles. A couple of months later, Stewart would return to the gate, but on a factory Suzuki machine instead of lining up for the Blu Cru.
2021-A Different Shade of Red
The 2021 Supercross season began with many uncertainties. After concluding the pandemic stricken 2020 campaign with seven straight Salt Lake City rounds, a series of residencies filled the 2021 schedule. As California remained locked down, Houston stepped up and moved into the opening round spot. Headlines focused on defending champion Eli Tomac, 2019 champ Cooper Webb, and Ken Roczen as the primary favorites for the championship. Somewhat lost in the shuffle was the debut of GasGas, a Spanish manufacturer that is owned by the KTM group. The Troy Lee Designs team moved up to the 450 class to be the official factory effort of GasGas, signing Justin Barcia after he spent three years with factory Yamaha. The move paid dividends immediately, as Barcia held off Roczen to win the first ever main event for the brand in their debut. The win was also Barcia’s third straight opening round victory and gave the red plate to GasGas after their maiden Supercross attempt. (Photo: Garth Milan)
This interactive table details the all-time leaders at Houston. Who has the most starts, wins, podiums and points. Filter by class. On mobile, slide left to access more columns. To see all years of data, become a member of the We Went Fast Garage and help us continue (and expand) these unique views of the sport’s history.
This interactive table details the Houston winners history. Who won in what year and what round was this venue. Filter by class. On mobile, slide left to access more columns. To see all years of data, become a member of the We Went Fast Garage and help us continue (and expand) these unique views of the sport’s history.
