Southwick
Southwick, MA
The sandbox of the Pro Motocross circuit, The Wick 338 is also known simply as Southwick, the name of the quaint southern Massachusetts town (population < 10,000!) where the course lies. Known for its rough and treacherous conditions, The Wick 338 is the track where locals shine the most.
Fast Facts
The inaugural Southwick MX was the finale of the 250 Pro Motocross season and dominated by Dutch sand master Pierre Karsmakers (1-1). 125MX rider Bob Hannah led the first half of moto one before fading back as Brad Lackey and Karsmakers battled. Late in the race, Lackey gave the away the win when he fell. Karsmakers won the second moto unchallenged
The championships, however, was claimed by Tony DiStefano, his second of three consecutive. Contender Jimmy Weinert missed the final round due to injury.
June 14, 1998 might be the greatest day in New England motocross history as two NESC favorite sons swept won the Southwick Pro Motocross. Connecticut’s Doug Henry (on a Yamaha YZ400F) and Massachusetts’ John Dowd (on a YZ125), each had 1-1 sweeps in their respective classes.
In muddy conditions, Henry tracked down Honda’s Ezra Lusk in moto one and pulled the holeshot and led every lap in moto two. In 125MX, Dowd capitalized on mechanical misfortune from defending champion, Ricky Carmichael in moto one and straight up greased it in moto 2.
The 2009 Pro Motocross at The Wick 388 produced some of the most lopsided scores in sport history but also gave New Englanders a very good reason to crowd around the podium and pay respects to one of their favorite active legends, John Dowd, who went 10-2 for third.
Australians Chad Reed, Jake Moss and Michael Byrne, went 1-2-3 in moto 1 but Yamaha fill-in, Matt Goerke (6-1) won moto two (and the overall) when Reed crashed out and 44-year-old Dowd finished 2nd for the final O/A podium in his long career.
The Goat, Ricky Carmichael absolutely dominated at Southwick, winning all eight appearances in the premier 250/450 class between 2000-2007. RC averaged 48 (out of 50) points per race in that span.
In the 125 class, Carmichael won in 1997 and 1999, giving him 10 overall wins in his 11 appearances. What’s completely bonkers is that Southwick wasn’t even RC’s best venue on the metric of points scored and motos won…
Venues
The Wick 338’s origins date back to the early 70s when a group of dads from the American Legion Post 338 carved out a course for their children. The facility held its very first NESC motocross race in 1972 to raise money for some local charities. This event was held down the road from the track’s current location.
One year later, Bernie Yelin and a group of fathers and volunteers cleared the woods behind the American Legion Post 338 and created a course on the same property where Pro Motocross races today.
The Wick 338 held its first Pro Motocross round just three years after Yelin and crew created the original layout. While the venue has undergone many changes and tweaks (even track direction) Southwick has been an almost constant presence on the schedule (1976-1982, 1986-2013, 2016-present).
It is currently operated by the Johnson family, with local legend Keith Johnson managing the racetrack.
The interactive table below details the all-time Southwick leaders. Who has the most starts, wins, podiums and points. Filter by class. On mobile, slide left to access more columns.
All-Time Leaders
Who won The Wick 338, in what year and what round was the race? Winner history makes that easy to see. Tap ‘additional stats’ to see more info
Winner History
Full race results from each The Wick 338 Pro Motocross. Tap ‘additional stats’ to see position changes and qualifying ranking