The racing we will watch today is the refinement of a sport that first became popular in Europe in the 1950s. At tracks carved out of natural terrain in Sweden, France, Germany and many other countries, riders competed in front of crowds numbering in the tens of thousands. The machines they rode were not as sophisticated as today's motocross bikes, but they attacked the sport with a verve that was bound to at-tract attention on the other side of the Atlantic.In the early 1960's, several European motocross stars appeared in the United States to hold exhibition races and to wake up the American media and the public to the excitement of the sport. Among the European riders who visited this country were Joel Robert and Roger DeCoster, who in subsequent years have gone down in the record books as the top two riders in the history of motocross. Motocross in the U.S. caught on, though slowly at first. There was a definite shortage of bikes in this country that were able to endure the severe pounding dealt out by the long, bumpy tracks. Riders on the east and west coasts did the best they could with the equipment available. With a new market open, European motocross bike manufac-turers Maico, Husqvarna, CZ and others began to ship machines to the U.S. in ever-increasing numbers. Gradually a new sub-culture within American motorcycling emerged the motocross rider. Their ranks were made up of former flat-track, scrambles and desert riders who switched to the new form of cycle racing for its diversity and ex-citement. There were also many who had never raced before, but began riding motocross for the particular challenges it offered. Through the 1960s Americans learned the complex nature of motocross and the blend of rider stamina and skill, and machine preparation necessary to win. The long motos on rough tracks required physical fitness equal to or in ex- cess of that required for more traditional physical sports, such as football, soccer and basketball. In addition, a high level of rider con- centration was necessary. With the constantly changing terrain, the riders must be constantly alert. Even a momentary diversion could be disastrous. The bikes, too, had to be in top-notch condition. Regular, meticulous maintenance was necessary, as was constant in- novation. As the sport grew it became more competitive. No longer were just a good sense of balance, good physi- cal condition and a properly prepared bike necessary a rider had to think. Strategy became im- portant. The difference between riders with equal skill and equip- ment was the ability of each to pace himself through the long motos, to select the best lines and to foresee the actions of other riders. Motocross became truly a thinking man's sport. With its increased sophistication and growing popularity, a strong cadre of talented riders rose to the top and the sport began to branch out in different directions. The best went on to professional racing, sup- ported by the motorcycle industry and national and international racing associations. There was very little room at the top, so the rest com- peted in what has come to be called amateur motocross. They raced among themselves at hundreds of tracks around the country, while the select few performed at challenge races with the European stars and at a growing number of national cham- pionship events. In both amateur and professional racing, purses grew and spectators responded. Tracks appeared in places as diverse as Los Angeles, Calif., and Cuero, Texas. Motorcycle and accessory manufacturers began to support amateur motocross, several sanctioning organizations were formed and motocross began a period of unprecedented growth. During this time, in the early 1970s, the national media became aware of motocross. The biggest American race of the year, the United States Grand Prix an event in the prestigious 500cc World Championship Grand Prix series, was televised by ABC-TV Wide World of Sports, which made the USGP an annual feature on the program. The motocross segments garnered very high ratings, in- dicating that the American public liked what it saw. Soon, certain U.S. championship races were Americanized moved out of the pastures and hollows into stadiums. The first, the successful Superbowl of Motocross held at the Los Angeles, Coliseum, inspired several more stadium motocrosses, including the American Motorcyclist Association professional races at the Astrodome. A large part of the population of this country hitherto unaware of motocross came to these stadium races, then came back again and again. Stadium motocross races, today still a tiny minority of the total num- ber of races run in this country, have largely been a showcase for profes- sional riders. With this GNC Astrodome cham- pionship final event it is hoped that the amateur riders will also have found a home in the stadium, where their talents can be displayed to the largest number of people under the most comfortable conditions.