A high-flying roar on the shore not heard for more than three decades is about to be experienced again.
Last appearing in 1995 at the former Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Supercross returns to the same site, with a SMX League triple crown event taking place April 18 at Huntington Bank Field.
“Monster Energy Supercross is the pinnacle of off-road motorcycle racing,” said Supercross Director of Operations Bill Heras, a former racer who has been involved with the industry for nearly two decades. “We’re excited to come back to Cleveland, where we haven’t been forever.
“The track will be different, and the bike technology has changed. The sport is now taken more seriously than it was back in ’95 with so much attention and A-level athletes.”
Cleveland is hosting Supercross’ Round 14 of what is a 17-race 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship regular-season schedule.
“The timing is right in the sport,” he said. “Obviously, California is big for us, but as the sport has been growing, it’s ripe to go to other markets — like Cleveland.”
Roughly 100 riders in both the 250SX and 450SX classes will descend on the stadium. Qualifying rounds will be in the morning. They lead to the main event at 3 p.m. Heras said the latter includes three hours of racing, featuring 18 riders in each class competing for the finish line.
The day kicks off from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with Supercross FanFest, where event ticket holders get an all-access pass to not only watch as teams prepare but also meet riders, enjoy exhibitions and receive giveaways.
“FanFest is where all the teams park and the fans can come in before the show and meet and greet with riders,” he said. “That’s all going to be out there in the parking lot.”
That’s because inside Huntington Bank Field, the venue will be transformed into a custom-built Supercross track using 6,000 yards of dirt.
Motorsport enthusiasts may remember a similar muddy scenario when, in 2022, Monster Jam — which returns May 2 to the stadium — brought its 12,000-pound behemoth vehicles to the same venue.
“I get a lot of comparison to Monster Jam, especially venues that we go to, but this is a completely different animal,” he said. “It’s not just an exhibition. It’s not guys doing tricks on motorcycles over jumps.
“These are high-level athletes, and this is 100 percent a sport in its purist sense, with a sanctioning body, a rule book and referees. Once those bikes are on the gate, it’s pure racing and athleticism.”
Heras said many first-time Supercross attendees have a great experience.
“Supercross makes new fans relatively easy because it’s very interesting to watch,” he said. “It’s dynamic. There’s a lot going on. There are a lot of battles for different position. And it’s action-packed. It doesn’t seem to stop. People are glued to their seats throughout the entire show.”
Monster Energy AMA Supercross
When: 2:30 p.m. April 18.
Where: Huntington Bank Field, 100 Alfred Lerner Way, Cleveland.
Tickets: $33 to $212.
Info: Ticketmaster.com.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.news-herald.com ’
