20,000+ at Millville

Fans return in full force for pro motocross races in Millville

Jul. 19—MILLVILLE — Marco Colter and his younger brother Joey hopped in Marco's car in New Jersey on Thursday morning.

Aside from refueling their car's gas tank, grabbing some food or taking a restroom break, they didn't stop until they rolled into Rochester nearly 19 hours later, early Friday afternoon.

Admittedly, their internal clocks were a little confused as they sat in the shade on the back side of Spring Creek MX Park on Saturday morning, waiting for the AMA Motocross Pro National races to begin.

It was a long haul for the brothers, but one they said was worth it.

"I'm not really sure what day it is right now," Marco, 32, said with a smile. "We're running on fumes, but super excited to be here. We were going to make this trip last year, but with the (COVID-19) pandemic and the (pro motocross) schedule getting changed, we had to wait.

"I'm glad we waited. I love this place already."

Joey Colter, 29, said he, his brother and a group of their friends became fans of Millville natives and pro motocross stars Jeremy and Alex Martin four years ago when Jeremy won the pro race at Unadilla Motocross Park in New Berlin, N.Y.

"Since then, we've wanted to see the Martin boys race on their home track," Joey said. "It looks great on TV, but it's even better to be here."

The Colter brothers plan to follow the series all the way across the country to its next stop, this coming Saturday at Washougal, Wash., which is nearly 1,500 miles west of Rochester. This time, though, the brothers will have all week to make the drive.

The number of spectators allowed into the Spring Creek pro nationals in 2020 were limited to about half of the normal crowd size. Saturday, fans were back in full force, with estimates of 20,000 or more jamming the hillsides to catch glimpses of their favorite riders.

Twelve-year-old Preston Emerson awaited the start of the pro races Saturday morning at the campground adjacent to the track, where some impromptu bicycle races were taking place on a small oval track designed for young kids to race around.

Emerson said he had been up since "before 6 in the morning" to get ready to watch a full day of racing.

"I didn't get to come last year," he said. "I had to be here this year!"

The fans weren't the only ones who recognized how much of a difference a full crowd makes at Spring Creek. A number of pro riders made note of the size of the crowd — and the volume of noise created by screams, cowbells and air horns.

"The fans were just awesome out there," said 450 class overall winner Justin Barcia, who at one point couldn't hear a question being asked of him on the podium because of the crowd noise. "It's a lot to take in. I felt great on the bike all day and it's just such an awesome feeling to be back on the top step of the podium again. It's been a while, but I never gave up and left it all on the track today."

The loudest cheers, as always, were reserved for the Martin brothers, whose parents John and Greta own the Spring Creek facility. Alex and Jeremy grew up at the track, in a house less than a football field away.

The hometown fans were not disappointed, as Jeremy — battling through broken fingers, a dislocated shoulder and an injured wrist — won both 250 class motos to win the overall for the day.

"Man, it's awesome," Jeremy Martin told the crowd after the day's final race. "I could hear you guys cheering me on all the way around the track. I was tired in that second moto, but you guys kept me going out there.

"It's always special to get a win in front of the hometown crowd. I was definitely hurting, but the fans kept me going."