Motocross accelerates through 50 years of progress

By JOHN MARSHALL
AP Sports Writer

The early days of motocross were technically the same as today. Riders raced dirt bikes over humps and around berms, fastest person wins. But after 50 years, it actually looks almost like a different sport. The motorcycles are faster and more powerful. The riders come from around the globe and are among the fittest athletes in any sport. The tracks feature jumps the old-school riders wouldn’t have even considered, obstacles that would have been unfathomable. And the exposure has skyrocketed.