If you raced dirt bikes in either the 1970’s, 80’s, 90’s or the first half of the 2000’s, then you must remember this grand old building? The very first Supercross inside the Pontiac Silverdome was exactly 40 years ago, and up until the event moved South to Ford Field in 2006, the Silverdome always seem to provide some interesting story line. Whether it was the multiple double header events (that sadly ended in 2001), RC looping out like a D rider in 2002, or the night Jeremy McGrath won the LCQ, and then started from the far outside gate and won the main event. OMG, there was sure a lot of great moments in the Silverdome.
Of course, the racing at the Silverdome wasn’t just for the pro riders. This building was the first to host a large amateur event to coincide with the two nights of professional racing. The old Michigan Silverdome Series was a early Spring series that began in mid-March in sometimes very cold conditions, and would go on for four or five weekends before wrapping up at the Silverdome. If you were a fast amateur rider from Ontario, Michigan, Ohio or Indiana, then you competed in this series and had a blast doing it.
The track inside the Silverdome was always soft and challenging due to it’s early April slot on the series calendar. Because of this soft dirt, deep ruts were always a common sight and this made the Pontiac round one of the toughest of the series. If you were a top rider, than you either loved coming to the Silverdome, or you down right dreaded it. For some reason, titles were won or lost here, but that help make it very exciting for the fans. Chad Reed and Jeremy McGrath both loved the Silverdome as they won there numerous times. However, Bob Hannah’s nine wins in the Silverdome gives him his own spot in the records books.
Oh, how the sport misses a few of the old buildings like the Pontiac Silverdome. Now they’re just part of the rich history of our sport. Not that there’s anything wrong with new stadiums like Ford Field, but you just can’t build 29 years of racing into a modern day building. My final memory of the Silverdome, who didn’t have a hat blow off or had their hair messed up as you made your way through the doors of the pressurized building? Here is the final main event ever held inside the Pontiac Silverdome.