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Motocross: LaRocco will always be tied to RedBud

scott davidson, south bend tribune
·4 min read

Mike LaRocco made quite the name for himself as one of the top motocross racers in the history of the dynamic sport.

The jump that still bears his name at the track that started it all for him still holds a near and dear place in the heart of the LaPorte native too.

LaRocco, now 52, developed his love for racing at the famed RedBud track in Buchanan. The facility includes the World famous "LaRocco's Leap". The 120-foot triple jump was built in 1991 and patterned after "Kong", a similar jump on LaRocco's personal track.

Mike LaRocco of South Bend makes a turn during the second moto race during Sunday's Red Bud race. LaRocco finished fifth overall in 2003.
Mike LaRocco of South Bend makes a turn during the second moto race during Sunday's Red Bud race. LaRocco finished fifth overall in 2003.

What to know: RedBud Pro Motocross Championship

"It's something that is really cool and it has kept my name active," said LaRocco during a phone interview from his home in California about the jump. "I enjoy it as a namesake."

LaRocco, who raced professionally from 1988-2006, remembers clearing the jump on a 125cc cycle.

"Those were my crazy days," said LaRocco of making the jump in 1992. "I was young and willing to do anything then. To me, it was not a big deal at the time. It was something to challenge myself.

"The thing I remember the most about it was that I knew what it took to do it on a 125 and that was to be able to hit fifth gear to make it."

LaRocco had 145 finishes in the Top 5 to go with 53 podium appearances in the 450cc class and another 16 in the 125cc class when he stepped away from racing. He won the AMA 500cc championship in 1993, the AMA 250cc title in 1994 and added the FIM World Supercross top spot in 2000.

REDBUUUDDDD! Fourth of July Weekend means RedBud Motocross tradition in Buchanan, Michigan

But it's the track at RedBud, which will host its annual Fourth of July weekend national on Saturday, that is the place that started it all for LaRocco.

"RedBud was where I grew up," said LaRocco, who was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2014. "My Dad took me there in the late 1970's and it's where I got my desire to chase motocross. I saw that level of racing and it molded me into what I wanted to do."

"For me, RedBud is home. It was the connection I had with the fans there and the attention I got from being the hometown guy back then."

LaRocco says there are several reasons why RedBud, which is now owned by Amy and Tim Ritchie, has thrived for so long after their father Gene purchased the property in 1972 and built the track there 50 years ago.

"They (the Ritchies) just do a really good job making it a presentable and desirable event," said LaRocco of the RedBud National, which annually attracts 30,000 fans to Buchanan. "From a rider's side, they put a lot of work into the track and it is one of the better ones.

"Gene (Ritchie) was family to me. He used to hunt on my property."

"RedBud also just became a staple being on the Fourth of July weekend. The fans there are really good. They go there with the intention of having a good time and the energy is really high."

Amy Ritchie says the connection with LaRocco is a meaningful one to her entire family.

"We just have such strong family ties with Mike," said Ritchie. "He grew up racing here and then all throughout his career he was our local pro. He really helped Tim (Amy's brother) build the track here. Tim likes those connections and for him Mike was a key guy for that."

LaRocco stepped away from the sport after working for Team Honda from 2010-17 and now manages a Trampoline Park in San Diego County. He said that he has not been to RedBud since 2018, but is scheduled to be there this weekend as one of 15 former racers to take a Legend's Lap as part of opening ceremonies on Saturday in celebration of the track's 50th year.

LaRocco, who was born in Michigan City, knows that he will always have ties from his career to RedBud.

"It's tough to say what my legacy is in the sport," LaRocco commented. "I guess just one of those guys who had a passion for it and also known for the hard worker part of it that I put into it.

"But to me also it's about heritage and that's RedBud for me. That is the place where I built my start at."

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Mike LaRocco developed his love for motocross at RedBud