If you live in the West and want a first off-road race, start with an NGPC round. It is a 40 to 50 minute race on a motocross track plus an off-road loop, it has a C class for nearly every bike and age, and you can enter with an AMA membership and a $10 fee instead of a district license. WORCS is the same kind of racing with more travel. District 37 desert racing is the cheapest to enter and asks the most of you and the bike.
Our riders race WORCS and NGPC alongside the desert program. For what a grand prix or a hare and hound actually is, see dirt bike racing disciplines explained.
How do WORCS, NGPC and District 37 compare?
| WORCS | NGPC | AMA District 37 (desert) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Grand prix: motocross track plus off-road, 3 to 10 mile course | Grand prix: 5 to 8 mile course, at least 3 miles by rule | Hare and hound, desert scramble, European scramble, sprint enduro |
| Race length | 30 minutes (youth) to 120 minutes (pro) | 40 to 50 minutes; youth 25 to 30; Pro and top A classes 90 minimum | 30 to 50 mile loops; European scrambles 45 to 60 minutes |
| Beginner class | C | C; Beginner for youth | Novice |
| Membership | AMA plus WORCS Standard ($40), or a $10 weekend pass | AMA; District 37 license only for D37 points, or a $10 pie plate | AMA plus District 37 license ($33 online), or a $10 pie plate |
| Entry fee | $65 adult, $45 youth (2026 round page) | Not published by the series; District 37 caps grand prix entries at $65 | Capped at $58 for local events |
| Where it runs | CA, AZ, NV, WA, ID, UT | Southern and Central California, plus Mesquite, NV | Southern California high desert |
Sources: the WORCS rules page and 2026 rulebook, the NGPC FAQ and supplemental rules, and District 37’s new-racer page and rulebook. Fees change by class and round.
What do you pay before the entry fee?
Every one of them starts with the AMA. The AMA lists $49 for one year as of 2026, $35 for riders 11 and younger and $119 for a family.
View as table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| AMA, 1 year | $49 |
| WORCS Standard membership | $40 |
| District 37 license, online ($40 at race sign-up) | $33 |
| AMA weekend pass (as listed in the NGPC FAQ) | $20 |
| WORCS weekend race pass (non-members) | $10 |
| District 37 pie plate (non-members, per race, no points) | $10 |
Source: AMA, WORCS 2026 rulebook, NGPC FAQ and District 37 new-racer page, opened October 2026
Under 18? The AMA annual minor release is mandatory at NGPC and expires every December 31. WORCS wants proof at registration that you have submitted it, and says processing can take up to three weeks.
How do you start racing WORCS?
What it is. WORCS is a grand prix series run by Podium Promotions. Its 2026 rulebook says the 2026 AMA rulebook and its own supplemental rules govern its events.
Where. The 2026 schedule is ten rounds, each a Friday to Sunday weekend:
| Round | Dates (2026) | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 23-25 | Shorty’s Sports Park, Blythe, CA |
| 2 | Feb 13-15 | 29 Palms Motorsports Complex, CA |
| 3 | Mar 6-8 | Lake Havasu, AZ |
| 4 | Apr 10-12 | Stead MX, Reno, NV |
| 5 | May 1-3 | Washougal MX, WA |
| 6 | Jun 19-21 | Glen Helen Raceway, Devore, CA |
| 7 | Aug 28-30 | Cache Valley MX, Preston, ID |
| 8 | Sep 25-27 | Bunkerhill MX, Delta, UT |
| 9 | Oct 9-11 | Off-Road Oasis, Mesquite, NV |
| 10 | Nov 6-8 | La Paz County Fairgrounds, Parker, AZ |
Class. Enter a C class. The rulebook defines C as “Beginning Level Riders” who are new to racing. There is a C class for 125, 250, 450, Open, Women, 12-19 Sport, Jr. Vet 20+, 30+, 40+, 50+ and 60+. The class table sets a minimum age of 14 for the 125 and 250 classes and 16 for the 450 class. C riders run a black plate with white numbers.
Memberships. The membership page says that starting in 2026 you need AMA membership first and a WORCS membership second: Standard at $40, or Platinum at $190 with eight practices included. The 2026 rulebook also lists a $10 weekend race pass for non-members and says series points and year-end awards go only to members.
Transponder. Rent one for $10 with a $300 deposit, or buy your own.
Fees. The Mesquite round page lists $65 for an adult race, $45 for a youth race and $30 each for the unclassified race and moto practice. The gate there was $15 for a day or $30 to $40 for an adult weekend wristband, cash only. Members get $5 off online pre-entry.
Bike. The rulebook sets a 98 dB limit for amateurs and 96 dB for pros, tested at tech. The rules page says no track on the current schedule requires a sound test or a spark arrestor.
Sign-up. Pre-enter online or register at the trailer, which at Mesquite opened at 6:30am Friday through Sunday.
How do you start racing NGPC?
What it is. The AMA National Grand Prix Championship. Its rounds are hosted by District 37 clubs, and District 37 lists them as its own Grand Prix Series. The supplemental rules on its site as of October 2026 are still the 2025 edition.
Format. Under those rules amateur classes race 40 to 50 minutes and youth 25 to 30. The Pro classes and the 2 Stroke A, 4 Stroke A and Junior 25+ A classes race at least 90. Starts are dead engine, in waves 10 to 30 seconds apart. You count as a finisher if you take the checkered flag with at least half the laps of your class winner.
Where. District 37’s Grand Prix Series page lists these 2026 rounds:
- Jan 17-18: SoCal MC, Delano, CA
- Jan 31-Feb 1: Prospectors MC, Shorty’s Sports Park, Blythe, CA
- Feb 28-Mar 1: Prairie Dogs MC, Glen Helen Raceway, CA
- Mar 28-29: Hilltoppers MC, 29 Palms Motorsports Complex, CA
- Apr 25-26: Shamrocks MC, Fox Raceway, Pala, CA
- Oct 2-4: Viewfinders MC, Ridgecrest, CA
- Oct 23-25: Dirt Diggers MC, Honolulu Hills, Taft, CA
- Nov 13-15: Desert MC, Mesquite, NV
The NGPC schedule numbers Ridgecrest, Taft and Mesquite as rounds 8, 9 and 10, so the national series has two more rounds than District 37 lists.
Class. C again. The rules list C classes by engine size (98-200cc, 201-250cc, 251cc-Open, 122-150cc), for 2 Stroke and 4 Stroke, Junior 25+, 30+, 40+, 50+ and 60+, and for women. Youth classes have Advanced, Novice and Beginner levels. You must enter the level you ride locally.
Memberships. AMA membership for everyone, or the $20 weekend pass. A District 37 membership is only needed for District 37 points and to pick your own number. Without one you pay a $10 pie plate fee at each race.
Transponder. A $10 Moto-Tally transponder that sticks under your helmet visor. Race without it and the penalty is at least 120 seconds.
Fees. NGPC does not publish an entry fee on its site. The District 37 rulebook says a grand prix entry “cannot exceed $65.00 not including admission.” The unclassified practice race is $30. District 37 lists the gate at $10 a day for adults at every 2026 round.
Bike. Numbers on the front plate and both side panels. I did not find a sound or spark arrestor rule on the NGPC pages, so read the event flyer.
Sign-up. Online registration opens one to two weeks before the race and closes at 5pm Pacific on the Thursday. On-site sign-up runs Friday through Sunday.
How do you start racing District 37?
What it is. District 37 is the AMA’s district for Southern California. Its member clubs promote the races, and its new-racer page says there is one almost every weekend. The 2026 schedule runs from early January to the end of May, then from late September into November.
Formats. In District 37’s own words:
- Desert scramble: one 30 to 50 mile loop, run twice.
- Hare and hound: two separate loops of at least 30 to 50 miles.
- European scramble: one 6 to 16 mile loop, raced for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Sprint enduro: three or four timed tests of two to seven miles.
- Grand prix: the NGPC rounds above.
A European scramble is the gentlest way in: a short loop you see more than once.
Where. The Desert Series page put 2026 events at Johnson Valley, Lucerne Valley, Slash X near Barstow and the Spangler Hills OHV area near Ridgecrest.
Class. District 37 has five skill levels: Pro, AA, Expert, Intermediate and Novice. You start as a Novice. The rulebook’s guide for moving up is five transfer rides from Novice to Intermediate.
Memberships. An AMA membership and a District 37 license: $33 online or $40 at sign-up, on a page that still shows the 2025 season. One desert license covers the Desert, Desert Scrambles and Hare and Hound series. For a single race, pay the $10 pie plate surcharge; you get no points or trophy. You do not have to join a club.
Transponder. The same $10 Moto-Tally one. No transponder is a two-minute penalty.
Fees. The rulebook caps entries for hare and hounds, desert scrambles, European scrambles and enduros at $58, or $60 for a national or regional championship round.
Bike. This is where it differs. District 37 requires a USFS-approved spark arrestor, a 96 dB exhaust and “green, red, or out of state registration, or license plate.” Sound tests are random: odd or even license numbers are picked by the month, and a rider who was picked and did not pass does not start. If you pit yourself, bring a fire extinguisher and a spill mat.
Sign-up. Online through Moto-Tally or at the event. Sign-up closes 30 minutes before the start.
What is the green sticker rule in California?
It matters for desert races on public land. Per California State Parks:
- A green sticker is off-highway registration for a California resident’s bike. Registration costs $54 and lasts two years.
- A red sticker went to 2003 to 2021 models that did not meet state emission standards. Since January 1, 2025 those bikes have year-round access.
- 2022 and newer competition models get neither sticker. State Parks says they “may only be used on private lands or at sanctioned competition events.”
- A spark arrester is required on forest, brush or grass-covered land, and the sound limit is 96 dBA.
For a District 37 desert race on a newer competition bike, ask the hosting club before you load it.
Which one should you race first?
- You ride motocross tracks: NGPC or WORCS, whichever has a round closer to home. Enter a C class and the unclassified race.
- You ride desert and trails on a registered bike: a District 37 European scramble, then a desert scramble.
- You want one race to see if you like it: NGPC, on an AMA weekend pass and a pie plate.
General first-race prep is in how to start racing dirt bikes.
Common questions
- Do I need an AMA membership to race WORCS, NGPC or District 37?
- Yes. WORCS lists AMA membership as step one, NGPC requires it for all racers, and District 37 says all of its series are AMA sanctioned and require it. A one-year membership is $49 as of 2026, and NGPC lists a $20 weekend pass.
- What class does a beginner race at NGPC or WORCS?
- A C class matched to your bike or age. The WORCS 2026 rulebook describes C as beginning level riders who are new to racing, and NGPC's rules list C classes by engine size and for 30+, 40+, 50+ and 60+ riders. District 37 desert events call the same level Novice.
- How much does it cost to enter a WORCS race?
- The WORCS page for its October 2026 Mesquite round lists $65 for an adult race, $45 for a youth race and $30 for unclassified, plus the gate fee. Members get $5 off online pre-entry according to the WORCS rules page.
- Do I need a spark arrestor and a green sticker to race?
- For District 37 desert races, yes. District 37 asks for a USFS-approved spark arrestor, a 96 dB exhaust and green or red sticker, out-of-state registration or a license plate. WORCS says none of its tracks needed a spark arrestor or sound test in the season its rules page covers.
- Do I have to join a club to race District 37?
- Not according to District 37's new-racer page, which lists an AMA membership and a District 37 license, or a $10 pie plate for a single race. The district's clubs put on the races.
Sources
- WORCS Rules and FAQs, WORCS Racing
- 2026 WORCS Motorcycle Rule Book, WORCS Racing (Podium Promotions LLC)
- WORCS Membership, WORCS Racing
- WORCS 2026 Schedule, WORCS Racing
- Battle in the Sand, Round 9 (entry and gate fees), WORCS Racing
- NGPC Frequently Asked Questions, National Grand Prix Championship
- NGPC Series Schedule, National Grand Prix Championship
- 2025 AMA National Grand Prix Championship Supplemental Rules, NGPC / American Motorcyclist Association
- Start Here (new racer guide), AMA District 37
- Off-Road Racing, AMA District 37
- Series Registration, AMA District 37
- 2026 Race Schedule, AMA District 37
- Desert Series, AMA District 37
- Grand Prix Series, AMA District 37
- 2025 Constitution and By Laws and Amateur Competition Rule Book, Sports Committee District 37 AMA, Inc.
- Join the AMA (membership prices), American Motorcyclist Association
- OHMVR Frequently Asked Questions, California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division
- OHV Registration, California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division
Part of our guide: How to Start Racing Dirt Bikes: A Beginner's Guide