Jeff Emig is without question one of the great motocross legends, who came to Europe on many occasions and dominated events like the Motocross des Nations, the Bercy Supercross and so much more. A rider who defended the Chamberlain trophy on four occasions, in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1997. He actually raced for Team USA on six occasions, winning in 1992, 1993 and 1996 and losing in 1994, 1995, 1997.

Emig is also a multiple AMA champion, winning four major titles in 1992 with the 125cc motocross championship, 1996 with the 250cc motocross championship and the 1997 AMA 250 motocross and 250 supercross championships. He also scored victory in the 1996 World Supercross championship.

He has 37 overall wins in AMA battle. In championships and overall victories, he is placed just outside the top ten of the all-time lists. Yes, without question Jeff Emig is a legend of our sport.

As he has done the last two years, Emig will be racing at the Farleigh Castle WorldVetsMotocross.com event on July 19 and 20 July. We just had to catch up with him and asked about his 2024 Farleigh experience and also chat about some of his special moments in Europe during his racing career.

MXlarge: Tell me, I watched some videos from the Veterans races at Glen Helen, was that last weekend?

Emig: Yes, that was the 2-stroke thing they do there.

MXlarge: I was watching some of it, with you battling Kurt Nicoll and Doug Dubach. How did it go?

Emig: I got third in both motos. The first race I was leading and a couple of laps from the end, I came past the finish line area and there was a slower rider and I was revving on him to get out of the way and he just pulled to the inside rut and I had to slam on the breaks and he changed lines and I tried to miss him and he fell over on me. I was like, are you kidding me. I was a bit annoyed, and at that point I had had enough. The second moto, Doug and I were neck and neck through the second turn, and I went wide to go around him, and he blocked me. We were like that for a couple of laps, but he was on the gas. I thought to myself, the track was pretty rough, and my enthusiasm was dropping quickly as we waited like five hours between, all my friends had gone home, and the sun was setting. I just wasn’t that interested anymore.

MXLarge: I can imagine Farleigh Castle is a little friendlier to ride than Glenn Helen?

Emig: Not necessarily. Remember a couple of years ago, I went over the bars on the last lap on the stair/step section of the track. Totally head over heels into those massive, big hay bales and I didn’t hurt myself, I hit right in the middle of the hay bales, and I was stuck between them. Farleigh is hard pack, rough, stoney and fast and a million guys on the track. It isn’t easy.

MXLarge: What about your trip for 2025. What do you look forward to?

Emig: Coming the Farleigh, it is all about enjoying the fans, seeing old friends like Dobber, and enjoying the trip. I mean, it’s been around forever, like 60 years and it’s a tough circuit, even now. The European fan is different from the American fan. The European fans remember what you have done in the past and for an old racer, which is nice, to be remembered. As for Farleigh, as this race builds momentum, and evolves, the attendance from the riders is growing, and the crowd is getting bigger. Yes, there is a race, but its more a fun motocross festival and we have a big party one night, a 90s costume contest and some will race, some will party, but overall, it’s a great vibe over there. I always look forward to coming to Farleigh for this event and can't wait to meet as many fans as possible.

MXlarge: I wanted to talk to you about some of the races that meant something to you, when you raced in Europe. I was fortunate enough to travel to most of the big races you attended in Europe, be it Bercy, MXdN, or the Fastcross and I wanted to ask you about some of those races, to remind people how good you were.

Emig: Sure, fire away.

MXLarge: I remember after beating Jeremy (McGrath) in 1987 in the AMA supercross championship and you came to Bercy for the supercross, and you seemed like a different rider, and you seemed 10 feet tall. Your confidence was so high, and you had that really cool Shift gear and you looks so confident. Tell me about that year at Bercy?

Emig: You know, keep in mind, there are individuals who really are confident in certain situations and with McGrath, when he got into a stadium, he was a different rider and for nearly a decade, he set the standard for speed and technique and everything else in supercross. Supercross is about confidence and belief in yourself, and I see that now and you can see that confidence come and go. Larry Ward for instance, he wouldn’t be in a race for the lead in America, but in Europe, he felt at home. In the summer of 1996, I got my confidence where it needed to be and for some of us, confidence can be very brittle. I saw Chad Reed have a really bad day, but when the main event started, he was on it. For me, when I finally came to Bercy in 1997, I had won everything for a year, apart from the MXdN in Belgium. I basically had a calendar year, where I was on cruise control. When I got to Bercy, I had so much belief. Of course it has changed now, but when it was in the small stadium in the city, it was a race like no other. The first time I did Bercy, in 1990 we raced four nights. That place was so much fun and so much history.

MXLarge: The Nations in 1996 at Jerez, Spain, that one stood out as you were on another level that day (Emig, Jeremy McGrath and Steve Lamson went undefeated to win easily for Team USA). We all remember that huge jump. Can you tell me about that Nations?

Emig: The funny thing about Jerez and the main memory I take away from Jerez, and this is no disrespect to my opposition, but it seemed so easy, Smets and some of those guys got in a first turn crash and I didn’t’ feel like I was challenged and it was one of those days where everything just went well. With that one, I really knew we needed to do to win the event and with the 500, I knew I needed to be first 500 in each moto and not make any mistakes.

MXLarge: What about the Fastcross at Arsago Seprio in Italy?

Emig: What was a special race, big crowds and a track that was like supercross on steriods. I never won there, but 40,000 fans and all the best riders in the World. Giorgio Saporiti and his family always took care of us. I remember one year I was team-mates with Ryan Hughes in the Kawasaki factory team and we raced the Tennis Match, which is just two riders on the track, going head to head. We crashed into each other in the middle of that race and were just laying on the ground laughing. It was a fun race, with not a lot of pressure and the crowds were the best in the World.

For tickets: WorldVetsMotocross.com