Motocross Orehova vas
Motocross Orehova vas at a glance
- Location
- Hoče-Slivnica, Styria
- Type
- motocross
- Surface
- natural terrain (motocross)
- Opened
- 1963
- Owner
- AMD Orehova vas
- Phone
- +386 2 605 61 11
- Website
- orehova-vas.com
Track map and layout
Motocross Orehova vas is one of Slovenia's oldest and best-known motocross venues, run by the AMD Orehova vas club in the Hoče-Slivnica municipality near Maribor in the country's northeast. Like most motocross tracks, its exact layout is reshaped between events rather than fixed to a single permanent configuration, and detailed length or turn-count figures are not published by the organisers. The track is set in open countryside close to Maribor Edvard Rusjan Airport and has an old-school, natural-terrain character that has drawn riders and fans since the 1960s.
Events and race weekends
The club at Orehova vas has run motocross since 1963, and the track's biggest moment came on 24 May 1970, when it hosted the Grand Prix of Yugoslavia as a round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in front of a reported 40,000 spectators, drawing the sport's top international riders. In more recent years the track has hosted the European Motocross Open (EMX) and, in 2020, stepped in to host a Slovenian round of the FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP) during a pandemic-disrupted calendar. It remains an active venue on Slovenia's domestic and regional motocross calendar today.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMD Orehova vas national/regional motocross meeting | Slovenian motocross championship / regional events | varies | the club's own long-running competition calendar |
Getting there and parking
The track sits close to Maribor Edvard Rusjan Airport in the Hoče-Slivnica municipality, just south of Maribor, Slovenia's second city. Visitors from further afield often fly into Ljubljana and drive northeast. There is no direct rail link to the track itself, though Maribor's main station is a short drive away.
- Maribor Edvard Rusjan Airport (MBX) · about 10 min drive
- Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU) · about 90 min drive
Parking
General on-site parking is available for event days.
Hotels and camping near Motocross Orehova vas
Maribor, a short drive from the track, has the widest range of hotels in the region and is the practical base for visitors; Ljubljana, further away, offers a larger city alternative with more international flight options.
Where to look
Maribor city centre for proximity to the track; Ljubljana for a wider choice of international flights.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
AMD Orehova vas runs its own motocross meetings and training sessions through the club; specific public track-day access and pricing are best confirmed directly with the club, as detailed provider information is not widely published.
Who runs days here
- AMD Orehova vas (official club)motorcycle
Spectator guide
As a long-established motocross venue, Orehova vas has hosted crowds as large as 40,000 for its 1970 world championship round, with natural terrain banking around the circuit giving spectators clear sightlines over much of the course during major events.
Best places to watch
Elevated natural banking around the circuit's outside gives the best overview of the track during racing.
Weather
- May-September: warm continental summer typical of northeastern Slovenia, typically 22-28°C
History of Motocross Orehova vas
Sixty years of motocross
The motoring club that runs the Orehova vas track, Avto moto društvo Orehova vas, was founded in 1957 by local enthusiasts Franc Fingušt, Stanko Šmirmaul and Jože Horvat. Motocross became the club's main focus from 1963, when it staged its first race, an international meeting on 25 August that drew 27 riders, mostly from Austria and Yugoslavia, with Austrian rider Walter Leidgeb taking the win.
A world championship round
The club's biggest achievement came on 24 May 1970, when Orehova vas hosted the Grand Prix of Yugoslavia as a round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, drawing a reported 40,000 spectators and the best riders in the world to the small Slovenian venue. The result cemented Orehova vas's reputation as one of the more significant motocross venues in the former Yugoslavia, a status it retained through subsequent decades of domestic and regional racing.
A modern return to world-level racing
Orehova vas continued running national and regional motocross events long after the 1970 Grand Prix, and the track periodically hosted the European Motocross Open (EMX) as part of the wider European motocross calendar. Its old-school character and history earned it a surprise return to top-level competition in 2020, when the track hosted a Slovenian round of the FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP) during the COVID-19-disrupted season, exactly half a century after its original world championship appearance. The club, now marking more than sixty years of motocross at the site, continues to run the track for Slovenian and regional competition.
Frequently asked questions
When did Motocross Orehova vas open?+
The club began racing motocross at the site in 1963, with its first international meeting held on 25 August that year; the parent club, AMD Orehova vas, was founded in 1957.
Did Orehova vas host a motocross world championship round?+
Yes. It hosted the Grand Prix of Yugoslavia, a round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, on 24 May 1970, and it returned to the MXGP calendar for a Slovenian round in 2020.
Where is Motocross Orehova vas located?+
The track is in the Hoče-Slivnica municipality just south of Maribor, in northeastern Slovenia, close to Maribor Edvard Rusjan Airport.
How do you get to Motocross Orehova vas?+
The track is about a 10-minute drive from Maribor Edvard Rusjan Airport; visitors from further afield often fly into Ljubljana and drive roughly 90 minutes northeast.
How long is the Orehova vas motocross track?+
As a motocross venue, its layout is reshaped between events rather than fixed, and the club does not publish a standard length or turn count.
Other tracks nearby
- Red Bull Ring · 108 km · road course
- Pannónia-Ring · 140 km · road course
- Automotodrom Grobnik · 151 km · road course
- Opatija Circuit (Preluk) · 162 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Slovakia Ring · 227 km · road course
- Salzburgring · 240 km · road course
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.