Top 50 all-time great Australian Motocross Champions

Homegrown Heroes

The TOP 50 most successful racers in the history of the Australian Motocross Championships

1953 to 2022

Back in 2011, Dirt Bike Action magazine ran a feature story titled Home-grown heroes. It took a look at the history of Australian Motocross and published a list of the most successful racers in the history of the Australian Championships.

The system

The following points system was used to generate the Top 50 list. The top three overall results in each class for each year of each championship were counted – allocating:

three points for the win
two for second and
one for third.

Thanks to your support, we now have a complete list of all Australian Motocross Champions and have updated the Most Successful Racer’s List from the very first Australian Championship in 1953 up to today, featuring the Top 50 riders across all senior classes.

Disclaimer

Although all winners in the motocross classes are now known and published, there are a few gaps in the minor placings. So these results are based on the information we have to date. If you can fill in these gaps, email AMXHistory@Outlook.com now and we’ll adjust the scores.

Click above to contribute results or content to the Australian Motocross History website, or email: amxhistory@outlook.com

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Countdown Top 50 Australian MX racers

Equal 44th
Stan Jones (VIC) 9
Gaston Rahier (Belgium) 9
Neville Cutts (WA, Suzuki) 9
Steve Cramer (VIC) 9
Bob O’Leary (WA) 9
Steven Andrew (VIC) 9
Ray Turner (TAS) 9

Equal 41st
Graham Burford (SA) 10
Michael Landman (VIC) 10
Andrew McFarlane (VIC) 10

Equal 34th
Daryl Hurley (NZ) 11
Troy Carroll (VIC) 11
Jimmy Ellis (USA) 11
Ivan Miller (NZ) 11
Eddie Warren (USA) 11
Wilson Todd 11
Geoff Taylor (VIC) 11

Equal 31st
Anthony Gunter (NSW) 12
Pelle Granquist (Sweden) 12
Dean Ferris (QLD) 12

Equal 26th
Daryll King (NZ) 13
Jay Marmont (NSW) 13
Darryl King (NZ) 13
Dale Britton (WA) 13
Peter Melton (QLD) 13

Equal 22nd
Gary Adams (VIC) 14
Alan Nicol (WA) 14
Peter Nicol (WA) 14
Troy Dorron (VIC) 14

Equal 18th
Cameron Taylor (VIC) 15
Graeme Smythe (WA) 15
George Bailey (VIC) 15
Lee Hogan (VIC) 15

17th
Matt Daley (NSW) 16

Equal 14th
Trevor Williams VIC) 17
Craig Anderson (VIC) 17
John Mapperson (VIC) 17

Equal 12th
Jeff Leisk (WA) 19
Gordon Renfree (WA) 19

Equal 10th
Trevor Flood (VIC) 21
David Basham (SA) 21

9th
Stephen Gall (NSW) 23

8th
Charlie West (WA) 25

Equal 6th
Ken Rumble (VIC) 26
John Burrows (VIC) 26

5th
Kim Ashkenazi (NSW) 27

4th
Craig Dack (NSW) 28

Riders to win the most Australian titles

Riders to win the most Australian Championships

1 Glen Bell (NSW) 8
Gary Flood (VIC)
Jeff Leisk (WA) *
4 Ray Fisher (VIC) 7
Ken Rumble (VIC)
Kim Ashkenazi (NSW)
7 Charlie West (WA) 6
8 Craig Dack (NSW) 5
Stephen Gall (NSW)
Trevor Flood (VIC)
George Bailey (VIC)

* Includes Restricted License Holder Class

Riders to win three classes in the same year

1953
Ken Rumble

1956
George Bailey

1969
Gary Flood

1975
Gaston Rahier

1988
Jeff Leisk

1992
Kim Ashkenazi

Riders to win all classes contested in the same year

1969
Gary Flood

1988
Jeff Leisk

1992
Kim Ashkenazi

Riders to win four consecutive championships in the same class

Stephen Gall, 250cc
(1980, ’81, ’82, ’83)

Jay Marmont, Pro Open
(2008,’09,’10,’11)

Stephen Gall (left) and Jay Marmont

Number of Championship wins by manufacturer (1953 to 2022)

Peter Nicol (WA) on his way to victory on a BSA in the 350cc class at the Australian Scramble Championships at Moorebank, Sydney on 27 May 1956

1. Yamaha, 42
2. BSA, 38
3. Honda, 18
4. Bultaco
Husqvarna, 16
6. Suzuki, 15
7. Kawasaki, 14
8. Matchless, 7
9. K.T.M, 6
10. C.Z.
Maico, 4

12. Triumph, 3
13. Cotton
Greeves
AJS, 2
16. Velocette
Puch
Montesa
Dole Victa Special
Francis Barnett Special, 1

Top 5 most successful motocross racers
(by State)

David Basham was South Australia’s highest point scorer in all classes, winning four Australian Championships in the 125, 250, 500 and Unlimited classes

NSW
1. Glen Bell, 40 points
2. Craig Dack, 28
3. Kim Ashkenazi, 27
4. Stephen Gall, 23
5. Matt Daley, 16

VIC
1. Gary Flood, 29
Ray Fisher, 29
3. Ken Rumble, 26
John Burrows, 26
5. Trevor Flood, 21

WA
1. Charlie West, 25
2. Jeff Leisk, 19
Gordon Renfree, 19
4. Graeme Smythe, 15
5. Alan Nicol, 14
Peter Nicol, 14

SA
1. David Basham, 21
2. Graham Burford, 10
3. Jim Silvy, 7
Rob Voumard, 7
5. Daryll Willoughby, 5

QLD
1. Matt Daley, 17 *
2. Peter Melton, 13
3. Andrew McFarlane, 9
4. Clarrie Stewart,
Michael Byrne, 6

* Matt moved from Queensland to New South Wales to progress his career

TAS

1. Ray Turner, 9
2. Alan Lee, 5
3. Alan Atkins
Chris Richardson
H. Morice, 3

Timeline

1953

B.S.A, Matchless and A.J.S. are the Championship winning brands at the inaugural Australian Motocross Championships at Korweinguboora in Daylesford, Victoria.

1956

The Australian Championships had true national status for the first time with official state teams from WA, SA and Victoria at the titles in New South Wales.

1956

Chanel 9’s first outside television broadcast was
conducted at these titles, which were held at the Moorebank Army Camp circuit, near Sydney.

1958

Triumph’s first championship with George Bailey on a 125cc machine at the Moorebank Army Camp, near Sydney.

1959

Ray Fisher wins his first championship in the 500cc class on a B.S.A. machine at Royal Park, Adelaide.

1961

New South Wales rider Ray Dole created history winning the 125cc championship on a Victa lawnmower powered engine.

1966

B.S.A.’s last championship win at Christmas Hills, Yarra Glen with John Mapperson on a 350cc machine.

1967

Husqvarna’s first championship win with Matt Daley on a 250cc machine at Mt. Kembla, Woolongong in New South Wales.

1968

Ray Fisher becomes the first rider to win on a Japanese 2-stroke (Kawasaki’s first championship) in the 125cc class and the last rider to win on a British 4-stroke in the Unlimited class (500cc Matchless) in Collie, Western Australia.

1969

Gary Flood win’s his first championship at the St. Leonards Circuit in Devonport (Tasmania) to become the first rider to win all classes on the day – 125cc, 250cc and 500cc.

1969

That same year the 350cc class was dropped, almost certainly robbing Gary Flood of a fourth title at that meeting.

1970

US rider Gary Adams becomes the first International
to win an Australian Championship – winning the 250cc class at Tivoli Park, Ipswich (QLD).

1970

The touring International riders arrived in Australia early for the Australian Championships at Clarendon (SA) with Ivan Miller (NZ) winning the 500cc and Unlimited classes.

1972

Montesa’s first and only championship with local rider Edward Lancaster winning the 125cc class at
Wallan in Victoria.

1973

Victorian Maico rider Jack Pengelly was the Australian 500cc Champion for a week, after Trevor Flood was disqualified for changing engines in between motos. This decision was later reversed.

1974

Honda’s first championship with Brian Martin on a 125cc machine.

1975

Suzuki’s first championship win with Gaston Rahier on a 125cc. The reigning World Champion also won the 250 and 500cc classes that year.

1975

That same year the first Restricted Licence Holder (Junior) title was held with South Australian Don Bowey narrowly defeating Tasmanian Scott Stephens for the inaugural championship.

1976

Maico’s last championship with Trevor Flood in the Unlimited class.

1980

Stephen Gall wins his first senior championship at Dargle (NSW) , the start of four straight wins in the 250cc class.

1981

Jeff Leisk wins his first senior championship on a 125cc machine at Simmons Plains in Tasmania, having won back-to-back Restricted License Holder titles in 1979-80.

1983

Glen Bell wins his first championship in the 125cc class at Acusa Park in South Australia.

1986

Craig Dack wins his first championship in the 500cc class at Barleigh Ranch in Newcastle, NSW.

1988

Jeff Leisk returns from Europe to win all three classes at Mackay in Queensland – 125cc, 250cc and 500cc.

1990

The first time the Australian Championships were contested at separate events – 500cc at Kalgoorlie and 125/250cc classes at Noble Falls (WA) the following week.

1992

A multi-round championship across several states is introduced with Kim Ashkenazi doing it in style winning all three classes.

1993

Cameron Taylor wins his first championship in the 125cc class.

1997

K.T.M. and Craig Anderson both win their first championships

2001

A new format and new Pro Open class is introduced with championships only held for the Pro Open and 125cc Classes. Daryll King (NZ) was the inaugural Pro Open winner.

2002

A new Pro-Lite class is introduced, replacing the 125’s with Troy Dorron the first winner.

2006

An Australian Championship for women is introduced with Kiwi motocross star Emma Davis the inaugural winner.

2009

The Australian Sidecarcross Association stages the first championship, breaking away from Motorcycling Australia.

2010

Two-times Australian Champion and runner-up World Champion Andrew McFarlane (NSW) lost his life in May after crashing during a round of the MX Championships at Broadford in VIctoria.

2014

The championship format is changed again with the new MX1, MX2 and MXD classes replacing the Pro-Open and Pro-Lite classes.

2017

Three-times Australian Champion Peter “Reggie” Melton from Queensland lost his life on 1 November while riding on a local motocross track in Queensland.

2020

The championships are not held for the first time in the sport’s history due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.