AMXhistory Facebook Page
AMXhistory You Tube Channel
AMXhistory Vimeo Library, featuring all videos on this site
Australian Motocross Championship List 500cc Class
Victorian rider Trevor Williams won three Australian 500cc Motocross titles in 1980, ’83 & ’85 and throughout the history of this class scored more podiums and points than any other rider, all on Kawasaki’s.
Most pictures on this page kindly supplied by photographer Peter Kitchingman
The most successful 500cc racers in the history of the Australian Motocross Championships
1953 to 2000
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 20 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.
Disclaimer
Although all winners in the 500cc class are now known and published, there are still some holes in the minor results for this class.
So these results are based on the information we have to date.
If you can fill in any gaps in the placings, 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
SUBSCRIBE HERE
To receive FREE Australian Motocross Championship list updates, eNews and new video releases, plus updated Australian Motocross Champions posters.
Top 20
Most successful 500cc racers
Trevor Williams won three 500cc Australian Championships and was the Nation’s most successful racer in this class.
1st
Trevor Williams (VIC)
16 points
2nd
Ray Fisher (VIC)
14 points
3rd
Glen Bell (NSW)
12 points
4th
Craig Dack (NSW)
10 points
5th
Gary Flood (VIC)
8 points
Equal 6th
Charlie West (WA)
Pelle Granquist (Sweden)
Jeff Leisk (WA)
Kim Ashkenazi (NSW)
Lee Hogan (VIC)
Peter Melton (QLD)
Trevor Flood (VIC)
6 points
Equal 13th
David Basham (SA)
Graeme Smythe (WA)
Jamie Cunningham (NSW)
Jimmy Ellis (USA)
5 points
Equal 17th
Anthony Gunter (NSW)
Eddie Warren (USA)
Ian Cunningham (NSW)
John Mapperson (VIC)
Les Fisher (NSW)
Steve Cramer (VIC)
4 points
Ray Fisher (VIC) finished second overall in the 500cc class and won four Australian Motocross Championships (1959, 1965, 1966, 1967)
New South Wales rider Glen Bell was the third highest points scorer in the 500cc class, winning two Australian 500cc Championships
The “Dack Attack” Craig Dack won successive Australian 500cc Championships in 1986 and 1987 and was fourth overall in the points
Riders to win the most 500cc Championships
Ray Fisher (VIC) 4
Trevor Williams (VIC) 3
Glen Bell (NSW) 2
Craig Dack (NSW) 2
Gary Flood (VIC) 2
Jeff Leisk (WA) 2
Kim Ashkenazi (NSW) 2
Pelle Granquist (Sweden) 2
Peter Melton (QLD) 2
Trevor Flood (VIC) 2
Riders to win successive 500cc Championships
Ray Fisher 1965-66-67
Trevor Flood 1972-73
Pelle Granquist 1978-79
Craig Dack 1986-87
Glen Bell 1990-91
Kim Ashkenazi 1992-93
Peter Melton 1999-2000
Gary Flood (VIC) finished fifth overall in the 500cc Australian Motocross Championships, winning this class in 1969 and 1974
Victorian rider Trevor Flood joined his brother Gary with two 500cc Australian Championships, winning successive titles in 1972 and 1973
Jeff Leisk (WA) won two Australian 500cc Championships six years apart in Queensland – 1982 in Toowooma and 1988 in Mackay
Australian 500cc
Motocross Champions
Swedish rider Pelle Granquist won successive 500cc (and 250cc) Australian Championships at the 1978 and 1979 events at Broadford (VIC) and Wanneroo (WA). Photo by: Peter Kitchingman
1954 Charlie May (VIC)
1955 Ron Edwards (WA)
1956 George Bailey (VIC)
1957 Class not held
1958 Jim Silvy (SA)
1959 Ray Fisher (VIC)
1960 Ken Rumble (VIC)
1961 Les Fisher (NSW)
1962 Alan Nicol (WA)
1963 Bob O’Leary (WA)
1964 Geoff Taylor (VIC)
1965 Ray Fisher (VIC)
1966 Ray Fisher (VIC)
1967 Ray Fisher (VIC)
1968 David Basham (SA)
1969 Gary Flood (VIC)
1970 Michael Groom (SA)
1971 Ivan Miller (NZ)
1972 Trevor Flood (VIC)
1973 Trevor Flood (VIC)
1974 Gary Flood (VIC)
1975 Steve Cramer (VIC)
1976 Geoff Worrell (NSW)
1977 Graeme Smythe (WA)
1978 Pelle Granquist (Sweden)
1979 Pelle Granquist (Sweden)
1980 Trevor Williams (VIC)
1981 Anthony Gunter (NSW)
1982 Jeff Leisk (WA)
1983 Trevor Williams (VIC)
1984 Jimmy Ellis (USA)
1985 Trevor Williams (VIC)
1986 Craig Dack (NSW)
1987 Craig Dack (NSW)
1988 Jeff Leisk (WA)
1989 Eddie Warren (USA)
1990 Glen Bell (NSW)
1991 Glen Bell (NSW)
1992 Kim Ashkenazi (NSW)
1993 Kim Ashkenazi (NSW)
1994 Lee Hogan (VIC)
1995 Steven Andrew (VIC)
1996 Shane Watts (VIC)
1997 Ian Cunningham (NSW)
1998 Jamie Cunningham (NSW)
1999 Peter Melton (QLD)
2000 Peter Melton (QLD)
Videos
Australian 500cc
Championships
1971 – 500cc Australian Championship Clarendon, South Australia
1978 – 500cc Australian Championship Broadford, Victoria
1981 – 500cc Australian Championship Symmons Plains, Tasmania
1982 -125cc Australian Championship Echo Valley, Toowoomba, Queensland
1985 – Australian Motocross Championships TV special – Noble Falls, WA
The most successful 500cc racers
(by State)
Jeff Leisk was WA’s equal highest overall point scorer in the 500cc class (with Charlie West), winning a Championship in this class at Toowoomba (QLD) in 1982 at just 17 years of age.
VIC
1. Trevor Williams, 16 points
2. Ray Fisher, 14
3. Gary Flood, 8
NSW
1. Glen Bell, 12
2. Craig Dack, 10
3. Kim Ashkenazi, 6
WA
1. Jeff Leisk, 6
2. Charlie West, 6
3. Graeme Smythe, 5
QLD
1. Peter Melton, 6
2. James Deakin, 3
3. Andrew Bailey, 2
Clarry Stewart, 2
SA
1. David Basham, 5
2. Jim Silvy, 3
3. Michael Groom, 3
TAS
1. H. Morice, 1
500cc Homegrown Hero stories
500cc Timeline
1953
Victorian rider Ken Rumble win the first 500cc title at the inaugural Australian Motocross Championships at Korweinguboora in Daylesford, Victoria.
1959
Victorian rider Ray Fisher wins his first championship in the 500cc class on a B.S.A. machine at Royal Park, Adelaide.
1962
B.S.A.’s last 500cc win with Alan Nicol (WA) winning this Championship at the Rope Works circuit in Mosman Park, Perth in Western Australia.
1967
Ray Fisher wins his third 500cc Championship in succession at the Mt. Kembla circuit in Woolongong, New South Wales.
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.
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.
1970
Husqvarna’s first championship win with Michael Groom (SA) at Tivoli Park, Ipswich in Queensland.
1973
Yamaha’s first championship win with Trevor Flood at Foster Park, Mulbring in New South Wales. Flood also wins successive 500cc championships.
1973
Victorian Maico rider Jack Pengelly was the Australian Champion for a week, after Trevor Flood was disqualified for changing engines in between motos. This decision was later reversed.
1975
Victoria rider Steve Cramer (Yamaha) is the only Australian to win a championship with the 500cc class the only one not contested by World Champion Gaston Rahier.
1976
Suzuki’s first win in the premier 500cc class with Geoff Worrell winning at Tivoli, Ipswich in Queensland. World Champion Gaston Rahier didn’t contest this class in 1975.
1979
Swedish rider Pelle Granquist wins successive 500cc Championships – winning this class at Wanneroo in Western Australia. He also repeated this feat in the 250s.
1980
Kawasaki’s first win in the 500cc Championship with Trevor Williams winning his first Australian title at Dargle in New South Wales.
1982
Jeff Leisk wins the premier 500cc machine on a Yamaha at Echo Valley, Toowoomba in Queensland at just 17 years of age.
1986
Honda’s first win in the 500cc Championship with Craig Dack winning both the 250cc and 500cc classes at Barleigh Ranch, Newcastle in New South Wales
1987
Craig Dack wins successive 500cc Championships – winning this class at Smithton in Tasmania.
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.
1991
Glen Bell wins successive 500cc Championships – winning this class at Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
1992
A multi-round championship across several states is introduced with Kim Ashkenazi doing it in style winning all three classes.
1993
Suzuki rider Kim Ashkenazi from New South Wales wins successive 500cc Championships.
2000
Peter Melton (QLD) wins successive 500cc Championships on a Kawasaki. This victory sees Kawasaki tie with Yamaha for the lead on the Manufacturers Championship – Melton’s earlier team.
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.
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.
More Australian Championship results and photos
Click on the links to the right to view
Number of 500cc Championship wins by manufacturer
1. Kawasaki 10 wins
Yamaha, 10
3. Husqvarna, 6
4. Honda, 5
BSA
Matchless
Photo: The late Peter Melton’s successive 500cc Australian Championships in 1999 and 2000 on a Kawasaki escalated Kawasaki to equal top of the leaderboard – ironically with his old team Yamaha – with both finishing on 10 wins
Other Australian Champions (by class)
Click on the photos below to view the Australian Champions list for all classes
