Australian Motocross Championship List Unlimited Sidecar Class

Seven-times Australian Unlimited Sidecar Champion John Robinson with Brian Anthony. Robinson’s career spans over 40 years, winning his first championship in 1993 and competing in more than 40 International and Grand Prix Events between 1989 to 2016 (Photo: Paul Hargans)

The most successful Unlimited Sidecar teams in the history of the Australian Motocross Championships

1953 to 1990

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 10 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 the Australian Motocross and Sidecarcross Champions and have updated the Most Successful Racer’s List from the very first Australian Championship in 1953 up to today.

This page features the results for the Unlimited Sidecars class, which was first held in 1953 and continues today, now through the Australian Sidecarcross Association (ASA).

The first ASA run Australian Sidecarcross Championship was run in 2009.

Championships still continue at times under Motorcycling Australia, but not each year like in the past.

For the purpose of this exercise, points have been included from both the Motorcycling Australia and Australian Sidecar Association national championships.

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

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The most successful Unlimited
Sidecar teams

Seven- times Australian Unlimited Sidecar Champion John Robinson with Adrian Rohrlach in action.

1st
John Robinson (SA)
Passengers – Simon Chapman, Dave Oliver, Adrian Rohrlach, Brian Anthony
29 points

2nd
Trevor Anthony (VIC)
Passengers – Mark Weir, Troy Grabham, Dirk Krommenhoek
25 points

3rd
Murray Williams (SA)
Passengers – Herb Castle, Des Rettig, Wayne Kearvell, Michael Trevena,
R. Courteney
21 points

4th
Greg Anthony (VIC)
Passengers – Andrew Hughes, Neal Anthony
16 points

5th
Barry Buckley (SA)
Passengers – Randy Harris, Chris Harris, Russell Elmi, David Ahola
14 points

6th
Ken Adams (VIC)
Passenger – Dennis Cook
11 points

7th
Bernard Mueller (VIC)
Passenger – Robert Duke
9 points

Equal 8th
David Wells (SA)
Passengers – Geoffrey Graetz, Trevor Thompson

Russell Bergmeier (VIC)
Passenger – Lester Trewin

Darren Williams (SA)
Passenger – Mark Kendall
8 points

Equal 11th
Brian Stewart (VIC)
Passenger – Kim Demarte

John Delima (VIC)
Passenger – Jim Colligan

Stephen Smith (VIC)
Passengers – Clarrie Jones, Jim Colligan, Terry Smith

Darren Robertson (VIC)
Passengers: Darryl Elliot, Andrew Turton
7 points

15th
Phillip Franklin (SA)
Passengers – P. Juscharski , Peter Menz, B.Wigzell
6 points

Equal 16th
Bill Williams (VIC)
Passenger – Bruce Lindsell

Ken Riley (VIC)
Passenger – Alan Goodall
5 points

Equal 18th
Michael Thompson
Passenger – Mark Thompson

Robert McDonough (VIC)
Passenger – B Stent

Stan Smith (WA)
Passengers – Murray Newton, Barry Kennington, Ivan Hughes

Walter Preisig (VIC)
Passenger – Don Stewart
4 points

South Australian sidecar legends Barry Buckley-Chris Harris (fifth overall) hold of David Wells-Geoff Graetz (eighth overall) pictured here in the 1977 Australian titles at Acusa Park , SA

Ken Adams – Dennis Cook from Victoria won both Australian Junior and Unlimited Sidecar Championships in Tasmania in 1969. They finished sixth overall in this class

1975 Australian Unlimited Sidecar champions Stephen Smith and Jim Colligan (VIC) finished equal tenth overall in this class. Smith was the Australian WASP chassis importer

Riders to win the most Unlimited Sidecar Championships

Both John Robinson (7, SA) and Trevor Anthony (19, VIC) have each won seven Australian Unlimited Sidecar Championships

John Robinson (SA)
Passengers – S.Chapman, D.Oliver, A.Rohrlach, B.Anthony, 7

Trevor Anthony (VIC)
Passengers – M.Weir, T.Grabham, D.Krommenhoek, C.Grabham, B.Anthony, 7

Murray Williams (SA)
Passengers – H.Castle, D.Rettig, W.Kearvell, 5

Ken Adams (VIC)
Passenger – D. Cook, 3

Riders to win successive Unlimited Sidecar Championships

Ken Adams (VIC,1966-67)
Passenger – Dennis Cook

Murray Williams (SA,1971-’72,’73,’74)
Passengers – Des Rettig (’71), Wayne Kearvell

Barry Buckley (SA,1977-78)
Passengers – Chris Harris, Russell Elmi

Russell Bergmeier (VIC,1981-82)
Passenger – Lester Trewin

Brian Stewart (VIC,1983-’84)
Passenger – Kim Demarte

Darren Williams (SA,1985-’86)
Passenger – Mark Kendle

Trevor Anthony (VIC,1990-’91,’92)
Passengers – Mark Weir (’90), Troy Grabham

Trevor Anthony (VIC,1994-’95)
Passengers – Troy Grabham (’94), Dirk Krommenhoek

The most successful Unlimited Sidecar passengers

Passenger Brian Anthony from Victoria won three Australian Unlimited Sidecar Championships (One with Trevor Anthony in 2008 and two with John Robinson in 2013 and 2017). He was the highest points scorer on 14 .

1st
Brian Anthony
Riders: Trevor Anthony, John Robinson
14 points

Equal 2nd
Neale Anthony
Rider : Greg Anthony

Wayne Kearvell
Riders: Alf Goodwin, Murray Williams
12 points

Equal 4th
Dennis Cook
Rider: Ken Adams

Troy Grabham
Riders: Trevor Anthony, Steven Fox
11 points

6th
Robert Duke
Rider: Bernard Mueller
9 points

Equal 7th
Adrian Rohrlach
Rider: John Robinson

Lester Trewin
Rider: Russell Bergmeier

Mark Kendle
Rider: Darren Williams

Jim Colligan
Riders: John Delima, Stephen Smith

David Oliver
Riders; John Robinson, Terry Gunter
8 Points

Phillip Franklin-B.Wigzell (SA) lead Barry Buckley-Russell Elmi (SA). Franklin was overall equal 13th in the Australian Unlimited Sidecar class and won the 1980 Unlimited Sidecar Championship at Dargle (NSW)

Australian Unlimited Sidecar Champions Russell Bergmeier- Lester Trewin (VIC) pictured here at Dargle (NSW) in 1980, won successive titles in 1981 (Simmons Plains, TAS) and in 1982 (Toowomba, QLD)

Darren Williams-Mark Kendle (SA) pictured here at Noble Falls in 1985 were overall equal 13th in the Australian Unlimited Sidecar class. They won successive titles in 1985-86 (Barleigh Ranch, Newcastle – NSW) (Photo: Peter Kitchingman)

Australian Unlimited Sidecar
Champions

South Australian Sidecar ace Murray Williams won four Australian Unlimited Sidecar Championships in succession, between 1971 (with Des Rettig) and 1972-74 (with Wayne Kearvell). Williams won nine Junior and Unlimited Championships combined – the most of any rider, including the solos.

1953 Ken Riley – Alan Goodall (VIC)
1954 Bill Butler (SA)
1955 Class not held
1956 Rex Wilson (SA)
1957 Ron Johnson (QLD)
1958 Lionel Bauers – Ray Wilson (VIC)
1959 Charlie May (VIC)
1960 Alf Highland (VIC)
1961-62 Class not held
1963 Max Annear – Colin Motteram (WA)
1964 Athol Patterson – P. Norton (VIC)
1965 Stan Smith – Barry Kennington (WA)
1966 Ken Adams – Dennis Cook (VIC)
1967 Ken Adams – Dennis Cook (VIC)
1968 Murray Williams – Herb Castle (SA)
1969 Ken Adams – Dennis Cook (VIC)
1970 Alf Goodwin – Wayne Kearvell (SA)
1971 Murray Williams – Des Rettig (SA)
1972 Murray Williams – Wayne Kearvell (SA)
1973 Murray Williams – Wayne Kearvell (SA)
1974 Murray Williams – Wayne Kearvell (SA)
1975 Stephen Smith – Jim Colligan (VIC)
1976 John Delima – K. Heres (VIC)
1977 Barry Buckley – Chris Harris (SA)
1978 Barry Buckley – Russell Elmi (SA)
1979 David Wells – Trevor Thompson (SA)
1980 Phillip Franklin – B.Wigzell (SA)
1981 Russell Bergmeier – Lester Trewin (VIC)
1982 Russell Bergmeier – Lester Trewin (VIC)

1983 Brian Stewart – Kim Demarte (VIC)
1984 Brian Stewart – Kim Demarte (VIC)
1985 Darren Williams – Mark Kendle (SA)
1986 Darren Williams – Mark Kendall (SA)
1987 Bill Williams – Bruce Lindsell (VIC)
1988 Bernard Mueller – Robert Duke (VIC)
1989 Darren Robertson – Darryl Elliott (VIC)
1990 Trevor Anthony – Mark Weir (VIC)
1991 Trevor Anthony – Troy Grabham (VIC)
1992 Trevor Anthony – Troy Grabham (VIC)
1993 John Robinson – Simon Chapman (SA)
1994 Trevor Anthony – Troy Grabham (VIC)
1995 Trevor Anthony – Dirk Krommenhoek (VIC)
1996 John Robinson – David Oliver (SA)
1997 Michael Thompson – Mark Thompson
1998 Trevor Anthony – Clint Grabham (VIC)
1999-06 Class not held
2007 John Robinson – David Oliver (VIC)
2008 Trevor Anthony – Brian Anthony (VIC)
2009 John Robinson – Adrian Rohrlach (SA)
2010 Greg Anthony – Neale Anthony (VIC)
2011 John Robinson – Adrian Rohrlach (SA)
2012 Shane Schiller – Stephen Doecke (SA)
2013 John Robinson – Brian Anthony (SA)
2014 Greg Anthony – Neale Anthony (VIC)
2015-16 Class not held
2017 John Robinson – Brian Anthony (SA)
2018-20 Class not held

The most successful Australian Unlimited Sidecar Champions
(by State)

Stan Smith and Barry Kennington were WA’s highest point scorers in the Australian Unlimited Sidecar class. They won both the Junior and Unlimited classes in 1965 on an Arial. This machine is on display at the Whiteman Park Motor Museum in WA.

SA
1. John Robinson, 29
Passengers – Simon Chapman, Dave Oliver, Adrian Rohrlach, Brian Anthony

2. Murray Williams, 21
Passengers – Herb Castle, Des Rettig, Wayne Kearvell, Michael Trevena, R. Courteney

3. Barry Buckley, 12
Passengers – Randy Harris, Chris Harris, Russell Elmi, David Ahola

VIC

Trevor Anthony, 25
Passengers – Mark Weir, Troy Grabham, Dirk Krommenhoek
Greg Anthony, 15
Passenger – Andrew Hughes
Ken Adams, 11
Passenger – Dennis Cook

WA
1. Stan Smith, 4
Passengers – Murray Newton, Barry Kennington

2. Cliff Cook, 3
Passenger – John Steyntjes

Max Annear, 3
Passenger – Colin Motteram

QLD
1. Mark Standage, 2
Passenger – Craig Standage

Ron Johnson, 2

A.Hill, 2
Passenger – A. McNaught

NSW
1. J. Riley, 2
K. Linnett, 2

Videos - Australian Unlimited Sidecar Championships

1981 – Australian Unlimited Sidecar Championship Symmons Plains, Tasmania

1982 – Australian Unlimited Championship Echo Valley, Toowoomba, Queensland

1985 – Australian Motocross Championship Television Special from Noble Falls, WA

1985 – Australian Unlimited Sidecar Championship Noble Falls, WA

2011 – Australian Sidecar Championship promotion at Horsham, Victoria

More Australian Championship results and photos

Click on the link to the right to view

The complete Australian Motocross Champions List

Photo: David Wells-Trevor Thompson (SA) lead Barry Buckley-Russell Elmi (SA) in the 1979 Australian Unlimited Sidecar Championships at Wanneroo, WA (Photo: Peter Kitchingman)