Australian Supercross Champion Craig Dack

Photo: [left] Australia’s inaugural National Supercross Champion (1990) Craig Dack in action in 1989, and [right] a young Craig Dack at the 1983 International Supercross at Fremantle Oval in Fremantle, Western Australia (By Peter Kitchingman)

Craig Dack creates history to become our first Australian Supercross Champion

Craig Dack from New South Wales dominated the Australian Motocross scene from the mid-1980s winning five National Motocross Championships and four consecutive Mr. Motocross series, including the last one in 1990.

Given his accomplishments in outdoor motocross, it was fitting that he was able to create history to become this country’s first official National Supercross Champion, after Motorcycling Australia sanctioned a brand new series in 1990 with rounds held in large indoor stadiums across the country, including in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

That year, Dack also won the Moomba Supercross at Calder Park in Melbourne, Victoria – one of Australia’s biggest ever international supercross events. Thousands of fans attended this spectacular outdoor event with $40,000 prize money on offer, with Dack collecting $15,000 for his big win in the 20 lap final.

A year earlier – while Dack was in Europe contesting the 250cc World and British Motocross Championships in Europe – the prestigious Australian Supercross Masters became a National series with Dack’s arch-rival Glen Bell winning the inaugural series.

"dack attack" wins BACK-to-back NATIONAL Sx championships

The pair were now battling for supremacy both outdoors and indoors, with Dack winning back-to-back National Supercross Championships in 1990 – 1991 and the final ever Mr. MX series in 1990 (his fourth).

It could have been five in a row, but Mr. MX was not held in 1989, which was a contributing factor to Dack racing overseas that year.

With the 1990 Mr. MX being the final swansong for this prestigious series, Empire Promotions (who leased the Mr. MX name from Vincent Tesoriero to resurrect the series) ran the National Supercross Championships for its first three years, with Motorcycling Australia awarding the Supercross Masters National Championship status in 1993.

At the end of 1992, after an injury-plagued year, “Dack Attack” announced his retirement and his final ride was at the outdoor Sydney supercross meeting, a week after the final round of the National Motocross Championships.

Dack’s motocross racing career coincided with the supercross boom in the 1980s, with Dack racing from the age of 15 in juniors to battling it out with Australia’s top riders and visiting international supercross racers, competing professionally between 1982 and 1992.

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Dack - from motocross racer to team manager

In 1993, Dack established the CDR Yamaha Racing Team, which went on to become the longest-running and most successful racing outfit in Australia – and is still running today.

As team owner/manager of CDR Yamaha, Dack has assisted many riders to victory, including a record breaking six national titles in 1998 – with Craig Anderson winning five from five (Australian 250cc Supercross and Motocross Championships, Supercross Masters, Thumper Nationals Pro 650cc class and Pro Outright), and Daryl Hurley winning the Thumper Nationals Pro 400 class.

Australia’s hottest sensation Chad Reed won the 2000 Australian 250cc Championship under Dack – launching Reed’s assault on the United States in the Yamaha of Troy team, becoming the AMA Eastern Regional Supercross Champion in his first season on the US circuit.

Jay Marmont was another rider to shine under Dack. Switching to Yamaha and joining the CDR Yamaha team in 2008, Marmont netted three consecutive National motocross championships (2008 – 2010) in the premier MX1 division, as well as winning another two Australian Supercross championships in this period.

Photo: Legends Craig Dack (right) and Stephen Gall (left) in 2010, celebrating Jay Marmont’s third consecutive National MX1 title with the CDR Yamaha team.

Photo gallery

Photos: [left] The “Dack Attack” Craig Dack with Australia’s Top Supercross racers at the 1984 Fremantle Supercross (left to right] – Glen Bell “Wally” standing, the late Marty Moates, Robert Scott, Trevor Williams, Vaughan Style, Jeff Leisk; kneeling – Dack, Robin Rhodes, Stephen Gall; Jim Ellis and seated – Ray Vandenberg (By courtesy ADB and Peter Kitchingman); [centre and right] racing supercross in the early 1990s with the Yamaha Marlboro Team.