It’s hard to believe, but on 3 September 1961 New South Wales rider Ray Dole created history winning the 125cc Australian Motocross Championship on a bike powered by a Victa lawnmower engine.

That year, the Australian Championships were held at the Moorebank circuit, near Sydney (NSW). The weather was perfect and a full front-page promo in the Mirror newspaper (Saturday Supplement) saw a record crowd attend.

Ray Dole, the newly crowned NSW 125 champion, won the first leg after stalking leader Charlie Edwards until the last lap on his Victa bantam bike (nicknamed the Dole Special).

In the second round Dole rode to an uncontested win to record the highest points on the day ahead of Edwards (NSW) and Len McEnroe (VIC).

Television entertainer Bobby Limb was the guest starter this day and presented the prizes.

Dole created further history in 1964 when he won his third NSW 125 title on the same bike.