On 7 September 1979, Shane Kirkpatrick won the Australian 125cc Championship at Wanneroo in Western Australia on a countback.

The Husqvarna rider, from Bunbury in the South West of WA, tied with Stephen Gall (NSW, Yamaha) with both riders winning a leg each. But Kirkpatrick was awarded victory for his win and fastest time in the first leg. Another local rider Max Stipanicev finished third overall on a Honda.

Kirkpatrick was actually riding under an injury cloud that day, defying doctor’s orders to compete. For Gall, it was now three Championship attempts in a row with an Australian title still eluding him despite being one of Australia’s fastest motocross racers over four years.

At the time Gall had already clinched his first of four Mr Motocross titles, winning his first in 1978 and placing three other times – third in ’76 and second in ’77 and ’79.

In the Australian Championships, Gall had now placed three times in three years.

In 1977 he finished third in the 250cc Championship at Acusa Park in Adelaide (SA) and in 1978 he was the Runner-up 250cc and 500cc Champion at Broadford (VIC), behind Swedish rider Pelle Grandquist. The Swede retained both of these titles in 1979 to be the stand-our rider at Wanneroo.

But Gall finally broke through in 1980 in his home State to win both the 250cc and Unlimited Australian Championships at Dargle, also clinching his second Mr Motocross title that year.