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Australian Motocross Legend Ashkenazi

Photos: [Left] New South Wales rider Kim Ashkenzi on his 125cc Suzuki at the 1992 Motocross des Nations at Cosy Creek, Manjimup. [Top Right] Askenazi (30) with Australian team mates Jason Marshall (WA, 28 Kawasaki) and Dale Britton (WA, 29 Yamaha); and [Bottom right]; Britton, Marshall and Ashkenazi with Australian Team Manager and Australian Motocross Champion Stephen Gall (Photos by Peter Kitchingman)

Ashkenazi - Australia's most successful motocross rider in the nineties

Kim Ashkenazi from New South Wales was the standout Australian rider in the 1990-2000s, winning seven National Motocross Championships.

In 1992, riding a Suzuki, he won all classes – 125, 250 and 500s – joining legends Gary Flood (VIC) and Jeff Leisk (WA) as the only other riders to achieve this feat in the history of the sport.

But Ashkenazi’s effort was even more amazing! Where Flood and Leisk made a clean sweep when the National titles were staged on a single day, he won when the Championships moved to a three-round series across the country – WA, SA and NSW.

For his efforts he was rewarded with selection in the Australia Team for the World Motocross des Nations (MXDN’s) the year it was held at Cosy Creek, Manjimup in WA.

In his first international meeting, he finished ninth overall in the 125cc class, going on to represent Australia at the MXDNs five years in a row.

Between 1993 and 1995, Ashkenazi switched from Suzuki to the Peter Jackson Yamaha Team, winning three more Australian titles – the 500cc class in 1993 and back-to-back 250cc Championships in 1994-95, taking his tally to six titles.

After competing at the 1994 San Diego Supercross in America, Ashkenazi returned to the US for a complete season in 1996, contesting the 125 AMA Series on a Honda, where he twice finished on the winner’s podium.

After winning his seventh and final Australian Championship in 2000 aboard a 125cc Kawasaki, Ashkenazi moved to the United Kingdom, where he won the 2001 British 125cc Supercross Championship and finished second in the first round of the 2003 British Supercross Championship.

Later that year in 2003, he switched to road racing and finished 16th overall in the British Supersport Championship, with his best finishes that season being a 5th place and two 9th places.

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Where it all began for Ashkenazi

Kim Ashkenazi grew up in New South Wales and was introduced to the sport of motocross at an early age through his father Steve, who was Australian Motocross Legend Stephen Gall’s mechanic when he won four Mr Motocross Championships in the late seventies – early eighties.

Kim won several Australian and NSW State Junior Motocross Championships and, after John Warrien from Silkolene sponsored him in 1990, the thought of becoming a professional motocross rider first entered his mind.

Later that year he moved up into seniors and contested the Queensland Motocross Championship and all the Supercross events run by promoter John Fenton.

Photo: Yamaha rider Stephen Gall won his four Mr MX titles with Steve Ashkenazi his mechanic, Kim’s father

Kim Ashkenazi switch from Suzuki to the Marlborough Yamaha Team in 1993

Seven-times Australian Champion

Ashkenazi continued to improve, storming into the National motocross scene like Victorian rider Gary Flood did at the 1969 Australian Championships at the Saint Leonards Circuit in Devonport (Tasmania) when he won all classes, to achieve the same feat.

But Ashkenazi’s wins were even more impressive as he won the 125 and 250cc classes, which were part of a series across the country, then the 500cc class at Mount Kembla in New South Wales.

He was however, fortunate to win the 500cc class, as Lee Hogan was the fastest rider on the day and was leading the final moto, after winning the first two, but got a puncture.

Although Ashkenazi loved his Suzuki, due to what he described as “a bad relationship between his father Steve and Suzuki Australia”, he took a pay cut and moved to the Peter Jackson Yamaha Team in 1993, which was run by Australian Motocross Legend Craig Dack.

That year Ashkenazi retained his 500cc crown and finished second to Victorian Lee Hogan in the 250cc class. Then in 1994 and 1995 he won back-to-back 250cc National titles riding a Yamaha, notching up his sixth Australian title.

After moving to the United States in 1996 to contest the 125cc AMA Series, Ashkenazi chalked up his seventh and final Australian Championship in 2000 aboard a 125cc Kawasaki.

Ashkenazi's International motocross career

Kim Ashkenzi’s international motocross career began in 1992 when he was selected in the Australian for the 1992 Motocross des Nations at Manjmup (WA), the first ever MXDNs in the southern hemisphere and only the second outside Europe with the US hosting the 1987 event at Unadilla.

That year he rode in the 125cc class and joined Western Australians Dale Britton (250) and Jason Marshall (500), after Craig Dack injured his wrist in a fall.

Australia finished a creditable sixth overall, with Ashkenazi finishing 9th overall in the 125cc class. He then went on to represent Australia five years in a row at the MXDN’s through to 1996, finishing for the second time in the top 10 at Sverepec, Slovakia in the 250 class in 1995.

In 1996, Ashkenazi moved to the United States, where he contested the 125 AMA Series, riding a Honda.

Twice in this series he finished on the winner’s podium, finishing second at Gatorback Cycle Park on 3 March and at the High Point Raceway on 26 May.

Riding for the Bill’s Pipes Primal Impulse Honda Team with American Shaun Kalos, he also finished third in the AMA 125cc Supercross Championship.

After returning to Australia and winning his seventh and final Australian Championship in 2000, Ashkenazi moved to the United Kingdom.

After switching to road racing later that year, Ashkenazi took up motocross again in 2009 when he moved back to Australia and made a return to racing in the New South Wales Motocross Championships.