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Two World Champs contest Fremantle Supercross
Photos: [Clockwise, starting top] 1982 World 250cc Motocross Champion Danny La Porte (US) leads local hero Jeff Leisk (WA); Trevor Williams wins the start ahead of Hakan Carlqvist and Paul Hunt; Newly crowned Mr. Motocross Ray Vandenberg at Fremantle; Junior Scott Stanes in action; and the line-up of top riders – See names below (By Peter Kitchingman)
Top photo: [L-R] Stephen Gall (3-NSW), Roger Harvey (R-UK), Trevor Williams (2-Vic), Jeff Leisk (1-WA), Glen Bell (5-NSW), Vaughan Style, (4- NSW), Geoff Ballard, (7-QLD), Hakan Carlqvist (C -Sweden), Craig Dack (6-NSW), Robert Bailey (10-NSW), Danny La Porte (D-USA), Paul Hunt (P-UK) and Marty Moates (M-USA)
American World Champion Danny La Porte wins 1983 international Fremantle Supercross
On 5 November 1983, one of the strongest line-ups of motocross riders competed at the 1983 Fremantle Supercross in Fremantle, Western Australia.
The riders included reigning World 500cc Motocross Champion (the late Hakan Carlqvist, Sweden) and 1982 250cc World Champion (Danny La Porte), both factory Yamaha riders.
British champions Yamaha Team rider Roger Harvey (UK) and Paul Hunt (Honda) were part of the international contingent, which included US legend – the late Marty Moates (Suzuki), who ended up staying down under along with fellow countryman Jim Ellis.
As well, the cream of Australian motocross champions were there – Jeff Leisk (WA Honda), Stephen Gall (NSW, Yamaha), Craig Dack (NSW Yamaha), Glen Bell (NSW Honda), Vaughan Style (NSW, Honda), Trevor Williams (Vic, Kawasaki), Ray Vandenberg (Vic, Suzuki – reigning Mr. Motocross) and Australian Supercross sensation Robert “Beatle” Bailey (NSW, Suzuki).
Check out the top motocross riders in Peter Kitchingman’s great panoramic pre-race photo below.
American Danny La Porte won the Fremantle Supercross, along with the other supercross events on the 1983 international tour down under, which included Penrith (NSW) a week earlier and Melbourne (VIC) on 19 November.
La Porte only lowered his colours in the opening motocross event at Broadford, Victoria on 23 October 1983, which was won Hakan Carlqvist.
The first Fremantle Supercross was run a year earlier on 23 October 1982, featuring European riders Pierre Karsmakers (The Netherlands), Leif Niklasson (Sweden) and USA hot shot Chuck Sun (Honda).
Sun, along with La Porte, Johnny O’Mara and Donnie Hanson, was part of the first American team to win the Motocross des Nations World Motocross Teams event on 5-6 September 1981 in Belgium.
The Fremantle Supercross was run by WA promoters – the late Kim Parsons and the late Bob Leisk – and ran through to the last event on 9 November 1985, before it moved to the indoor newly built Burswood Superdome.
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1983 Fremantle Supercross Photo Gallery
Photos: [Clockwise, starting left] Hakan Carlqvist (C -Sweden); Stephen Gall (3-NSW); Glen Bell (5-NSW); Roger Harvey (R-UK); Danny La Porte (D-USA) leads Carlqvist; and and Marty Moates (M-USA) – All photos by Peter Kitchingman.
