Australian Motocross History website

WORLD CHAMPIONS, 20,000 FANS & MOTOCROSS MAGIC AT MANJIMUP MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS

On this weekend, 34 years ago, more than 20,000 spectators witnessed one of the biggest and best motocross events ever held in Australia – the 1992 Motocross des Nations at Manjimup in Western Australia.

On 5-6 September 1992, Australia hosted the first ever World Teams event in the southern hemisphere at the Cosy Creek Circuit, home of the Manjimup 15000 and Manjimup Motor Cycle Club.

Here are some of the highlights and photos:

- Team USA’s domination continued with Jeff Emig (125 Yam), Mike LaRocco (250 Kaw) and Billy Liles (500 Hon) winning the event – the American’s 12th in a row
- The Belgiums – Stefan Everts (125 Suz), Marnicq Bervoets (250 Yam) and Georges Jobe (500) Hon – were second ahead of Great Britain – James Dobbs (125 Kaw), Rob Herring (250 Hon) and Kurt Nicoll (500 KTM)
- The highest scoring riders in each class were Jeff Emig (125, USA, 1-2), Bervoets (250, 1-1) and Nicoll (500, 3-1)
- Australia finished sixth overall with local riders Jason Marshall (500cc Kawasaki) and Dale Britton (250cc Yamaha) and Kim Ashkenazi (125cc Suzuki) finishing in the Top 10 in their races.
- Marshall finished a creditable fifth in the 500cc class after a sixth in the first moto and seventh in the second. Britton finished 8-6 in the 250s and Ashkenazi 10-9 in the 125s.
- French World Champion Jean-Michel Bayle competed – his last ride before switching to road racing - finishing second in the 500cc class behind Nicol, winning the first moto outright and finishing third in Moto 3, aboard a Honda.

Due to the success of the meeting, Australia was awarded the rights to host the 1993 World 125cc Motocross Grand Prix – again at Manjimup.

See full story, race results and race video: - https://amxhistory.com.au/motocross-des-nations-1992

AMX HISTORY in assoc. with HOLDEN ON TIGHT, preserving Australian motocross history. www.amxhistory.com.au

Photos: [Clockwise] Manjimup 1992 Motocross des Nations moto; The winning USA team - Jeff Emig, Billy Liles and Mike LaRocco; Australian riders Jason Marshall and Dale Britton; The start line; and Program cover (By Peter Kitchingman)

IVAN MILLER: THE INTERNATIONAL MOTOCROSS STAR WHO LEFT HIS MARK DOWN UNDER

AMX History today pays tribute to New Zealand motocross legend Ivan Miller, a formidable international competitor and regular visitor to Australia throughout the 1970s, who celebrates his birthday today.

Miller, who was born in 1949, first raced in Australia aged 18 years old, when he was part of the 1967/68 International Motocross Series that toured Australia and New Zealand.

He would become a regular fixture on the annual international tour, while also making his mark in the Australian Motocross Championships, competing on at least four occasions and collecting two Australian titles and two runner-up finishes and more podium finishes.

Miller’s greatest Australian championship success came in September 1971 at Clarendon, South Australia, where, riding a Husqvarna, he faced a star-studded international and Australian field. The internationals had arrived early for the next tour, with the lineup including Scotland’s Jim Aird, England’s Randy and Rowley Owen, Victorian champion Gary Flood and NSW star Laurie Alderton.

Miller was unstoppable at Clarendon, winning both the premier 500cc and Unlimited classes, finishing ahead of Randy Owen and Gary Flood. It was also a clean sweep for Husqvarna, with the Swedish marque dominating the podium. His Australian campaign continued in spectacular fashion, with Miller also winning the 1971/72 Australia-New Zealand International Motocross Series.

He then took his talents to Europe, enjoying considerable success in Britain. Miller finished third in the 1974 British Motocross Championship, before being selected for the British Team in 1975. That year he helped the British squad finish third in both the Motocross des Nations and Trophée des Nations, cementing his reputation as one of New Zealand’s leading international motocross racers.

Miller returned to Australia later in 1975 for the Australian Championships at South Arm Road, Sanford, Tasmania, on 16 November. It was another championship attracting a huge international contingent, including newly crowned World 125cc Champion Gaston Rahier, fellow Suzuki factory rider Gerard Camal, and competitors from England, Italy, Denmark and Sweden.

Now riding for Yamaha, Miller finished second in the 250cc class, behind Belgium’s Rahier but ahead of Camal. He also claimed third in the Unlimited class, behind Rahier and England’s Victor Allen on a Bultaco.

Miller remained a major force in Australian motocross into 1977, leading the prestigious Mr Motocross Series before a broken leg ended his championship challenge. Despite the injury, he still finished third overall.

Later that year, he produced another outstanding performance, finishing runner-up in the Australian Unlimited Motocross Championship behind the late Australian champion Anthony Gunter at Acusa Park, South Australia.

From New Zealand to Australia, Britain and the world stage, Ivan Miller was one of the outstanding motocross racers of his generation – a rider who repeatedly proved himself against the best international competition. Happy birthday, Ivan Miller – and thank you for the memories!



Cont…

View Miller’s full story - https://amxhistory.com.au/motocross-legend-miller

AMX HISTORY in assoc. with HOLDEN ON TIGHT, preserving Australian motocross history - www.amxhistory.com.au

Photos: New Zealand rider Ivan Miller (at Amaroo Park in New South Wales) led the 1977 Mr Motocross series in Australia until he broke his leg (By Peter Kitchingman)

AUSSIE RIDERS SPREAD ACROSS THREE GRAND PRIX EVENTS WITH LEISK CROWNED THE RUNNER-UP WORLD 500CC CHAMPION

On this weekend 37 years ago, Jeff Leisk created Australian motocross history at Wohlen, Switzerland, becoming the first Australian to stand on the podium of a World Motocross Championship.

On 27 August 1989, the Perth-born HRC Honda rider was crowned Runner-up World 500cc Motocross Champion, finishing behind British teammate Dave Thorpe and ahead of reigning World Champion Eric Geboers of Belgium.

And incredibly, while Leisk was battling for World Championship glory in Switzerland, two other Aussies were racing World Championship rounds in two different countries on the very same day.

Craig Dack contested the 250cc Belgian Grand Prix at Angreau, finishing an impressive 7th overall (5-10). Glen Bell, making a one-off World Championship appearance, lined up for the 125cc round at Ahun, France, finishing 8th overall (7-5).

Heading into the final 500cc round, Thorpe had already secured the World Championship. But behind him, Leisk, Geboers and British Kawasaki rider Kurt Nicol were locked in a tight battle for the remaining podium positions in the championship.

Thorpe finished the season in dominant fashion, taking both motos at Wohlen (1-1) to claim maximum points. Geboers' title hopes of finishing runner-up disappeared almost immediately when he crashed in the muddy opening moto and recorded a DNF. He could only salvage a handful of points in Moto 2.

Nicol finished fourth overall (4-4), but Leisk's 5th overall (9-3) was enough to secure second place in the championship.
Leisk had done it — Australia had its first World Motocross Championship podium finisher.

See story and results for 500cc Grand Prix – https://amxhistory.com.au/leisk-creates-history-at-muddy-swiss-motocross-grand-prix

AMX HISTORY in assoc. with HOLDEN ON TIGHT, preserving Australian motocross history. www.amxhistory.com.au

Photo: [Left to right] In 1989 Australians Jeff Leisk (500), Craig Dack (250) and Glen Bell (125) all contested the World Championships in Europe and represented their country in the Motocross of Nations in Gaildorf, Germany. Also featured is Australian team manager Stephen Gall.

AUSSIE BROTHERS, AMERICAN CROWN: LAWRENCES SET FOR EPIC SHOWDOWN THIS WEEKEND

Three years ago this weekend, at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Australian motocross sensation Jett Lawrence completed a remarkable 22-0 perfect season in the premier 450cc class, while his older brother Hunter wrapped up the 250cc championship.

This weekend, the Queensland brothers return to the same venue — but this time they will line up against each other with the AMA 450 Motocross Championship on the line. And it could hardly be closer.

After 10 rounds, Hunter holds a slender one-point advantage over his younger brother heading into the final round. With two motos remaining, the championship is essentially a winner-takes-all showdown between the two Australians.
Hunter has been outstanding in 2026, winning 12 motos, compared with Jett's eight, and he heads into the finale with plenty of momentum after sweeping both motos at Budds Creek last weekend.

If the brothers finish the championship level on points, Hunter will take the title on the countback, thanks to his superior number of moto victories.

Jett, meanwhile, has been forced to fight harder than usual this season after suffering a badly broken ankle while practicing before the championship began. The two-time defending 450 champion hasn't enjoyed the same level of dominance that has become his trademark, but his remarkable consistency and ability to fight back have kept him firmly in championship contention.

At Budds Creek, Jett endured another difficult start in the opening moto and eventually battled through to finish fifth. He responded strongly in Moto 2, charging forward to finish second and secure fourth overall. Remarkably, it was only the third time in 37 premier-class starts that Jett had failed to finish on the podium.

Starts have been a particular problem for the younger Lawrence in recent rounds — something he openly acknowledged following Budds Creek. And with his brother Hunter seemingly able to get away near the front virtually every time, getting off the gate well could be crucial at Ironman.

If both Lawrences can put themselves at the sharp end of the field in both motos, fans could be treated to one of the most fascinating championship finales in AMA Motocross history. And there is one certainty before the gates even drop. An Australian will be crowned AMA 450 Motocross Champion!

Will Jett Lawrence claim his third 450 championship, adding another chapter to his extraordinary rise through American motocross? Or will Hunter Lawrence finally capture his first premier-class AMA Motocross title after stepping up to the 450 class? Either way, Ironman Raceway is set to provide the perfect stage for an extraordinary Lawrence family showdown.

See Hunter’s story: https://amxhistory.com.au/motocross-legend-lawrence-hunter

See Jett's story: https://amxhistory.com.au/motocross-legend-lawrence-jett

AMX HISTORY in assoc. with HOLDEN ON TIGHT, preserving Australian motocross history. www.amxhistory.com.au

Photos: In 2023 Hunter and Jett Lawrence respectively won the AMA 250 and 450 Motocross Championships in the United States.

DACK CLAIMS FOURTH MR. MX CROWN IN GILLMAN (SA) AS GOLDEN ERA ENDS

On this day, 36 years ago, New South Wales rider Craig Dack joined another motocross legend Stephen Gall with four Mister Motocross (Mr. MX) titles, but he created his own piece of history at Gillman (SA) becoming the first and only rider to win four titles in a row (1986, ’87, ’88 and ’90).

Coincidently, in 1989 when Dack moved to Europe to compete in the World 250cc Motocross Championship, the Mr. MX series was abandoned.

With supercross events popping up everywhere, the focus was firmly towards the 250cc capacity bikes with Mr. MX losing its appeal from when the switch was made from the 500cc class in 1985. With the writing on the wall for Mr. MX, promoter Vince Tesoriero called it time and sold the series to Motocross Promotions Queensland, which was run by Jim Shone and John Fenton, who had been running excellent supercross events over the past four to five years.

With Dack finding the cold, wet and muddy European conditions difficult, he decided to return home and vie for his fourth Mr. MX title in 1990. Castrol came back on board as the major sponsor and a new format was also introduced with each round to be run over 3 x 25 minute + 1 lap races.

Dack convincingly won the first three rounds, virtually having the series wrapped up before the final - with Glen Bell, Lee Hogan and Stephen Andrew battling it out for the minor placings. At the final round in South Australia on 26 August 1990, Dack cruised home in 10th place in the first moto to with his fourth title

Sadly, the golden era of Mr. MX from 1974 to 1990 came to an end. Over the years, seven riders were crowned Mr. MX to become legends of the sport – Victorian brothers Trevor and Gary Flood, New South Wales riders Anthony Gunter and Stephen Gall; another Victorian Ray Vandenberg, Western Australian Jeff Leisk, with Craig Dack winning the final four.

The sport owes a lot to race promoter Vince Tesoriero, who packaged motocross racing in a way that it was presented to the public as a legitimate spectator sport attracting significant television coverage and raising the profile of motocross (and riders) right across the country.

For the first time, the national riders became household names across the country and for 16 glorious years - thousands of spectators flocked to the Mr. MX rounds to see their heroes in action.

Cont…

See Full 1990 Mr. MX report - https://amxhistory.com.au/mister-motocross-series-1990

See Mr. MX series history - https://amxhistory.com.au/mister-motocross-series-history-1974-to-1990

AMX HISTORY WEBSITE in assoc. with HOLDEN ON TIGHT https://amxhistory.com.au/

Photos: Mr. Motocross record holders from New South Wales – Stephen Gall (Left) and Craig Dack (Right) with four series wins apiece, with Dack winning four in a row between 1986 and 1990.

CHAD REED: THE FIRST AUSSIE TO WIN AN AMA MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

On this weekend 17 years ago, Australia’s Chad Reed made history, clinching the 2009 AMA Motocross Championship at Budds Creek Motocross Park in Mechanicsville, Maryland.

The Kurri Kurri, NSW, star sealed the championship on 22 August 2009 with two rounds — and four motos — still remaining, becoming the first Australian to win the prestigious US outdoor motocross crown.

Riding for Rockstar Makita Suzuki, the 27-year-old Reed added the title to an already impressive résumé that included two World Supercross Championships and two US Supercross Championships.
And he did it in style at Budds Creek, taking the overall victory with a 2-1 moto score, ahead of Davi Millsaps (1-6) and Ivan Tedesco (5-3). It was Reed’s fifth overall victory of the 2009 season.

Fellow Australian Michael Byrne also impressed, finishing sixth overall. After a tough start in the wet first moto, Byrne charged from around 15th to finish sixth, before backing it up with fifth in Moto 2.

Reed went on to finish the championship with 481 points, a commanding 93 points clear of Andrew Short (388) and Ivan Tedesco (376). Byrne finished an excellent fourth overall with 348 points.

And 2009 was far from finished for Reed. That year he was:
- AMA Athlete of the Year
- Monster Energy Triple Crown Motocross Champion
- Winner of the opening race at the Motocross des Nations in Italy
- Australian Supercross Champion.

From Kurri Kurri to the top of American motocross, Chad Reed had firmly established himself as one of Australia’s greatest motorcycle racing exports.



See Reed’s story – https://amxhistory.com.au/motocross-legend-reed

AMX HISTORY in assoc. with HOLDEN ON TIGHT, preserving Australian motocross history. www.amxhistory.com.au

Photo: Chad Reed proudly displays his No.1 plate for winning the 2009 450cc AMA Motocross Championship.

YOUNG, FAST AND FEARLESS: ANTHONY GOBERT CONQUERS THE AUSTRALIAN SUPERCROSS MASTERS

On this weekend, 34 years ago, a teenage Anthony Gobert announced himself as the new force in Australian Supercross.

On 21–22 August 1992, the 17-year-old NSW sensation from Oakdale won the final round of the Peter Jackson Supercross Masters Championship at Sydney Entertainment Centre — and with it, the prestigious national series.

Racing a 250cc Kawasaki, Gobert had blitzed the experienced opposition throughout the $150,000 series, breaking the stranglehold of established stars such as Glen Bell, Craig Dack and Eddie Warren.

He had led the championship from the opening round at Newcastle on January 11 and capped the series with a convincing victory in the 20-lap Sydney final, pocketing $8,000.

Veteran Australian motocross legend Craig Dack finished second, while American Shawn Khalis was third and the late Peter Melton fourth. Dack announced that weekend that 1992 would be his final
year of racing.

American Mike Jones, the 1989 FIM World Supercross Champion, suffered another dose of bad luck in Australia when front brake failure forced him out six laps into the final while battling Melton.
Gobert's championship victory was emphatic winning the 1992 Supercross Masters series on 128 points ahead of Craig Dack (72), Ben Perese (63), Peter Melton (58) and Troy Dorron (49).

The meeting was also missing two big names. Honda Australia's Glen Bell was sidelined with a broken hand suffered at the Queensland State Supercross Championship the previous weekend — an event Gobert also won.

Kim Ashkenazi was another notable absentee after crashing during a promotional shoot. Ashkenazi had made Australian motocross history that year by winning the 125cc, 250cc and 500cc Australian Motocross Championships.

There was plenty of future talent on show, too. Rising Central Coast star Craig Anderson won both the Junior 80cc and 125cc finals, while Yamaha riders Phil Sargent, Stan Burgin and Jamie Hardman filled the top three places in the Senior 125cc final.

At the time, motocross experts believed that Anthony Gobert would be the next Jeff Leisk! But before we knew it, he started chasing down a road racing career with the supercross prizemoney he earned helping him to finance his entry into this branch of the sport, which he also exceeded at.

See Gobert’s story – https://amxhistory.com.au/australian-supercross-champion-anthony-gobert

AMX HISTORY in assoc. with HOLDEN ON TIGHT, preserving Australian motocross history. www.amxhistory.com.au
Photo: Anthony Gobert in 1991 (By Peter Kitchingman)

THEY RACED IT, LIVED IT AND ARE NOW TELLING IT! — CRAIG DACK & STEPHEN GALL’S MANJIMUP 15000 STORIES ARE NOW ONLINE

The well wishes and stories from motocross legends Craig Dack and Stephen Gall, shared via video at the Manjimup 15000 Celebration at the Camelot Arts Centre on 8 August 2026, are now available for everyone to watch on the AMX History YouTube Channel.

Dack’s hilarious story about his brush with police the day before winning his first Manjimup 15000 in 1987 had the crowd in fits!

Both Gall and Dack had been keen to attend the celebration in person but, unfortunately, were unable to make the trip to Perth. They were certainly there in spirit — and their video messages were a fantastic addition to the occasion.

The celebration honored Craig Dack (NSW), Kirk Gibbs (SA) and Todd Waters (QLD) – the record-holders with three wins apiece - as well as remembering the many Manjimup 15000 winners and Cosy Creek competitors who have sadly passed away.

Among those recently lost was Robert “Beatle” Bailey, who tragically died in an off-road motorcycle accident in a New South Wales forest. Mark Leisk, older brother of international motocross legend Jeff Leisk, was also acknowledged. Mark had attended the Harley Scramble celebration at the same venue the previous year.

New additions to the AMX History YouTube Channel include the Magic Manjimup 15000 — documentary, Con Migro’s Legend Interviews — filmed ahead of the Perth screening – and other Celebration Videos — including the messages from Craig Dack and Stephen Gall, along with other videos screened at the 8 August event.

👉 Watch all three videos here:
Documentary - https://youtu.be/rlYU0fQuTbk
Interviews - https://youtu.be/z2Sq-7-NRPg?si=uO51TdDesvBiVEKT
Other celebration videos - https://youtu.be/S642UW2UhP4

AMX HISTORY in assoc. with HOLDEN ON TIGHT, preserving Australian motocross history. www.amxhistory.com.au

Photos: New South Wales motocross legends Stephen Gall and Craig Dack, who were regular competitors at the Manjimup 15000 in the 1980s, plus Todd Waters (QLD) and Kirk Gibbs (SA) - (BW pics by Peter Kitchingman).

WATCH THE LEGEND: THE MANJIMUP 15000 HISTORY FILM AND EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS NOW AVAILABLE

Both the Magic Manjimup 15000 MX documentary and Con Migro legend interviews from the Manjimup 15000 celebration at the Camelot Arts Club on 8 August 2026 are now available for public viewing on the AMX History You Tube Channel.

It was a packed house at the Camelot Arts Club on Saturday, 8 August for the Perth premiere of the brand-new documentary Magic Manjimup 15000: 40 years history in 1 hour.

The documentary and special event celebrated the remarkable story of the Manjimup 15000 and the Manjimup Motorcycle Club and followed the format of last year’s Harley Scramble celebration at the same venue close to where the famous Rope Works circuit was located.

The evening kicked off with drinks, food and a vintage / classic bike display with Con Migro interviewing past Manjimup 15000 legends prior to the documentary screening.

The interview panel included past motocross legends and Manjimup 15000 winners including Jeff Leisk, Neville Cutts, Jason Marshall and Dale Britton; off-the-track legends Trevor Holm and Willie Thompson; John Steyntjes (AMX History) and Peter Kitchingman (Photographer).

The documentary – which takes viewers on a journey from its groundbreaking beginnings in the 1980s through to its revival and modern resurgence under Dirt High Promotions from 2009 onwards – was well received, as were the legend interviews.

Watch the 1-hour documentary and 1-hour interviews here.
Com Migro Manjimup 15000 legend interviews - https://youtu.be/z2Sq-7-NRPg?si=uO51TdDesvBiVEKT
Documentary - https://youtu.be/rlYU0fQuTbk

AMX HISTORY in assoc. with HOLDEN ON TIGHT, preserving Australian motocross history. www.amxhistory.com.au

Photos: Highlights from the Manjimup 15000 celebration at the Camelot Arts Club on Saturday, 8 August 2026 [Clockwise] The interview panel [L-R] Con Migro, John Steyntjes, Trevor Holm, Neville Cutts, Jeff Leisk, Jason Marshall, Dale Britton, Willie Thompson and Peter Kitchingman; Manjimup 15000 trophies; Roger Harvey’s 1980 Manjimup 15000 winning bike in 1980 with the fourth generation of the Blakers family from Manjimup; the latest BSA model on display; and past Manjimup 15000 winners board (By Peter Kitchingman and Blair Emery).

WILLIE THOMSON: THE MAN WHO REBUILT THE MANJIMUP 15000

Willie Thomson has today been inducted into the AMX History Legends section, honoured for his extraordinary contribution to Australian motocross over the last two decades, joining other off-the track legends including Bob Couzens (King of the Cross), Vince Tesoriero (Mister Motocross), Blair Shepherd (Supercross) and Willie's predecessor Trevor Holm (Manjimup 15000).

Since 2009, Willie Thomson and Dirt High Promotions have written an exciting new chapter in the history of the Manjimup 15000.

When the Manjimup Motor Cycle Club faced mounting challenges staging its internationally renowned motocross spectacular in the late 2000s, Dirt High Promotions stepped in to form a partnership that would breathe new life into one of Australia's most iconic motorcycle events.
Much like legendary event organiser Trevor Holm did during the 1980s, Thomson has overseen every aspect of the event's operation, guiding the Manjimup 15000 into a new era while preserving the traditions that made it famous. Under his leadership, the event has once again grown into Australia's biggest one-day motocross meeting, attracting the nation's best riders and thousands of passionate spectators each June long weekend.
Today, Dirt High Promotions is recognised as one of Western Australia's leading motorcycle event management companies, delivering some of the state's most respected competitions, including the Manjimup 15000, the Brookton Pony Express Enduro and the Tumbulgum Natural Terrains.

Despite this year’s Manjimup 15000 event not going ahead due to the war in Iran - which triggered a global fuel supply crisis and caused much uncertainty for the interstate and country teams - the partnership between Dirt High Promotions and the Manjimup Motor Cycle Club remains as strong as ever. As a result, the Manjimup 15000 continues to honour its rich history while looking confidently towards the future.

For his contribution to the sport of motorcycling in WA, Willie has been made an honorary life member of the Trail and Enduro and Manjimup Motor Cycle clubs.

Cont….

Con Migro will interview Willie Thomson at the Magic Manjimup 15000 MX celebration event tonight (8 August) at the Camelot Arts Club prior to the film screening. The event is now a sell-out! Details are available here:
https://megatix.com.au/events/magic-manjimup-15000-mx-perth-premiere-screening

See Willie’s full story – https://amxhistory.com.au/off-the-track-motocross-legends-manjimup-15000-willie-thomson

View 2M Manjimup 15000 history trailer – https://vimeo.com/1181737481/cbaca443e1?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

See Manjimup 15000 Chapter 4 - https://amxhistory.com.au/history-of-the-manjimup-15000-dirt-high-promotions-bring-back-the-glory-days-to-cosy-creek-chapter-4

AMX HISTORY in assoc. with HOLDEN ON TIGHT, preserving Australian motocross history. www.amxhistory.com.au

Photos: Willie Thomson on the start line of a Manjimup 15000 event at Cosy Creek, Manjimup and [inserts] behind the scenes at Australia’s premier outdoor motocross event.