Australian Motocross History website

ALAN NICOL EMULATES HIS BROTHER TO WIN 3 AUSTRALIAN MOTOCROSS TITLES AND HARLEY SCRAMBLE AT THE SAME TRACK ON ONE DAY

On this day, 64 years ago, Western Australian Alan Nicol performed a repeat of older brother Peter’s 1955 efforts when he dominated the 1962 Australian Motocross Championships to win three titles as well as the prestigious annual Harley Scramble.

The 1962 championships – the first to be televised – were held at the Rope Works circuit in Mosman Park, Western Australia (13kms south of Perth) in front of more than 15,000 spectators. And as in 1955, the race-hardened local brigade filled the placings.

Spiraling travel costs reduced the interstate contingent to only token level with Gerry Vial (NSW), Leon Street (VIC) and Rob McDonough (VIC) being the only ‘Easterner Staters’ competing.

Due to the success of the annual Harley Scramble at the Rope World since 1928 (excluding the World War II years 1940 to 1945), the Auto Cycle Council of Australia (ACCA) approved the 1962 Championships and Harley Scramble to be combined for the second time.

But unlike in 1955 where the Harley Scramble format was adopted with riders starting in pairs at ten second intervals and being timed and all classes riding together, in 1962 the racing reverted back to usual Australian Championship format with mass starts and separate races for each class.

Alan Nicol rode his 350 BSA to three wins (Unlimited, 500cc and 350cc) – as well as the Harley Scramble – setting fastest lap times in all of them and generally outclassing the large field of over 100 riders and bigger machines.

It was Nicol’s fourth Australian Motocross title, having won the 250cc class at Royal Park, Adelaide in South Australia in 1959.

South West riders filled the placings with the late Glen Britza finishing with a second and two thirds in the 250, 350 and Unlimited classes.

Another Bunbury rider Gordon Renfree won the 250cc title and was second in the 350cc class. Manjimup's Bob Cutts finished third in the 500cc title, also following in his brother Doug's footsteps who won the Unlimited class at this venue in 1955.

See full report and results – https://amxhistory.com.au/australian-motocross-championships-mosman-park-1962

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

Photo: The July 1962 Visor cover, featuring the 1962 Australian Motocross Championships and Alan Nicol who dominated the event and Harley Scramble.

ASHKENAZI: AUSTRALIA'S MOTOCROSS MASTER OF THE 1990S

Congratulations to Australian motocross legend Kim Ashkenazi, who celebrates his birthday today.

“Ashcan” as he is nicknamed, comes from New South Wales and was the standout Australian rider in the 1990s, winning seven National Motocross Championships. He was born on 4 June 1974.

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, at just 18 years of age 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. In 1993 he was the highest placed Australian in the final round of the World 125cc Motocross Championship in Manjimup, finishing sixth overall, with results of 13-6-6 across the three motos.

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.

Cont…

See Kim’s full story – https://amxhistory.com.au/motocross-legend-ashkenazi

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

Photos: [Left] Kim Ashkenazi representing Australia in the 125cc class at the 1992 Motocross of Nations at Cosy Creek, Manjimup WA; and [Right] at the 1993 Manjimup 15000 (By Peter Kitchingman)

SMYTHE EDGES OUT GRANQVIST TO CLAIM MR. MOTOCROSS OPENER AT BROADFORD

On this day, 47 years ago, WA rider Graeme Smythe got his 1979 campaign off to a great start winning the opening round of the Mister Motocross (Mr. MX) series at Broadford in Victoria – tying on points with Swedish expatriate Pelle Granquist on a Husqvarna, who was the reigning Australian 500cc and 250cc champion.

But Smythe was declared the winner on a countback on Sunday, 13 May 1979 with the faster times and was on 50 points, together with Granquist, with South Australian Steve Rowlands (Honda) on 39 points in third.

Reigning Mr. MX Stephen Gall was fourth on 23 points and Gunter started the series with a dismal display to finish in fifth (18) ahead of Mark Hill (VIC, Suzuki) on 15 points. Four starts, four crashes and only 21 points to his credit left Gunter in bad shape with little chance of winning his third Mr Motocross crown.

With Gall winning round 2 at Tivoli in Queensland and Gunter round 3 at Clarendon in South Australia, the fourth and final round at Amaroo Park turned out to be another memorable Mr. MX finish, with Graeme Smythe, Gall , Gunter and Granqvist all with a strong chance of winning the series.

Smythe led the series right up to the final round at Amaroo Park with Gall in second. Thirteen points behind Smythe going into the final round, Gunter knew that to win the series he had the almost impossible task of needing four straight wins, which he did!

In a thrilling final in front of 8,000 people, Gunter lined up on a works Suzuki RM400, which he secured just 4 days before the race from Neville Cutt’s Suzuki team in the West. Gunter convincingly won all four races and won the Mr. MX title for the third time to etch his name in the history books and take home $5,000 in prizemoney. He finished on 171 points, just 5 points ahead of Smythe and Gall who tied for second place (166).

It must have been a bitter pill to swallow for both Smythe and Gall, who ended up finishing equal second to miss out on the series by just 5 points in the very last race of the series!

See full report 1979 Mr. MX series – https://amxhistory.com.au/mister-motocross-series-1979

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

Photos: Graeme Smythe (WA, Yamaha 400) – Round 1 winner at the opening Mr. MX round for 1979 at Broadford in Victoria on equal points with Pelle Granqvist (Sweden, Husqvarna).