As an Aussie, and one who worked in the Australian media in the 1980s and went to motocross in Australia in the 1970s with my dad, I have seen pretty much everything that has gone down in Australian motocross. Sometimes from close up, and sometimes from afar, but always with it clearly on my heart.

I have lived in Europe now for 32 years and while I have worked in the Grand Prix media here for that whole time, I still keep and eye on the Aussie championships and obviously, Aussies racing on the international scene.

When I ran the story last night, on Australia’s first ever Grand Prix win by Jeff Leisk, back in 1989, I didn’t even notice that he wore the number 18, which is pretty cool, considering the current Aussie number one, Jett Lawrence is racing that number in 2025.

For those of us Aussies old enough, you will remember Terry Gunter heading to Europe in the 1970s, althought I was too young to remember our first international export, Ray Fisher, who won seven Australian Motocross Championships in the 1950-60s, then headed to race in Europe. Both Gunter and Fisher did okay, but never reached the standards of the following generations, or our current generation.

I still remember when Team Australia, led by Australian motocross godfather, Stephen Gall, headed to this event called the Trophee des Nations in 1984 and wondering what the hell that race was. We struggled, as expected, it was our first attempt, but from there, within two years, we were battling for front positions and at Maggiora in 1986, Craig Dack even finishing fourth in a moto behind none other than David Bailey, Ricky Johnson and Dave Thorpe. Yes, the Aussies were quick learners.

Gall also won an international supercross in Manchester, England, and raced plenty of Golden State series events in America, along with so many of the Aussies from that era, but none took it up full-time and all ended up racing domestically in Australia. Names like Vaughn Styles, Glen Bell, David Armstrong, Darryl Willoughby and many more all raced overseas at some point, but for an Aussie to go full-time, well, that was not really realistic.

In the meantime, Leisk was winning GPs (three from memory), battling at the front of MXdN events and claiming second in the World in the 1989 500cc championship. He was also the first Aussie to make a podium in AMA motocross (I was fortunate enough to be there), finished many races inside the top ten, in fields that were deeper than ever in the sports history.

Leisk retired back to Australia pretty quickly, as did Dack (who had raced a year of GP in 1989), and our international challenge went by the wayside for some years, until Chad Reed, Brett Metcalfe and Andrew McFarlane gave it a shot. As did Kim Ashkenazi, Dean Ferris, Todd Waters and some others.

A number of top five finishes at the MXdN in the 1980s and 1990s, before Reed led the team onto the podium in 2011, and not to mention GP wins by Leisk in the 1980s, Reed in 2011, Andrew McFarlane in 2005, and Dean Ferris in 2013.

Of course, Reed moved to USA, won three major AMA titles, and Micheal Byrne and McFarlane joined him, often putting together strong showings, as did Reed’s cousin, Craig Anderson. Plenty of Aussies have made the trip to Europe or America, many returning home after finding it a tough experience, but all gave it a go, and you can never knock them for that.

Now, as we sit in 2025, our country owns the Chamberlain Trophy, after winning the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations last year, with the Lawrence brothers and Kyle Webster. Jett Lawrence is dominating the AMA 450 motocross championship, and his brother is second.

We have come a long way since that 1984 Trophee des Nations, or that first Grand Prix victory by Leisk in Finland back in 1989. Fortunately, both these Aussie legends were at Matterley last year, although, just in the shadows of the winning team. I won’t lie, I felt they had been forgotten somewhat and their performances from the past, both on the track and behind the scenes for Australian motocross were maybe not as respected as I felt it should have been. Maybe I am wrong, as having lived in Europe for so long, I am far from an insider on the Aussie scene, and if I am honest, was probably cheering for The Netherlands (my home for the last 32 years) as much as I was for the Aussies.

Still, I did have to chuckle this morning, when I realized that Leisk was wearing the number 18, when he took the Australian flag onto the top step of the podium in Finland back all those years ago. In a time, when Australian motocross was as much a mystery as South African motocross, or New Zealand motocross was. The World sure has gotten smaller since the 1980s, hasn't it.