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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126916
turned out to be two-time Manjimup 15000 Champion Jeff Leisk's old practice bike). Simons and Ziuerkopf Dipped a coin to decide who would ride which bik;e: Ziuerkopf won the toss and chose the '86. All Sur Sprints Former supercross champion. American Jimmy EIIi~ (above) sails over a double jump on the way to victory. Greg Zitterkopf (below) was a top contender in the mains before his bike broke. Manjialup .5000 Internadonal Motocross Ellis dominates down under By Kit Palmer MANJIMUP, AUSTRALIA, "This is defini.tely one of the bigges t wins of my career," said American Jimmy Ellis after claiming a hard-earned overall win at the 'Manjimup 15000 111ternational motocross 18 race in Australia. "This is my third try (in a row) at Man- ~ I jimup. and it feels so good to finally win it." Ellistook home over $4000 in .prize money and two round-trip tickets to Hawaii after totaling four mow wins out of six. Second overall went to factory Australian Honda rider Craig Dack, while third fell to another Aussie, Marlboro Yamaha-sponsored (;Ien Bdl. The Manjimup 15000 is the largest, most prestigious and richest outdoor motocross event in Australia, having a $25,000 purse up for grabs. Put on by the Manjimup Motorcycle Club, over 7000 spectators auended Cosy Creek for the fifth running of the event that attracted the top 250 and 500cc riders from Australia and New Zealand, as well as four American riders, including Eliis, who's been living in Australia for the past four years. The three other U.S. riders invited were southern Californians Willy Simons, Gary DePilJo and Greg Ziuerkopf. Simons and Ziuerkopf finished fiIth and sixth o.veraJI, while DePiUo finished out of the top HI' after suffering mechanical problems all day long. A total of six motos were ron for the All Star (Pro) class, including two sprint (five-lap) races early in the day. which were purely money races. The final four motos (eight laps) determined the All Star overall winner and the Manjimup 15000 Champion. Fifteen points were given to the moto winner, 12 10 second, 10 to third, eight to fourth, six to fifth, five to sixth and so on. Each rider received $50 for each point earned in the mains, and the rider with the most points at the outcome would be declared the champ. The track layout was extremdy fast and wide-open compared to most MX tracks in the U.S. It featured many jumps, indudingone lOO-footlong double jump, wide sweeping turns, sandy terrain, and was very long in length - it took nearly two minutes to complete one lap in smoothest conditions. Simons, DePillo and Ziuerkopf were loaned bikes from local motorcycle shops and picked up the machines two days before the 1'3£e. Both Simons and Ziuerkopf bad CR500 Hondas waiting for them at their arrival - one brand ~ 1986 CIl. and one well.used '85 CR (which The two All Star sprint races were completely dominated by Ellis, who was mounted on a KTM, the only European-made motorcycle in the 28-rider fidd. Ellis took the lead away from Yamaha rider James Deakin during the second lap of both motos and went on to win both motos, collecting $300. In the first sprint moto, Ziuerkopf finished third behind Deakin, while Simons placed sixth behind Michael Ruttiro (Honda) and Dack. "It's really super-fast out there," said Simons, "a lot faster than anything I've ever ron in the States:' "h'ssofast," said Ziuerkopf, "horribly fast. I was scared to death II sure hope it gets rougher soon to 'give us (Americans) a chance." The first three places were the same in the second moto - Ellis, Deakin andZiuerkopf. Simons was running fifth before crashing into Australian Vaughan Style (Honda), who had crashed in a turn. Mter recovering, Simons found more problems. "~fter I hit Style," said Simons, "I went to pass this guy and his foot got caught in my whed, costing me a bunc!t of time." Mter finishing third; Ziuerkopf said, "I got a bad start that time, so I was just going to hang back and learn the lines and save myself for the mains. But a couple of guys ahead of me crashed, so I gassed it up, passed a couple and finished third." DePillo, who said he likes riding in the sand, wasn'ta top contender in either moto. While taking a- lap of practice on his '86 Yamaha YZ490 minutes before the start of the first race, his bike suddenly quit running. Unable 10 locate the problem, DePillo borrowed a "beat up" '85 YZ490 at the last minute and found the bike far from his li.k.ing. He had 10 ride the same bike in the second race and placed out of the top 10. All Sur Mains The first main saw Deakil'\ again jam into the lead followed by Ellis, Ruttico, Style; Bell and Zitterkopf. Simons was seventh but got passed by Dack right away. By the second lap, Ellis had put his KTM into the lead and started pulling away, while Dack began moving his way up througb the pack. Shonly after, Deakin crashed and dropped to seventh, giving second to Style two seconds behind Ellis. Halfway through the race, while still running in third, Ruttico almost fell, handing third to Dack, 'making the top five Ellis, Style, Dack, Ruttico and Zitterkopf. Simons was ninth. The next three laps remained the same with Ellis taking the win ahead of Style and Dack. Ziuerkopf took fifth, while Simons eventually finished fOth. "1 got a good start, rode well, but I drank too much water before the moLO and got a preuy good gut ache," said Ziuerkopf. "That slowed me down some, but these guys just wentali ule faster than I did." "It's .still real fast out there," said Simons. "I rode as fast as I could and guys were still whizzing by me. My bike seems to be slowing down maybe the air cleaner is dirty or something. " _ The secOnd molO was all Dack's. The works Honda rider jammed into the lead right off the 9laTt and never looked back for the win. As the pack rounded the first turn, Deakin was second followed b, Zilterkopf, EUis