Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/146681
Frenchman Jean-Michel Bayle leads the charge ·at the start of the final moto with Holland's Edwin Evertsen (7) and Great Britain's Kurt Nicoll (13) in dose pursuit. ever raced on." Emig's sentiments were shared by the majority of competitors from the 16 nations that made up the 48-rider field. Surprise entries for the Australian event were teams from South Africa and Latvia, while surprise no-shows were non-entries from Japan and Italy. An application for an entry from Croatia was rejected by the FIM, as the country is not yet affiliated with the international controlling body of. motorcycle sport. Although the victory at Manjimup gave the U.S. its 12th-straight win in MX des Nations competition, Great Britain is the most successful country in MX des Nations history. The English have won the World Team MX Championship 15 times, including the inaugural event in Holland in 1947. Visiting international teams competing at Manjimup went without most of the normal paddock and support facilities available to them at "home" events on their own continents. Most teams freighted their own machinery Down Under, and then hired local box vans and motorhomes for use at the events. This year's American team effort was managed by the AMA's Roy Janson, while Warren "Duke" Finch represented the U.S. on the event's international jury. Billy Lil~s was supported by his regular European-based Team Johnson/Action Workshops mechanic, Mike LaRocco had mechanic/father Mike LaRocco Sr. and Team Kawasaki USA chief Roy Turner in his corner, while Jeff Emig drew on the experience of Yamaha USA Team Manager Keith McCarty, Jon Rosenthal and Brian Lunnis, who is Damon Bradshaw's regular mechanic. The race weekend kicked off at lunchtime on Friday, September 4, with· a parade of competing nations through the town of Manjimup. Thousands of local residents took time Evertsen (7), American Billy Liles (I) and Bayle (61) spent most of the 250/500cc dicing for runner-up honors. out from work to voice their support of the teams and riders for what was certainly the biggest happening ever in the small town. Following the parade was the Festival des Nationals, which featured wine and food tastings, stalls and markets, music and dancing, a Mardi Gras and wood-chopping contests in and around Manjimup. The festival atmosphere did not let up all weekend as Australia geared up for its first taste of World Championship motocross competition. On Friday evening, an official welcome dinner for 375 guests was held, courtesy of the· event organizers. Riders, teams and officials were welcomed to Manjimup for the event, and competitors from all countries were introduced to local and international officials and sponsors of the event, including,the FIM motocross committee president, Holland's Albert Hofhuls. Riders had their first taste of the Cosy Creek track on Saturday, in two hour-long free practice sessions. In unofficial times released by event organizers, Liles was the fastest rider around the track in Saturday's practice session with a time of two minutes and 9.065 seconds, the only rider in the field to break the two-minute 10-second barrier. While Liles was happy to be fastest, he did get dirt in his right eye during the second session, and received medical attention afterwards to have the eye cleaned. Liles arrived at the circuit the next morning with the eye bandaged on the advice of doctors, but was 13