THURSDAY THROWBACK: THE MXoN THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

In 1981, a second-string Team USA won America’s first MXoN crown, and started a 13-year win streak for the Yanks.

Last week, when we announced what is arguably the strongest Motocross of Nations (MXoN) team that Australia has ever fielded, your response was overwhelming, effusive, gushing, vociferous. Call it what you will; a greater majority of your comments on Transmoto’s social channels demonstrated so much excitement about the prospect of Team Australia (Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence, Dean Ferris) finally winning the MXoN that it bordered on … well, an expectation!

Which is understandable because, on paper, Team Australia is a genuine chance of bringing home the MXoN’s coveted Chamberlain Trophy crown for the first time in history. And what a tantalising prospect that is! But before we all let our expectations get out of hand, just remember that if ever there’s an event that can tip the form guide on its head, it’s the MXoN.

Classic case in point: the 1981 MXoN in Belgium, when Team USA’s ‘second-string’ rider line-up shocked the moto world by not on winning the event, but also by kicking off a 13-year win streak for the Yanks. The 1981 MXoN was also the year that, ironically, Belgium’s Roger DeCoster put American motocross on the map.

The fascinating backstory to this 1981 MXoN was captured in a Ripping Yarn that first appeared in Issue #10 (July, 2011) of Transmoto Dirt Bike Magazine. Check it out…