New Zealand Motocross Championship

The New Zealand Motocross Championship is the premier domestic Motocross series in New Zealand, sanctioned by Motorcycling New Zealand.

New Zealand Motocross Championship
CategoryMotocross
CountryNew Zealand
Inaugural season1973
Current season

The series runs annually throughout late winter and spring each year. The premier classes are MX1 and MX2 but there are also classes for younger riders, masters and women.[1]

Prior to 1973, the series was known as the New Zealand Scrambles Championship.

History edit

Motocross races first occurred in New Zealand during the 1940s and were known as Scrambles. These races were first collected into a championship in 1951, under the moniker of the New Zealand Scrambles Championship.[2] This existed until 1973, when the series was renamed the New Zealand Motocross Championship. Several riders who have had considerable international success have raced in and won the championship on a number of occasions, including Shayne King, Darryl King, Josh Coppins and Ben Townley. The classes within the championship have evolved over time in line with what has been seen in the sport around the world.

Event Format edit

Rounds of the New Zealand Motocross Championship typically have a one-day format. Each class has both a short free practice session and a longer qualifying practice session, followed by three main points paying races that contribute to the final overall standings per round.

Points are awarded to finishers of the main races, in the following format:

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th   11th   12th   13th   14th   15th   16th   17th   18th   19th   20th 
Points 25 22 20 18 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

List of Champions edit

[3][4][5][6]

Season MX1 Champion MX2 Champion
2024   Hamish Harwood   James Scott
2023   Maximus Purvis   Cody Cooper
2022 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic[7]
2021   Hamish Harwood   Maximus Purvis
2020   Kirk Gibbs   Maximus Purvis
2019   Cody Cooper   Hamish Harwood
2018   Kirk Gibbs   Hamish Harwood
2017   Cody Cooper   Hamish Harwood
2016   Cody Cooper   Hamish Harwood
2015   Cody Cooper   Jay Wilson
2014   Cody Cooper   Kayne Lamont
2013   Cody Cooper   Scott Columb
2012   Ben Townley   Darryl King
2011   Cody Cooper   Darryl King
2010 No Championship
2009   Justin McDonald   Michael Phillips
2008   Damien King   Daryl Hurley
250cc Champion 125cc Champion 500cc Champion
2007   Michael Phillips   Damien King   Daryl Hurley
2006   Darryl King   Damien King   Darryl King
2005   Shayne King   Cody Cooper   Shayne King
2004   Shayne King   Daryl Hurley   Shayne King
2003   Shayne King   Cody Cooper   Shayne King
2002   Darryl King   Daryl Hurley   Darryl King
2001   Darryl King   Daryl Hurley   Corrie Sargent
2000   Mike Cotter   Andrew Hardisty   Corrie Sargent
1999   Mike Cotter   Daryl Hurley   Mike Cotter
1998   Josh Coppins   Josh Coppins   Mitch Rowe
1997   Shayne King   Brad Thomas   Shayne King
1996   Darryl King   Damien King -
1995   Andrew Hardisty   Darryl King -
1994   Shayne King   Shayne King -
1993   Shayne King   Shayne King -
1992   Shayne King   Darryl Atkins -
1991   Darryl King   Darryl King -
1990   Shayne King ? -
1989   Shayne King   L. Andrew -
1988   Darryl King   Darryl Atkins -
250cc Champion 125cc Champion Open Champion
1987   Graeme Allan   Shayne King   Greg Hanson
1986   Craig Dack   Darryl King   Graeme Allan
1985   Perry Leask   Greg Hanson   Murray Anderson
1984   Perry Leask   Jonathan Wright   Bryan Patterson
1983   Murray Anderson   Terry Meeks   Jeff Leisk
1982   Murray Anderson   R. Saunders   Frank White
1981   Chris Maindonald   Mitch Anderson   Ivan Miller
1980   Craig Coleman
  Gary Goodfellow
  Mitch Anderson   Ivan Miller
1979   Peter Ploen   Terry Meeks   Greg Brinck
1978   Greg Brinck   Terry Meeks   Ivan Miller
A Grade Champion 125cc Champion
1977   Ivan Miller   Phil Turnbull -
1976   Paul Harrison - -
1975   Peter Ploen   John Gibbons -
1974   Peter Ploen   Roddy Shirriffs -
1973   Peter Ploen - -

References edit

  1. ^ Motorcycling New Zealand. "Motocross". mnz.co.nz. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  2. ^ "Motocross History in New Zealand (1940's - 2010's)". Arthur Iverson. pronorthparts.co.nz. 1 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  3. ^ motorsporttop20.com. "NEW ZEALAND 250cc/ MX1 (2008- ) MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP" (PDF). motorsporttop20.com. Retrieved February 8, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ motorsporttop20.com. "NEW ZEALAND 125cc; MX2 (2008- ) MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP" (PDF). motorsporttop20.com. Retrieved February 8, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ motorsporttop20.com. "NEW ZEALAND 500cc MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP" (PDF). motorsporttop20.com. Retrieved February 8, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Motorcycling New Zealand. "100 Years of Motorcycle Sport in New Zealand 1916-2016" (PDF). mnz.co.nz. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  7. ^ Bikesport NZ. "2022 New Zealand Motocross Champs Cancelled". scoop.co.nz. Retrieved February 7, 2023.