CLEAN SWEEPING THE ARCHIVES

The recent clean sweep by KTM of the 2012 New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships spurred us into action here at the offices of BikesportNZ.com and we discovered that it’s actually not such a rare thing in New Zealand motocross circles.

A dip into the BikesportNZ.com archives revealed a few interesting statistics.

For instance, Kawasaki achieved a senior motocross championships clean sweep – or should that be called a Green Sweep? – in 1984 with Rotorua’s Bryan Patterson (500cc) (pictured left) and British riders Perry Leask (250cc) and Jonathan Wright (125cc) doing the honours for the Don Perry-managed Team Green outfit.

Kawasaki also achieved a clean sweep, this time in the junior ranks the year earlier (1983) with Atiamuri’s Jody Bates (12-15 years 125cc), Pukekohe’s Bryce Hunt (12-15 years 80cc) and Taihape’s Justin Thompson (8-11 years 80cc) cleaning up.

Yamaha took the clean sweep of titles a decade later in 1993 and again in 1994 with Shayne King winning both the Pro over 126cc and Pro under 125cc titles on both occasions.

In 1995 Kawasaki did it again, this time Darryll King (Pro 250cc) and Andrew Hardisty (Pro 125cc) claiming the top two spots in the senior nationals.

It was a big year for Kawasaki in 1995 because the brand also swept the junior nationals (12-15 years 125cc Steven Hart, 14-15 years 85cc Cam Anderson, 12-13 years 85cc Reece Sutherland, 8-11 years 85cc Cody Cooper).

In 1999 it was Yamaha again with Michael Cotter (500cc and 250cc) and Daryl Hurley (125) cleaning up at the nationals.

In 2000 it was Yamaha again with Corrie Sargent (500cc), Michael Cotter (250cc) and Andrew Hardisty (125cc) the top men, all on their distinctive blue and white bikes.

It was the turn of the red brand, Honda, to reign supreme in both 2003 and 2005 – both times with Shayne King taking the 500cc and 250cc titles and Cody Cooper taking the 125cc crowns.

Yamaha ruled again in 2006, this time with Darryll King (500cc and 250cc) and his younger brother Damien King (125cc) dominating.

But let’s look again at the KTM clean sweep at the junior nationals this month: 14-16 250cc Micah McGoldrick; 15–16 125cc Hadleigh Knight; 12-14 125cc Billy Frank; 13-16 85cc Dylan Walsh; 11-12 85cc Hunter Lawrence and 8–10 85cc Jesse Te Kani.

By the way, Suzuki has also claimed clean sweeps in New Zealand, with the yellow brand clinching both senior titles in supercross a staggering five years in succession.

In 2005 Daryl Hurley (open) and Luke Burkhart (lites) took the supercross titles for Suzuki, while the following season it was Scotty Columb claiming both the open class and lites titles for the yellow brand.

In 2007 Suzuki did the double with Luke Burkhart (open) and Scotty Columb (lites); in 2008 with Daryl Hurley (open) and Luke Burkhart (lites); in 2009 with Daryl Hurley (open) and Scotty Columb (lites) and in 2012 with Cody Cooper (open) and Scotty Columb (lites).

Kawasaki did the senior supercross double in 2010 thanks to Ben Townley (open) and Mason Phillips (lites).

Footnote: We are aware there are perhaps plenty of other examples of this one-brand dominance, but our results archive is not without a few omissions.