Craig Dack inducted into Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame
It’s been a long time coming, but Craig Dack has finally been inducted in the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame, joining contemporaries like Stephen Gall and Jeff Leisk. The four-time Mr Motocross winner and five-time Australian Motocross Champion received his Hall of Fame induction plaque and medallion at a ceremony held during this year’s Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.
Rightly regarded as Aussie motocross royalty, Dack was one of the first riders to carve out a professional existence in the sport at a time when – thanks to the genius marketing and promotion then went into Mr. Motocross – riders were emblazoned on everything from soft drink cans to cereal boxes. That omnipresence helped Dack become a brand in his own right, wearing the ‘Dack Attack’ moniker as he cut a swathe through the motocross and supercross scene for nearly a decade.
“When I was younger, all I aspired to do was win Mr Motocross,” said Dack. “I remember going to Amaroo Park and watching one of the events, and then to finally win the first one in 1986 was surreal.”
At international level, Dack was a member of the Australian team at the MX des Nations on seven occasions, with a best result of fourth alongside Glen Bell and Jeff Leisk in 1988.
A Honda rider early in his career, Dack switched to Yamaha and never looked back. After retiring from racing, Dack set up his own Yamaha-backed team – Craig Dack Racing – in 1992 that has won more than 50 national motocross and supercross titles and is still going strong. Champions made through CDR include Craig Anderson, New Zealanders Darryl King and Josh Coppins, Troy Carroll, Jay Marmont, Dan Reardon, Dean Ferris, Luke Clout, Aaron Tanti and arguably Australia’s greatest supercross rider, Chad Reed.
Alongside Dack, this year’s other Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame inductees included former grand prix racer, Jack Ahearn, plus others from outside the two-wheel motorsport world - Garrie Cooper (driver and Elfin founder), Bill Barrows (speedway) and Graham Withers (drag racing).