1979 FIM Motocross World Championship

1979 Motocross World Championship
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The 1979 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 23rd F.I.M. Motocross Racing World Championship season.

Summary

Graham Noyce won the 1979 500cc world championship for the Honda factory racing team, marking Honda's first ever motocross world championship as well as the first motocross world championship for a British rider since Jeff Smith in 1965.[1][2] Yamaha's defending champion Heikki Mikkola struggled to recover from a broken leg suffered in preseason.[1] Noyce's consistent results earned him the championship points lead at the midpoint of the season with Suzuki's Gerrit Wolsink, Mikkola and Kawasaki's Brad Lackey within reach of the points lead.[1] Wolsink won his fifth 500cc United States Grand Prix in six years and followed that with another victory at the Canadian Grand Prix to narrow the points lead.[1] Mikkola then suffered another injury at the Canadian Grand Prix and his injuries forced him to sit out the West German Grand Prix.[1] Former Honda factory rider, Lackey, won 6 individual moto victories, more than any other rider in the championship yet, his factory sponsored Kawasaki proved to be unreliable as the team struggled through development issues on a new motorcycle.[1] Noyce then took command of the championship by posting a series of top five finishes to win the title for the Honda team.

Håkan Carlqvist won the 250cc world championship for Husqvarna while Harry Everts dominated the 125cc world championship for the Suzuki factory racing team.

Grands Prix

500cc[3][4]

Round Date Grand Prix Location Race 1 Winner Race 2 Winner Overall Winner Report
1 April 22 Austria Austrian Grand Prix Sittendorf Belgium Yvan van den Broeck United States Brad Lackey United Kingdom Graham Noyce Report
2 April 29 France French Grand Prix Thours France Jean-Jacques Bruno United States Brad Lackey United States Brad Lackey Report
3 May 13 Sweden Swedish Grand Prix Huskvarna United States Brad Lackey Netherlands Gerrit Wolsink Netherlands Gerrit Wolsink Report
4 May 27 Italy Italian Grand Prix Faenza Finland Heikki Mikkola Finland Heikki Mikkola Finland Heikki Mikkola Report
5 June 10 United States United States Grand Prix Carlsbad Netherlands Gerrit Wolsink United States Brad Lackey Netherlands Gerrit Wolsink Report
6 June 17 Canada Canadian Grand Prix Hamilton United Kingdom Graham Noyce Netherlands Gerrit Wolsink Netherlands Gerrit Wolsink Report
7 June 24 Germany West German Grand Prix Beuern France Jean-Jacques Bruno Belgium André Malherbe France Jean-Jacques Bruno Report
8 July 1 United Kingdom British Grand Prix Farleigh Castle United States Brad Lackey United Kingdom Graham Noyce United Kingdom Graham Noyce Report
9 July 8 Switzerland Swiss Grand Prix Payerne Finland Heikki Mikkola Finland Heikki Mikkola Finland Heikki Mikkola Report
10 July 29 Netherlands Dutch Grand Prix Markelo United Kingdom Graham Noyce Netherlands Gerrit Wolsink Netherlands Gerrit Wolsink Report
11 August 5 Belgium Belgian Grand Prix Namur Belgium Roger De Coster Belgium André Malherbe Belgium André Malherbe Report
12 August 12 Luxembourg Luxembourg Grand Prix Ettelbruck United States Brad Lackey Belgium André Malherbe Belgium André Malherbe Report

250cc[5]

Round Date Grand Prix Location Winner Team Report
1 April 8 Spain Spanish Grand Prix Sabadell Sweden Håkan Carlqvist Husqvarna Report
2 April 22 Netherlands Dutch Grand Prix Halle Sweden Håkan Carlqvist Husqvarna Report
3 April 29 Italy Italian Grand Prix Bra United Kingdom Neil Hudson Maico Report
4 May 6 Belgium Belgian Grand Prix Genk Belgium Harry Everts Suzuki Report
5 May 20 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavian Grand Prix Karlovac United Kingdom Neil Hudson Maico Report
6 May 27 Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakian Grand Prix Holice Sweden Håkan Carlqvist Husqvarna Report
7 June 10 Poland Polish Grand Prix Szczecin Sweden Håkan Carlqvist Husqvarna Report
8 June 17 France French Grand Prix Lavaur Sweden Håkan Carlqvist Husqvarna Report
9 July 1 Finland Finnish Grand Prix Hyvinkää Netherlands Kees van der Ven Maico Report
10 July 29 United States United States Grand Prix Unadilla United States Kent Howerton Suzuki Report
11 August 5 Germany West German Grand Prix Bielstein Sweden Håkan Carlqvist Husqvarna Report
12 August 12 Bulgaria Bulgarian Grand Prix Samokov Soviet Union Guennady Moisseev KTM Report

125cc[6]

Round Date Grand Prix Location Winner Team Report
1 April 8 Austria Austrian Grand Prix Launsdorf Belgium Harry Everts Suzuki Report
2 April 15 Germany West German Grand Prix Goldbach Belgium Harry Everts Suzuki Report
3 May 13 Netherlands Dutch Grand Prix Mill Belgium Harry Everts Suzuki Report
4 May 20 Italy Italian Grand Prix Esanatoglia Japan Akira Watanabe Suzuki Report
5 June 10 Finland Finnish Grand Prix Tampere Belgium Harry Everts Suzuki Report
6 June 17 Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakian Grand Prix Dalečín Belgium Harry Everts Suzuki Report
7 June 24 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavian Grand Prix Karlovac Belgium Harry Everts Suzuki Report
8 July 1 Switzerland Swiss Grand Prix Schupfart Belgium Gaston Rahier Suzuki Report
9 July 8 France French Grand Prix Sucé-sur-Erdre Belgium Harry Everts Suzuki Report
10 July 15 Republic of Ireland Irish Grand Prix Slane[7] Belgium Harry Everts Suzuki Report
11 July 22 United States United States Grand Prix Lexington United States Mark Barnett Suzuki Report
12 August 12 Spain Spanish Grand Prix Montgai Belgium Harry Everts Suzuki Report

Final Standings

500cc[8][9]
Pos Rider Team Points
1 United Kingdom Graham Noyce Honda 225
2 Netherlands Gerrit Wolsink Suzuki 177
3 Belgium André Malherbe Honda 176
4 United States Brad Lackey Kawasaki 173
5 Finland Heikki Mikkola Yamaha 147
6 Belgium Roger De Coster Suzuki 125
7 Belgium André Vromans Suzuki 86
8 France Jean-Jacques Bruno KTM 85
9 Belgium Yvan van den Broeck Maico 75
10 Netherlands Gérard Rond Suzuki 71
11 Germany Herbert Schmitz Maico 49
12 Germany Fritz Köbele Maico 32
13 Denmark Arne Lodal Husqvarna 20
14 Sweden Bengt Åberg Maico 18
15 Sweden Håkan Andersson Husqvarna 16
16 United States Chuck Sun Husqvarna 14
17 United Kingdom Bob Wright CCM 11
18 United States Marty Smith Honda 9
19 Republic of Ireland Laurence Spence Cotton - Rotax 9
20 United States Rick Burgett Yamaha 7
21 United States Jimmy Weinert Kawasaki 7
22 United States Rex Staten Yamaha 6
23 United Kingdom Pete Mathia Cotton - Rotax 6
24 Sweden Arne Lindfors Yamaha 5
25 United States Danny LaPorte Suzuki 4
25 Germany Ludwig Reinbold KTM 4
25 United Kingdom Geoff Mayes Maico 4
25 Netherlands Toon Karsmakers Maico 4
25 Finland Tapani Pikkarainen Suzuki 4
30 Belgium Raymond Heeren Yamaha 3
31 United Kingdom Vic Allan Bultaco 2
31 United Kingdom Steve Beamish Suzuki 2
31 Netherlands Frantz Sigmans Maico 2
34 Netherlands Peter Herlings Maico 1
34 United States Parry Klassen Maico 1
34 Canada Zoli Berenyt Yamaha 1
34 Netherlands Ad Verstegen Yamaha 1
34 Netherlands Henk Poorte Montesa 1
34 Austria Herbert Salzmann Husqvarna 1
250cc[10]
Pos Rider Team Points
1 Sweden Håkan Carlqvist Husqvarna 248
2 United Kingdom Neil Hudson Maico 178
3 Soviet Union Vladimir Kavinov KTM 133
4 Soviet Union Guennady Moisseev KTM 126
5 Netherlands Kees van der Ven Maico 106
6 Germany Rolf Dieffenbach Kawasaki 99
7 Belgium Georges Jobé Suzuki 71
8 Belgium Jean-Claude Laquaye SWM 66
9 Belgium Jaak van Velthoven KTM 61
10 Czechoslovakia Jaroslav Falta ČZ 58
11 Japan Torao Suzuki Yamaha 46
12 United Kingdom Vaughan Semmens Maico 38
13 Germany Hans Maisch Maico 36
14 Finland Erkki Sundström Husqvarna 34
15 Netherlands Bennie Wilken Maico 28
16 Belgium Raymond Boven Husqvarna 26
17 United States Bob Hannah Yamaha 25
18 United States Jim Pomeroy Bultaco / Beta 25
19 United States Kent Howerton Suzuki 24
20 Spain Toni Elias Bultaco 19
21 United States Marty Tripes Honda 15
22 Czechoslovakia Zdenek Velky ČZ 15
23 Italy Ivan Alborghetti KTM 15
24 Soviet Union Pavel Rulev ČZ 10
25 Sweden Magnus Nyberg KTM 9
25 United States Mike Guerra Husqvarna 9
27 United Kingdom Rob Hooper Maico 9
28 Italy Pier Antonio Dal Brun Aprilia 8
29 Belgium Pierre Schroyen KTM 7
30 Norway Jan Kristoffersen Yamaha 5
31 Spain Fernando Munoz Montesa 4
31 Netherlands Pierre Karsmakers Yamaha 4
31 United States Mark Gregson Yamaha 4
34 France Daniel Péan Montesa 3
34 Netherlands Henk Van Mierlo KTM 3
34 Netherlands Henk Bloemert Husqvarna 3
34 Bulgaria Dimitar Rangelov Husqvarna 3
34 Sweden Tommy Olsson Maico 3
34 France Patrick Boniface Honda 3
34 United States Frank Stacy KTM 3
41 Finland Timo Remes Suzuki 1
41 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Marian Avbelj KTM 1
125cc[11]
Pos Rider Team Points
1 Belgium Harry Everts Suzuki 314
2 Japan Akira Watanabe Suzuki 236
3 Belgium Gaston Rahier Yamaha 183
4 Finland Matti Autio Suzuki 132
5 Italy Corrado Maddi Aprilia 68
6 Netherlands Peter Groeneveld Honda 62
7 Italy Mauro Miele KTM 61
8 Italy Michèle Rinaldi TGM 55
9 Belgium Robert Greisch Puch 46
10 Finland Göte Liljegren Aprilia 43
11 Netherlands Dinand Ziljlstra Kawasaki 38
12 Soviet Union Yuri Khudiakov ČZ 38
13 Soviet Union Valéri Korneev ČZ 30
14 Italy Renato Zocchi Cagiva 29
15 Finland Pauli Piippola Husqvarna 28
16 United States Broc Glover Yamaha 27
16 United States Mark Barnett Suzuki 27
18 Czechoslovakia Jiry Churavy ČZ 27
19 Austria Siegfried Lerner KTM 21
20 Italy Dario Nani Gilera 17
21 United States Donnie Cantaloupi Yamaha 13
21 United States Brian Myerscough Suzuki 13
23 Finland Seppo Isomaki Suzuki 11
24 Italy Franco Perfin Gilera 10
25 United States Tod Perkins Yamaha 7
26 Denmark Ole Svendson KTM 7
27 Germany Bernd Betzelbacher Maico 6
28 New Zealand Graig Coleman Suzuki 6
29 United States Steve Martin Yamaha 5
30 Soviet Union Andrei Ledovskoy ČZ 5
31 Germany Eduard Hau Zündapp 4
31 United States Tom Benolkin Suzuki 4
33 Netherlands Henk Pauw Honda 3
34 Netherlands Theunis Boersma Suzuki 2
34 United States Randy Hess Yamaha 2
36 Czechoslovakia Jaroslav Janis ČZ 1
36 Finland Arne Wilkman Suzuki 1
36 United States Robert Handy Suzuki 1
36 United States Jeff Ward Kawasaki 1

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Noyce makes his mark with run for the title. American Motorcyclist. Books.Google.com. September 1979. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  2. ↑ "History MXGP". hondaracingcorporation.com. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  3. ↑ "1979 500cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  4. ↑ "1979 500cc motocross world championship race results". jwvanessen.com. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  5. ↑ "1979 250cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  6. ↑ "1979 125cc motocross world championship race results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  7. ↑ "Fairyhouse To Host The Irish Motocross Grand Prix". motocross.ie. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  8. ↑ "1979 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  9. ↑ "1979 500cc motocross world championship final standings". jwvanessen.com. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  10. ↑ "1979 250cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  11. ↑ "1979 125cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
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