MXoN 2023 with Jeff Leisk – Interview

MXoN 2023

To get another view of what went down at Ernee over the weekend for the 2023 Motocross of Nations we checked in with a fella that was there on the ground in France over the weekend that many of you may have heard of.

We are well familiar these days with Aussie racers heading to the states to have a crack at, and now winning AMA Supercross and Motocross Championships, but it was a young bloke from Western Australia that paved the way.

Jeff Leisk was the first Aussie to hit the American motocross scene and score some major successes on the international stage, both in America and also in Europe.

Jeff won a swag of championship titles in Australia before going on to be the first Aussie to podium in both AMA Motocross and Supercross events.

In his first full season on the World Motocross Grand Prix circuit Jeff clinched second place in the 1989 500 cc World Championship after a number of race and round wins. He retired from racing the following year, while still at a relatively young 27-years-of-age.

Leisk then went into business where he helped build the KTM brand in Australia. In some years KTM actually sold more motorcycles in Australia than they did in any other market in the world.  Jeff stepped down from his position as General Manager of the KTM Group AU/NZ in 2020.

So, he knows a bit about dirtbikes, racing and the motorcycling industry as a whole. He was on the ground at Ernee over the weekend so I got him on the telling bone for a quick chat about MXoN, and a few other things…

Jeff Leisk on MXoN 2023

Trev – You raced MXoN back in the day, on a CR500. Leading Australia to fourth with team-mates Craig Dack on a YZ250 and Glen Bell on a CR125. That was also in France, Villars sous Ecot, rather than Ernee. But last weekend must have brought back some great memories from your time racing in Europe?

Jeff Leisk – “Yeah it did actually, that was in 1988, but that particular event was very similar, massive crowd, similar track to this, really undulating, kind of a hard pack sort of surface. One part of that race back in 88 that stood out was that I was running second behind  Ron Lechien and had Jean Michel Bayle up my ass on a 125, the French crowd cheering him on. Eventually he hunted me down. So it was sort of a humbling experience I’ve got to say.”

Trev – So you bumped into your old team-mate over the weekend, and other guys you knew from racing there in the 80s and 90s?

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Jeff Leisk – “It was good to catch up with Dave Thorpe, and there was obviously a bunch of other people I hadn’t seen in some time. It’s always great to catch up, and talk about the good ole days. That was fun.”

Trev – For me it was interesting to see the contrasting riding styles, and the differing bike set-ups that went with that. This stood out the most for me in the first moto with Jorge Prado looking so smooth and his bike equally smooth as silk, contrasting with Febvre looking like a man possessed on the Kawasaki. Ultimately Febvre won that battle, but it was a case study in the different ways to get around a track but still the lap-times be almost identical. Did the comparison between those two strike you also?

Jeff Leisk – “It was pretty noticeable actually, just in comments from the riders, they all say it’s a pretty gnarly track and I think I mentioned earlier, it’s actually an old school track.

“American tracks are generally ripped and watered and have a lot of ruts, this wasn’t heavily ripped and was hard packed, and was slippery and hard to get a hold of.

“I think when you watched Febvre around the track, obviously he’s ridden that track many times in the past, his bike was just bouncing around more, and you could say he was way more aggressive on the bike, but at the end of the day he was still able to get the job done.”

Trev – When we were hanging out at the Isle of Man TT a few months ago, amongst many things, we talked about how good the Lawrence boys were going in America. You mentioned that it was almost like Jett had found a new way to ride a motorcycle. His ride from behind on that track in the opening moto scything his way through the field was pretty epic, then to dominate his final race of the weekend. He just looks different to anyone else out there…

Jeff Leisk – “He does you know, but as good as what Jett is, I think the conditions probably just caught him out a little bit. You could see, it was obviously a very steep track, lots of elevations up and down and a lot of off-camber, so you could see it was a bit of a struggle to get the power down. I’m not sure how the US bikes are set up to put power down – it just didn’t seem quite there on the day, but nonetheless, as we saw, the guy just does things on the bike and on the track that nobody else does. It was amazing to be honest, to be there and see how he attacked the track, versus other riders.”

Trev – Who or what were the surprises of MXoN for you?

Jeff Leisk – “I think the riders. Obviously we know that the French team was an exceptionally strong team, but I think Tom Vialle on the 250. That was probably the stand out rider of the event. Finishing second in his second moto, I think on a 250 getting great starts and his pace was phenomenal, so he really backed up all the other French boys, Febvre, Renaux on the 450s in a perfect way.

“So I sort of analysed the event and what could Australia have done, but I don’t think we quite had the depth there. In saying that, if you look at Hunter, he just came off some injuries, so you’ve got to tip your hat to him to bounce back from that to do what he did. I even think Dean Ferris did an amazing job, he did us proud and flew the flag as high as he could. Our boys did their best, but our best just wasn’t good enough.”

Trev – Hunter was coming back from that injury and did great, and Deano of course ended up on the deck pretty hard in the qualifying heat, but bounced back and carded some good results and held his head high, finishing ahead of a couple of the Americans and a lot of other names we know

You are doing this semi-retirement thing pretty well Jeff… Just in the past couple of months you’ve hit the Isle of Man TT, Mugello MotoGP with Mick Doohan, then of course most recently MXoN, what’s next on your agenda?

Jeff Leisk – “Probably hoping to get more involved in Motocross of Nations, on the fund-raising side to help people, we obviously had a tremendous opportunity with the Lawrence boys, and with this result it’s got to elevate the level of interest back in Australia. Hopefully with the committee and team to open it up a bit more for fans to attend, Matterley Basin next year, so hopefully we can do better fund-raising and that Australia has everything it needs.

“We’ll probably spend some time in America soon and get some early races there next year, supercross and stuff like that. I’m still a bit of a sprint car maniac, so I’ll probably catch some of those while we’re over there too.”

Trev – That’s great that you are still so passionate and involved in the sport Jeff and trying to help it grow. There are not many Aussies that have done anything in motocross, supercross, enduro or rally without getting a leg up from you somewhere along their journey.

For many of us, depending on age, Jeff Leisk is perhaps firstly as a demon on a Honda CR500, but then in the next stage of your life you went into senior management within KTM Australia. Now with that chapter behind you, the new and developing story is your association with Stark Varg, a machine that seems to potentially take the sport of motocross in a new direction. How did that come about, and what is your role in the company?

Jeff Leisk – “Honestly, I got a call out of the blue one day, going back a few years ago now, and ironically I actually owned a KTM Freeride E-XC, so having experienced that bike I sort of recognised that the platform, the electric powered bike, had a lot of potential and particularly from my point of view, I see it as a great way to bring more people into the sport of motorcycling.

“So when I got the call from Anton out of the blue, I was already sort of half on board with electric you could say, and yeah I came on board to help establish the dealer networks in Australia and New Zealand and set up subsidiaries in both countries, and now that we’re sort of down the track a fair bit, I’ve got Mike Sleeter on board for national sales manager for both markets, and I’ve now taken on a more senior advisor role in the southern hemisphere.

“Dealers are now taking delivery of their first demos, and they’ve got customers on those bikes, and we’re very close to filling up some containers and getting some decent numbers down to Australia and New Zealand. So a very exciting phase of Stark future, and obviously getting lots of bikes in customer hands. The product is just sensational, and I’m convinced its going to be a great way forward.”

Trev – Are we going to see any enduro tuned bikes down the track, or how far away might that be?

Jeff Leisk – “There’s no doubt Stark is a company that want to expand their product portfolio, they built a factory that has capability up to 120,000 units annually, we’ve sort of been sitting on around 20,000 orders for the Stark Varg. But I’m not in a position to talk about enduro. Obviously if you want to talk about enduro, we all know that’s a sizeable market, probably 3-4 larger than motocross, so I think if you’re in that space you’re going to look at it.”

Trev – Thanks for the chat Jeff, enjoy the rest of your time in Europe.

Final Standings MXGP 2023 Motocross of Nations

1. France 14
2. Australia 34
3. Italy 43
4. Germany 47
5. Belgium 55
6. Switzerland 55
7. Spain 59
8. USA 65
9. Slovenia 85
10. Great Britain 89
11. Estonia 91
12. Latvia 109
13. Rep. of South Africa 127
14. New Zealand 137
15. Czech Republic 150
16. Norway 157
17. Brazil 159
18. Finland 171

MXGP Overall

Pos	Rider	Nat	R1	R2	Total
1	Roczen, Ken	GER	3	2	5
2	Prado, Jorge	ESP	2	4	6
3	Lawrence, Jett	AUS	6	1	7
4	Febvre, Romain	FRA	1	7	8
5	Seewer, Jeremy	SUI	4	6	10
6	Gajser, Tim	SLO	7	5	12
7	Forato, Alberto	ITA	12	8	20
8	Geerts, Jago	BEL	9	14	23
9	Plessinger, Aaron	USA	5	18	23
10	Vlaanderen, Calvin	NED	15	9	24
11	Watson, Ben	GBR	17	13	30
12	Jonass, Pauls	LAT	13	17	30
13	Östlund, Alvin	SWE	23	19	42
14	Leok, Tanel	EST	29	21	50
15	Cooper, Cody	NZL	26	32	58
16	Lima, Eduardo	BRA	32	29	61
17	Toendel, Cornelius	NOR	38	24	62
18	Durow, Cameron Anthony	RSA	31	31	62
19	Kovar, Vaclav	CZE	37	27	64
20	Sihvonen, Miro	FIN	36	33	69

MX2 Overall

Pos	Rider	Nat	R1	R2	Total
1	Vialle, Tom	FRA	8	2	10
2	Lawrence, Hunter	AUS	10	5	15
3	de Wolf, Kay	NED	11	9	20
4	Adamo, Andrea	ITA	18	4	22
5	Laengenfelder, Simon	GER	14	11	25
6	Hampshire, RJ	USA	16	10	26
7	Mc Lellan, Camden	RSA	22	13	35
8	Gilbert, Josh	GBR	21	15	36
9	Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias	EST	20	18	38
10	Coenen, Lucas	BEL	19	19	38
11	Pancar, Jan	SLO	25	14	39
12	Oliver, Oriol	ESP	24	22	46
13	Tonus, Arnaud	SUI	27	24	51
14	Mikula, Julius	CZE	30	26	56
15	Horgmo, Kevin	NOR	40	21	61
16	Bresolin, Guilherme	BRA	35	27	62
17	Scott, James	NZL	34	30	64
18	Bengtsson, Filip	SWE	33	31	64
19	Weckman, Emil	FIN	28	38	66
20	Reisulis, Janis Martins	LAT	39	28	67

Open Overall

Pos	Rider	Nat	R1	R2	Total
1	Renaux, Maxime	FRA	1	3	4
2	Everts, Liam	BEL	3	10	13
3	Bonacorsi, Andrea	ITA	8	11	19
4	Guillod, Valentin	SUI	6	15	21
5	Ferris, Dean	AUS	12	16	28
6	Kullas, Harri	EST	20	12	32
7	Fernandez, Ruben	ESP	7	28	35
8	Craig, Christian	USA	16	20	36
9	Koch, Tom	GER	17	25	42
10	Mewse, Conrad	GBR	25	23	48
11	Harwood, Hamish	NZL	23	26	49
12	Reisulis, Karlis Alberts	LAT	29	22	51
13	Wright, Jesse	RSA	33	30	63
14	Teresak, Jakub	CZE	32	35	67
15	Bubnic, Miha	SLO	35	34	69
16	Santos, Fabio	BRA	37	36	73
17	Fredriksen, Hakon	NOR	34	–	34
18	Haavisto, Jere	FIN	36	–	36

Race 3 (MXGP + Open) – Classification

Pos	Rider	Bike	Diff. First
1	Lawrence, Jett	Honda	35m25.550
2	Roczen, Ken	Suzuki	+0m07.295
3	Renaux, Maxime	Yamaha	+0m11.349
4	Prado, Jorge	GASGAS	+0m12.854
5	Gajser, Tim	Honda	+0m21.737
6	Seewer, Jeremy	Yamaha	+0m23.245
7	Febvre, Romain	Kawasaki	+1m01.929
8	Forato, Alberto	KTM	+1m05.270
9	Vlaanderen, Calvin	Yamaha	+1m13.321
10	Everts, Liam	KTM	+1m19.073
11	Bonacorsi, Andrea	Yamaha	+1m35.141
12	Kullas, Harri	Yamaha	+1m38.632
13	Watson, Ben	Beta	+1m39.967
14	Geerts, Jago	Yamaha	+1m50.556
15	Guillod, Valentin	Honda	+1m56.893
16	Ferris, Dean	KTM	+1m59.967
17	Jonass, Pauls	Honda	1 lap
18	Plessinger, Aaron	KTM	1 lap
19	Östlund, Alvin	Honda	1 lap
20	Craig, Christian	Husqvarna	1 lap
21	Leok, Tanel	Husqvarna	1 lap
22	Reisulis, Karlis Alberts	Yamaha	1 lap
23	Mewse, Conrad	Honda	1 lap
24	Toendel, Cornelius	Honda	1 lap
25	Koch, Tom	KTM	1 lap
26	Harwood, Hamish	KTM	1 lap
27	Kovar, Vaclav	KTM	1 lap
28	Fernandez, Ruben	Honda	1 lap
29	Lima, Eduardo	Husqvarna	1 lap
30	Wright, Jesse	Yamaha	1 lap
31	Durow, Cameron Anthony	KTM	2 laps
32	Cooper, Cody	GASGAS	2 laps
33	Sihvonen, Miro	Husqvarna	2 laps
34	Bubnic, Miha	KTM	3 laps
35	Teresak, Jakub	Husqvarna	15 laps
36	Santos, Fabio	Yamaha	18 laps

Race 2 (MX2 + Open) – Classification

Pos	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap
1	Renaux, Maxime	Yamaha	34m00.428
2	Vialle, Tom	KTM	+0m00.882
3	Everts, Liam	KTM	+0m17.342
4	Adamo, Andrea	KTM	+0m20.937
5	Lawrence, Hunter	Honda	+0m30.599
6	Guillod, Valentin	Honda	+0m38.812
7	Fernandez, Ruben	Honda	+0m43.751
8	Bonacorsi, Andrea	Yamaha	+0m46.180
9	de Wolf, Kay	Husqvarna	+0m46.878
10	Hampshire, RJ	Husqvarna	+0m49.211
11	Laengenfelder, Simon	GASGAS	+1m00.484
12	Ferris, Dean	KTM	+1m21.091
13	Mc Lellan, Camden	Honda	+1m33.118
14	Pancar, Jan	KTM	+1m36.573
15	Gilbert, Josh	Honda	+1m39.265
16	Craig, Christian	Husqvarna	+1m41.602
17	Koch, Tom	KTM	1m42.488
18	Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias	Husqvarna	+1m43.806
19	Coenen, Lucas	Husqvarna	+1m44.089
20	Kullas, Harri	Yamaha	+1m45.640
21	Horgmo, Kevin	Kawasaki	+1m54.820
22	Oliver, Oriol	KTM	+1m56.834
23	Harwood, Hamish	KTM	+2m00.733
24	Tonus, Arnaud	Yamaha	+2m12.730
25	Mewse, Conrad	Honda	1 lap
26	Mikula, Julius	Yamaha	1 lap
27	Bresolin, Guilherme	Yamaha	1 lap
28	Reisulis, Janis Martins	Yamaha	1 lap
29	Reisulis, Karlis Alberts	Yamaha	1 lap
30	Scott, James	Yamaha	1 lap
31	Bengtsson, Filip	KTM	1 lap
32	Teresak, Jakub	Husqvarna	1 lap
33	Wright, Jesse	Yamaha	1 lap
34	Fredriksen, Hakon	Yamaha	2 laps
35	Bubnic, Miha	KTM	2 laps
36	Haavisto, Jere	KTM	10 laps
37	Santos, Fabio	Yamaha	10 laps
38	Weckman, Emil	Honda	12 laps

Race 1 (MXGP + MX2) – Classification

Pos	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap
1	Febvre, Romain	Kawasaki	35m22.325
2	Prado, Jorge	GASGAS	0m02.320
3	Roczen, Ken	Suzuki	0m26.166
4	Seewer, Jeremy	Yamaha	0m28.846
5	Plessinger, Aaron	KTM	0m30.267
6	Lawrence, Jett	Honda	0m33.837
7	Gajser, Tim	Honda	0m33.940
8	Vialle, Tom	KTM	0m41.304
9	Geerts, Jago	Yamaha	0m43.080
10	Lawrence, Hunter	Honda	0m43.887
11	de Wolf, Kay	Husqvarna	0m54.864
12	Forato, Alberto	KTM	0m56.145
13	Jonass, Pauls	Honda	1m01.039
14	Laengenfelder, Simon	GASGAS	1m02.144
15	Vlaanderen, Calvin	Yamaha	1m09.490
16	Hampshire, RJ	Husqvarna	1m22.933
17	Watson, Ben	Beta	1m24.816
18	Adamo, Andrea	KTM	1m25.465
19	Coenen, Lucas	Husqvarna	1m29.947
20	Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias	Husqvarna	1m55.591
21	Gilbert, Josh	Honda	1 lap
22	Mc Lellan, Camden	Honda	1 lap
23	Östlund, Alvin	Honda	1 lap
24	Oliver, Oriol	KTM	1 lap
25	Pancar, Jan	KTM	1 lap
26	Cooper, Cody	GASGAS	1 lap
27	Tonus, Arnaud	Yamaha	1 lap
28	Weckman, Emil	Honda	1 lap
29	Leok, Tanel	Husqvarna	1 lap
30	Mikula, Julius	Yamaha	1 lap
31	Durow, Cameron Anthony	KTM	1 lap
32	Lima, Eduardo	Husqvarna	1 lap
33	Bengtsson, Filip	KTM	1 lap
34	Scott, James	Yamaha	1 lap
35	Bresolin, Guilherme	Yamaha	1 lap
36	Sihvonen, Miro	Husqvarna	1 lap
37	Kovar, Vaclav	KTM	2 laps
38	Toendel, Cornelius	Honda	4 laps
39	Reisulis, Janis Martins	Yamaha	14 laps
40	Horgmo, Kevin	Kawasaki	18 laps