The Australian Motorcycle News magazine acclaimed twenty-one-year old Charlie West the best in the land in the late fifties.
The West Australian won four Australian ‘Scrambling’ Championships in that decade, as the sport was named in those days, and went on to win seven Australian titles and more than 17 State titles across the country throughout his career.
Charlie West achieved this success despite spending three years racing International motocross in in Europe.
With scrambling established in Western Australia in the 1920s, WA riders dominated the National scene from the sports beginning to the mid-1960s.
Charlie West was the legend of that era dominating all classes, including the prestigious Unlimited All Powers on a BSA Gold Star and C15 Starfire BSA in the 250s.
He won his first National title in the All Powers class in 1956 at the Moorebank Army Camp circuit in New South Wales.
In 1958 he won both the 350cc and Unlimited classes at Evansdale, Launceston (TAS), successfully retaining the Unlimited title the following year at Royal Park in Adelaide (SA).
Although West only won one title in 1959, he was the standout rider at the meeting. On top of the premier Unlimited class he was on target to score victories in the 350 and 500 titles, but unfortunately experienced race mishaps on the day.