22 replies to this topic

[roger saretzki]

who was PON BEN , where does he come from ?
any infos about his history ?

regards , roger

[cjpani]

I asume it's Ben Pon, a Dutch race driver?

cj

[macoran]

If you have to ask ....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Pon

the current importers in NL of VW/Audi etc etc is Pon'S Automotive

[Vitesse2]

http://www.f1rejects.../pon/index.html

[Arjan de Roos]

I guess Pon Ben was the dutch driver active in Italy and Spain...

Makes good wine nowadays. Roger, check also this forum with the search function.

[Graham Gauld]

For amusement:

I competed in the 1959 International Tulip Rally with young Scots driver Sherwood Skelly in an MGA Twin Cam. In those days the cars ran in classes. The cars started at two minute intervals and Sherwood was quite quick. However on one night stage he was trying hard and I shouted to him to get a move on as I could see headlights behind us. He didn't believe me until a few corners later this Porsche swept past us spraying stones everywhere : Ben Pon. He was a very very good driver.

[Arjan de Roos]

http://www.bernardus...phies/bw5a.html

His father was responsible for bringing the VW Beetle to the US

[Bjorn Kjer]

I f you go to Frank Verplanken "an interesting link " you will find a biography on Ben (Bernardus) Pon.

[Gabrci]

Ben Pon has sadly passed away. 

 

https://www.rtlz.nl/...mule-1-zakenman

[Richard Jenkins]

Very sad news, very sorry to hear this.

[E1pix]

Sorry to hear of both and will find English versions.

Is this the same Ben Pon who essentially inspired the origins of the VW bus on a napkin?

>>> Edit: Sorry, that was his dad and recall that now.

Ben Pon, Jr. was interviewed on Documentary Channel's "The Bus" in about 2012, showing the original drawing of the VW bus. The documentary is here if interested:
https://m.youtube.co...h?v=rXf3cImf3NE

I had no idea that he was a driver!

RIP to the 2nd power.

Edited by E1pix, 01 October 2019 - 01:49.

[D28]

Ben Pon raced on Ont airport circuits in a Porsche is his early career. He appeared in 1965 at Mt Tremblant and Mosport in an indecently fast, bright orange 904 for Racing Team Holland. He had good results with this team in European Sports car races.

 

Sorry to hear of his passing.

[proviz]

Ben Pon also had a role in the success of Racing Team AAW in the 1970 Makes' Championship. The Porsche 908 used by the team from Brands Hatch until  Hans Laine's tragic accident in the Nürburgring was actually supplied by him when the original AAW chassis had been sold to Tony Dean after Sebring. Pon was also the link in Gijs van Lennep joining the team.

[Arjan de Roos]

The Pon Holdings informed the Dutch press that Ben Pon Jr died yesterday 30th of September at the age of 82.

 

Ben Pon was one of the 15 Dutchmen to race in F1. Only once did he start a GP (for Ecurie Maarsbergen). This race was ended spectacularly with a shunt at Scheivlak. He participated with more success in long distance races as well as rallies. Initially as an adventurous lad he had moved to Canada at 15 and learned to race cars there. Carel Godin de Beaufort was one of his many friends. 

 

He would participate 6 times at e Le Mans with credible class wins in a 906 in 1967 (with Elford) and in 1961 in a 365B (with Linge). In 1964 he was 2nd in class with a 904 (Van Zalinge). In Holland he was called Mr Porsche.

 

In 1968 he stopped racing and concentrated on the businesses, Volkswagen and Porsche distributor. In 1972 he also represented Holland in the Olympics at skeet shooting. Later he moved to the US and made his own wines. Due to his illness he was more often in Holland. As a huge Verstappen fan he watched GP's in his home at full volume.

 

His father was the first VW distributor outside of Germany and developed the van that grew to become the cult symbol called the Bully. His son did a sterling in job in developing the business. Pon's name is printed on many a VW on the Dutch roads.

[Henri Greuter]

That is sad news.

Dat hij moge rusten in vrede.

Henri

[Sterzo]

Ben Pon raced on Ont airport circuits in a Porsche is his early career. He appeared in 1965 at Mt Tremblant and Mosport in an indecently fast, bright orange 904 for Racing Team Holland. He had good results with this team in European Sports car races.

Which he drove in an exuberant, sideways style if his performance at Snetterton in the UK was representative.

[D28]

Yes he did, very spectacular and memorable, a thrill to watch.

[hobbes7979]

This is a long and obscure long shot, but seeing the (sad) passing of Ben Pon recently made me think I should get to the bottom of this.

 

My father passed away about 5 years ago, and in amongst some interesting car bits and pieces was a trophy inscribed with the following:

 

HEINEKEN TROPHY

Presented by Heineken Breweries Holland

FASTEST LAP

INTERNATIONAL GRAND TURISMO RACES

ZANDVOORT 1961

 

In that trophy, my dad had printed out and stuffed in the trophy a piece of paper from the F1 Rejects site all about Ben Pon.  He clearly came to the conclusion this trophy was presented to him.

 

After considerable digging on the web, I can find a sports car race that took place at Zandvoort in 1961 and indeed Ben Pon participated and came second.

 

However, fastest lap was accredited on this website to a Graham Warner.

 

https://www.racingsp...9-03-11278.html

 

Here’s the long shot part… does anyone have access to September 1961 Autosports that can shed more light on this race? 

 

Was my dad simply mistaken (which isn’t a bad thing since Warner seems an interesting character in his own right!)

 

Does it make any mention of the Heineken Trophy?

 

Apologies for mildly hijacking this thread.  I’m just not sure if I have Ben Pon memorabilia or not and would just like to get to the bottom of it once and for all!

 

Here's a pic of the trophy:

https://ibb.co/3MFcHGS

Edited by hobbes7979, 07 October 2019 - 18:54.

[hobbes7979]

Well, I answered my own question :-)  I found the edition of Autosport of interest on ebay, and the seller actually put photos of the article I would have been interested in!  So I think what I have is the trophy that would have been awarded to Graham Warner rather than Ben Pon...

 

https://www.ebay.com...H-/352594893545

[RobMk2a]

The World Cup was on 3rd September 1961, there is a good write up in 'A Chequered Life' which says Graham Warner's fastest lap was 1:49.9 

 

I have records of Ben Pon's Lap 1.53.2 Graham Warner 1.54.2. Eberhard Rank also did 1.53.2 (maybe these are qualifying times). 

 

Rob Peterson has a good archive of Zandvoort info so may be able to confirm the actual lap times.

 

see 

 

https://www.facebook...on=group_dialog

 

There is a photo of the Cup award to Gerhard Koch for 4th place. 

 

If anyone has a copy of the programme I would love a photocopy (for Tommy Entwistle's TVR). 

 

Thanks 

 

Rob 

Edited by RobMk2a, 07 October 2019 - 20:49.

[hobbes7979]

Thank you ever so much Rob.  Rob P was a superb source providing confirmation it was Warner that had fastest lap, an excerpt from the programme mentioning the trophy I in fact own and many new photos.

 

Pon indeed cam second and didn't look happy about it :-)

[RobMk2a]

John  -great post on the Dutch site -  just for your records the colour photo  is of the 1960 World Cup not 61. 

 

Rob 

[Arjan de Roos]

The World Cup was in fact a three country race (drielandenwedstrijd), between Netherlands, Germany and England. Each country fielded 6 cars that would start Le Mans style. A race over no less than 50 laps (210 km). And obligatory was a pit stop for refueling (Le Mans between the Dunes!).

 

For many laps Hahnl was leading followed by Pon. Warner back in third. It was fierce battle that led also to several contacts. Pon haunted Hahnl strongly, damage occurred! At half way Pon managed to take the lead and go for his refueling stop. This was done in 27 seconds. In the second part of the race Hahnl made a mistake in Tarzan that led to Warner taking second. At this stage Pon was slowing down, making it possible for Warner to close in and in the fore last lap Warner took the lead from Pon.  

 

Graham Warner won the race in his Lotus Elite (LOV1) while Pon was second in a Carrera Abarth. Fritz Hahnl (P Carrera) was third followed by Koch (P Carrera) and Pat Ferguson (Turner Climax). Rob Dooyes was 6th (P Carrera) and third Dutchman was Evert Jan Groen in a Porsche 1600 as 7th.

Thomas Entwisle was 8th in the TVR, Hans Blonk 8th in a Porsche and Sutton in his Marcos GT came in 10th.

 

At that time Zanvoort was 4193 m long and Warner recorded a FL at 1 minute 49,9.

 

England won this Interland by 39 points to Holland 29 and Germany 28.

Edited by Arjan de Roos, 10 October 2019 - 11:20.