Wilhelm Herz

Wilhelm Herz (1912–1998) was a motorbike racer and land speed racer. He was born in Lampertheim, Germany, and started his career in 1932 with DKW and went over to NSU in 1939. He ran races on national and international courses like the Berlin AVUS, Grenzlandring, Helsinki, Hockenheimring, Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Isle of Man, Monza, Nürburgring, Schleizer Dreieck, Schottenring and Solitude. He gained his international reputation through numerous world records on two- und four-wheeled vehicles.Fact|date=August 2008 He set a motorcycle record in 1951 on the Munich - Ingolstadt motorway and repeated it at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah in 1956. In this instance, he was the first person to ride a motorbike over 200 mph (320 km/h).

From 1954 until 1992, he was manager of the Hockenheimring which he led to international importance, especially because of the Grand Prix for motorbikes and Formula 1. Wilhelm Herz was honoured for his merits in the field of motorsports by former German President Theodor Heuss who presented him the "Silbernen Lorbeer" in 1952 and in 1972 he received the Order of Merit by former Chancellor Dr. Helmut Kohl. The city of Hockenheim honoured his merits concerning the Hockenheimring by presenting him with the "Goldene Verdienstmedaille".

In 2006 presented Heinz Herz, son of Wilhelm Herz, a replica of the Delphin III, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the world record 1956 in the course of the International Motorcycle Speed Trials by BUB, sanctioned by the FIM and the AMA, on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

External links

* [http://www.wilhelmherz.de The Life and Work of Wilhelm Herz (www.wilhelmherz.de)]
* [http://www.performancechemicals.basf.com/ev-wcms-in/internet/en_GB/portal/show-content/content/EV/EV1/news/2006_09_14 50th anniversary world record Wilhelm Herz, Salt Flats, Utah] (Website BASF)
* [http://www.fim.ch/EN/default.asp?item=69&o=/EN/flat/photos/photosWorldRec.htm 50th anniversary world record of Wilhelm Herz] (Website Federation Internationale de Motorcyclism)