- Ben Pon
Former F1 driver
image-size = 150
pixels = 150
Name = Ben Pon
Nationality = flagicon|Netherlands Dutch
Years = F1|1962
Team(s) =Ecurie Maarsbergen ("privateer Porsche")
Races = 1
Championships = 0
Wins = 0
Podiums = 0
Points = 0
Poles = 0
Fastest laps = 0
First race =1962 Dutch Grand Prix
First win =
Last win =
Last race =1962 Dutch Grand Prix
Le Mans drivers
Name =
Nationality =
Years = 1961 - 1965, 1967
Team(s) = Porsche System Engineering, Racing Team Holland, Auguste Vaillet
Best Finish = 7th (1967)
Class Wins = 2 (1961, 1967)Ben Pon (born Bernardus Marinus Pon on
9 December 1936 inAmersfoort ,Netherlands ) is avintner and former Olympian andmotor racing driver from theNetherlands . He competed in oneFormula One race, the1962 Dutch Grand Prix , but had a far longer career insports car racing , before turning his back on the track to concentrate on thewine trade. He also represented the Netherlands in clay pigeon shooting at the1972 Summer Olympics .His father was an importer of
Volkswagen Beetles into the United States, and is considered to be the "father" of theVolkswagen Type 2 due to his initial interest and input into the project. [http://www.vwtrendsweb.com/features/0106vwt_people] Ben Pon was a personal friend of Formula One driverCarel Godin de Beaufort . It was de Beaufort's ownEcurie Maarsbergen privateer team that provided aPorsche 787 for him to race at Zandvoort, in his home Grand Prix onMay 20 ,1962 . He failed to finish the race due to an accident. The impact was so violent that Pon vowed never again to race single-seaters, and in the years that followed he remained true to his word, while achieving many successes insports car racing also driving a Porsche. Pon retired from professional sports car racing in 1965.Since his retirement in the sports arena, Pon has turned his attention to the wine trade. He is now known for his
Bernardus Winery inCarmel, California and owns the oldest wine negotiating business in the Netherlands.Complete Formula One World Championship results
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References
* [http://www.bernardus.com/bw/biographies/bw5a.html Biography of Bernadus Pon]
* [http://www.vwtrendsweb.com/features/0106vwt_people/ Who's Who of Volkswagen]External links
* [http://www.bernardus.com/ Bernadus Winery website]
* [http://www.f1rejects.com/drivers/pon/index.html Profile on F1 Rejects]
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