29 Facts About Gerrit Wolsink

Gerrit Wolsink was born on 3 March 1947 and is a Dutch former professional Grand Prix motocross racer.

Gerrit Wolsink competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1968 to 1981, most prominently as a member of the Suzuki factory racing team alongside five-time World Champion Roger De Coster.

Gerrit Wolsink is notable for winning the 500cc United States Motocross Grand Prix five times within a six-year span.

Gerrit Wolsink was born in Hengelo, Gelderland where his father operated a shop that sold bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles and automobiles.

Gerrit Wolsink's uncle was former motocross racer Bennie Hartelman, who had raced a BSA Gold Star motorcycle in the 500cc Motocross World Championships against former World Champions such as Sten Lundin and Bill Nilsson during the 1950s and 1960s.

Gerrit Wolsink progressed to racing as a privateer aboard a Husqvarna motorcycle in the Dutch national championships however, his mother insisted that he should graduate from university.

Gerrit Wolsink was able to finance his education by racing motocross during the summer months.

At the age of 21, Gerrit Wolsink won the 1968 Dutch National Championship and competed in his first Motocross World Championship event at the 1968 500cc Austrian Grand Prix riding a Husqvarna motorcycle.

Gerrit Wolsink graduated from university with a dental degree in Periodontology at the end of 1972 but, put his dental career on hold to fully commit to becoming a professional motocross racer.

The first overall victory of Gerrit Wolsink's career came in his first race as a Maico team member at the season opening 1973 500cc French Grand Prix, where he took the win ahead of Oldrich Hamrsmid and teammate Bauer.

Gerrit Wolsink won Round 2 held in John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and finished the series in second place behind his Maico teammate Adolf Weil.

Gerrit Wolsink was contracted ride for the Suzuki factory racing team as defending champion, Roger De Coster's teammate for the 1974 season.

In 1974, Gerrit Wolsink won the first of what would be four consecutive victories at the Carlsbad Raceway, site of the 500cc United States Motocross Grand Prix.

Gerrit Wolsink was leading Husqvarna factory team rider Heikki Mikkola on the final lap of the second moto with Mikkola gaining rapidly.

Gerrit Wolsink lost control of his motorcycle and crashed as he reached the finish line, just as Mikkola was about to pass him.

Race judges ruled that Gerrit Wolsink had crossed the finish line first for one of the most spectacular finishes in history of the Carlsbad Raceway.

Mikkola eventually won the 1974 500cc Motocross World Championship with Gerrit Wolsink ending the season ranked fourth in the world.

In 1975, Gerrit Wolsink improved to third in the 500cc World Championship as his teammate De Coster won his fourth title with Mikkola in second place.

Gerrit Wolsink won his second consecutive 500cc United States Grand Prix in 1975 as well as victories at the 500cc British Grand Prix and his home Grand Prix in the Netherlands.

The championship wasn't decided until the final race of the season in Luxembourg where Gerrit Wolsink lost the title by 6 points.

Gerrit Wolsink ended the 1977 season ranked third in the 500cc World Championship behind Mikkola and De Coster but was able to win his fourth consecutive 500cc United States Motocross Grand Prix.

Gerrit Wolsink rebounded in 1979, winning the 500cc United States Grand Prix for the fifth time then winning the following 500cc Canadian Grand Prix to put him within reach of the championship points leader, Graham Noyce at midseason.

However, despite only winning one Grand Prix race, Noyce was able to post consistent results to clinch the World Championship ahead of second placed Gerrit Wolsink who finished just one point ahead of third placed Andre Malherbe.

Gerrit Wolsink returned to race for the Maico team for the 1980 season however, by then the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers had begun to open a technological gap over the European manufacturers and the Maico motorcycles were no longer competitive.

Gerrit Wolsink received sponsorship from Honda of Netherlands for the 1981 season with the assistance of his former teammate, De Coster, who had been hired by Honda in 1980.

Gerrit Wolsink competed in his final World Championship race at the 1981 500cc Luxembourg Grand Prix at the age of 34.

Gerrit Wolsink won 22 individual heat races and 15 Grand Prix overall victories during his career in the Motocross World Championships.

Gerrit Wolsink rode a Honda to win the four-stroke class at the 1981 International Six Days Enduro and was a member of the winning Dutch team at the 1984 International Six Days Enduro.

Gerrit Wolsink restores old motocycles, mainly motocross bikes and bring them to auctions in Las Vegas every year.