John Hugenholtz

Hans Hugenholtz ( born October 31, 1914 as John Bernhardus Theodorus Hugenholtz in Westervelder district Vledder, † March 25, 1995 in Zandvoort community part Bentveld ), also known as John Hugenholtz, was a Dutch planners of motor sport racetracks and for a long time and route Director of the Circuit Park Zandvoort. A curve of this route, the Hugenholtzbocht, is named after him. He designed, among other things, the Formula 1 race tracks of Nivelles - Baulers in Belgium, Suzuka (Japan), Zolder (Belgium) and Jarama (Spain ) and the Hockenheimring motodrome. In addition, he is considered a pioneer of safety technology in motorsport, because he first " fencing " began on the routes and at the end of the 1960s einplante run-off areas.

Hugenholtz went as a young man amateur motorcycle racing and founded after high school and during his studies of law in Utrecht in 1936 Nederlandse Car Race Club (the "Dutch auto- racing club "). Here he served until 1947 as secretary. He had The study must cancel due to the war and began his professional career in 1945 as a journalist for several Dutch newspapers in which he wrote, among other things, motor sport, transport and technology. When remodeling an existing since 1939 temporary race track in the dunes of Zandvoort Hugenholtz planned large parts of almost 4.2 km long permanent route that has been traveled for the first time in August 1948. From 1949 to 1974 he was director of the course, partly in parallel ( 1949-1970 ) and Director of the Tourist town of Zandvoort. In 1951, Hugenholtz in Paris, the International Association of Permanent Circuits, a now -defunct global association of operators of permanent motorsport race tracks.

His passion for vintage cars, he proved in 1956 as co-founder and president of the Dutch temporary pioneer Automobil Club (PAC ), which in turn was in 1966 one of the pillars for the creation of the International Automobile Veterans Association International Federation of Voitures Anciennes ( FIVA ). Under the name John Hugenholtz, he frequently participated as a driver during racing events with historical vehicles.

Hugenholtz died at the age of 80 years from the consequences of severe injuries he had sustained in a car accident near Zandvoort on 10 January 1995. His wife Marianne Sophie van Rheineck Leyssius was still died at the accident site.

His son Hans Hugenholtz jun. (* 1950) was a racing driver, including a Dodge Viper in the FIA ​​GT series ( officially as before his father under the name of John Hugenholtz ), since August 2007 and is Chairman of the Board of the Dutch sports car manufacturer Spyker Cars.

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