Åke Jonsson
Encyclopedia
Åke Jonsson born October 5, 1942 in Hammerdal
, was a Swedish
motocross
racer. He was also a very skilled speed skater, and belonged to the Swedish top junior elite, before his racing career took off. Jonsson was one of the top riders in the Motocross World Championships during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Jonsson had three big chances to win the World Championship title, 1968, 1970 and maybe his best chance was in 1971.
Jonsson began his riding career in Sweden riding for the Husqvarna
factory but found it difficult to get enough of free spareparts riding behind World Champions Bengt Aberg
and Torsten Hallman
. Nevertheless, he finished in third place in the 1968 500cc World Championship. In 1969 he was hired to ride for the Maico
factory team. He rode a Maico to finish once again in third place in the 1970
500cc World Championship. Later that season he won the Inter-AM series in America.
1971
would be Jonsson's best year. Going into the final race of the 500cc world championship, Jonsson held a slight points lead over Suzuki's
Roger De Coster. While leading the race, his motorcycle's spark plug came loose, allowing DeCoster to pass him for the victory and the World Championship. A few weeks later he took a slight revenge by winning both motos in the Motocross des Nations
held in Vannes
, France
.
Jonsson was injured in the middle of the 1972 Grand Prix season but, still finished the season as the series runner up. At the last race for the season in Ettelbruck
, Luxembourg
, Jonsson won the first moto and, was leading the second moto on the last lap when his bike ran out of fuel, causing a DNF. Instead of being the runner up, he now took a fourth place in the 1972 world championship. Jonsson then won the season ending 1972 Trans-AMA motocross series
held in America, winning nine consecutive races at one point.
For the 1973 season, Jonsson was hired for three years, by the Yamaha
to ride their new motorcycle
with its innovative rear suspension using a single shock absorber called a monoshock. When he first joined the Yamaha team, he installed Maico front suspension to his bike, much to the chagrin of Yamaha, who then improved their own front forks. He had a series of mechanical difficulties and a lot of development in the motorcycle and failed to repeat his performance of the previous years. In 1976, he returned to ride for the Maico team but, broke his collarbone and finished in eighth place in the world championship.
After a few more seasons, Jonsson retired from competition. Jonsson was also a member of three victorious Swedish Motocross des Nations
teams in 1970, 1971 and 1974, and three Trophees des Nations wins, 1964, 1966 and 1967. Jonsson has won the Swedish National Championship seven times. After his racing career he ran a Yamaha dealership in Sweden. Today he lives a retired life in Sweden.
He was also the author of "The Technique of Moto-Cross," a book on advanced riding techniques for racers. Former Dutch world championship motocross competitor, Gerrit Wolsink
, in an interview with "Motocross Action" magazine, praised the book strongly, saying that even at his level, he learned helpful information about techniques to use in various situations.
Hammerdal
Hammerdal is a locality situated in Strömsund Municipality, Jämtland County, Sweden with 996 inhabitants in 2005. It is historically associated with Hammond, Louisiana, USA, by way of a Swedish immigrant who founded the Louisiana city....
, was a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
racer. He was also a very skilled speed skater, and belonged to the Swedish top junior elite, before his racing career took off. Jonsson was one of the top riders in the Motocross World Championships during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Jonsson had three big chances to win the World Championship title, 1968, 1970 and maybe his best chance was in 1971.
Jonsson began his riding career in Sweden riding for the Husqvarna
Husqvarna Motorcycles
Husqvarna Motorcycles, a subsidiary of BMW, is a company manufacturing motocross, enduro and supermoto motorcycles. The company began producing motorcycles in 1903 at Huskvarna, Sweden, as a branch of the Husqvarna armament firm which had supplied the Swedish army with rifles since 1689.-History:As...
factory but found it difficult to get enough of free spareparts riding behind World Champions Bengt Aberg
Bengt Åberg
Bengt Åberg is a former Swedish motocross racer. He was one of the top riders in the Motocross Grand Prix World Championships during the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1968 he was part of the Swedish team that won the Trophée des Nations. He was the F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Champion in 1969...
and Torsten Hallman
Torsten Hallman
Torsten Hallman was a four-time motocross World Champion. He was one of the men responsible for introducing motocross to the United States in the late 1960s....
. Nevertheless, he finished in third place in the 1968 500cc World Championship. In 1969 he was hired to ride for the Maico
Maico
For the manga series, see Maico 2010.Maicowerk A.G. was founded in 1926, originally assembling 98 and 123 cc Ilo two stroke motors. After World War II the West German motorcycle manufacturer began producing its own unit construction two stroke engines, selling engines and complete motorcycles...
factory team. He rode a Maico to finish once again in third place in the 1970
1970 FIM Motocross World Championship season
The 1970 FIM Motocross World Championship season was the 14th F.I.M. Motocross Racing World Championship season.-Summary:Bengt Åberg won his second consecutive 500cc world championship for Husqvarna...
500cc World Championship. Later that season he won the Inter-AM series in America.
1971
1971 FIM Motocross World Championship season
The 1971 FIM Motocross World Championship season was the 15th F.I.M. Motocross Racing World Championship season.-Summary:Roger De Coster won his first 500cc world championship for Suzuki in a tight points battle with Maico rider Åke Jonsson. The championship wasn't decided until the final round of...
would be Jonsson's best year. Going into the final race of the 500cc world championship, Jonsson held a slight points lead over Suzuki's
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
Roger De Coster. While leading the race, his motorcycle's spark plug came loose, allowing DeCoster to pass him for the victory and the World Championship. A few weeks later he took a slight revenge by winning both motos in the Motocross des Nations
Motocross des Nations
The Motocross des Nations is an annual team motocross race, where riders representing their country meet at what is billed as the "Olympics of Motocross"...
held in Vannes
Vannes
Vannes is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2000 years ago.-Geography:Vannes is located on the Gulf of Morbihan at the mouth of two rivers, the Marle and the Vincin. It is around 100 km northwest of Nantes and 450 km south west...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Jonsson was injured in the middle of the 1972 Grand Prix season but, still finished the season as the series runner up. At the last race for the season in Ettelbruck
Ettelbruck
Ettelbruck is a commune with city status in central Luxembourg, with a population of approximately 7,500. As of 2005, the town of Ettelbruck itself, which lies in the east of the commune, has a population of 6,191. The town of Warken and Grentzingen are also within the commune...
, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, Jonsson won the first moto and, was leading the second moto on the last lap when his bike ran out of fuel, causing a DNF. Instead of being the runner up, he now took a fourth place in the 1972 world championship. Jonsson then won the season ending 1972 Trans-AMA motocross series
1972 Trans-AMA motocross series
The 1972 Trans-AMA motocross series was the third annual international series established by the American Motorcyclist Association as a pilot event to help establish motocross in the United States. The motocross series was an invitational based on a 500cc engine displacement formula, run on...
held in America, winning nine consecutive races at one point.
For the 1973 season, Jonsson was hired for three years, by the Yamaha
Yamaha Motor Company
, is a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company. Yamaha Motor is part of Yamaha Corporation and its headquarter is located in Iwata, Shizuoka. Along with expanding Yamaha Corporation into the world's biggest piano maker, then Yamaha CEO Genichi Kawakami took Yamaha into the field of motorized...
to ride their new motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
with its innovative rear suspension using a single shock absorber called a monoshock. When he first joined the Yamaha team, he installed Maico front suspension to his bike, much to the chagrin of Yamaha, who then improved their own front forks. He had a series of mechanical difficulties and a lot of development in the motorcycle and failed to repeat his performance of the previous years. In 1976, he returned to ride for the Maico team but, broke his collarbone and finished in eighth place in the world championship.
After a few more seasons, Jonsson retired from competition. Jonsson was also a member of three victorious Swedish Motocross des Nations
Motocross des Nations
The Motocross des Nations is an annual team motocross race, where riders representing their country meet at what is billed as the "Olympics of Motocross"...
teams in 1970, 1971 and 1974, and three Trophees des Nations wins, 1964, 1966 and 1967. Jonsson has won the Swedish National Championship seven times. After his racing career he ran a Yamaha dealership in Sweden. Today he lives a retired life in Sweden.
He was also the author of "The Technique of Moto-Cross," a book on advanced riding techniques for racers. Former Dutch world championship motocross competitor, Gerrit Wolsink
Gerrit Wolsink
Gerrit Wolsink is a Dutch former Grand Prix motocross racer who competed in motocross Grand Prix world championships in the mid- to late 1970s. He is best remembered for being a five-time winner of the 500cc United States Grand Prix of motocross.A dentist by training, Gerrit Wolsink chose a career...
, in an interview with "Motocross Action" magazine, praised the book strongly, saying that even at his level, he learned helpful information about techniques to use in various situations.
Motocross results
- 1963 8:th in the Swedish Champion (250cc)
- 1964 Swedish Champion (250cc) - 6:th in the World Champion (250cc) - Trophees des Nations Champion
- 1965 4:th in the Swedish Champion (250cc) - 5:th in the World Champion (250cc)
- 1966 4:th in the Swedish Champion (250cc) - 5:th in the World Champion (250cc) - Trophees des Nations Champion - 3:rd Motocross des Nations
- 1967 Swedish Champion (500cc) - 18:th in the World Champion (500cc) - Trophees des Nations Champion - 2:nd Motocross des Nations
- 1968 Swedish Champion (500cc) - 3:rd in the World Champion (500cc)
- 1969 4:th in the Swedish Champion (500cc) - 13:th in the World Champion (500cc) - 2:nd Motocross des Nations - 3:rd in the Inter-AM series
- 1970 3:rd in the Swedish Champion (500cc) - 3:rd in the World Champion (500cc) - Motocross des Nations Champion - Inter-AM Champion
- 1971 2:nd in the Swedish Champion (500cc) - 2:nd in the World Champion (500cc) - Motocross des Nations Champion
- 1972 Swedish Champion (500cc) - 4:th in the World Champion (500cc) - 2:nd Motocross des Nations - Trans-AMA Champion
- 1973 Swedish Champion (500cc) - 4:th in the World Champion (500cc) - 2:nd Motocross des Nations
- 1974 2:nd in the Swedish Champion (500cc) - 7:th in the World Champion (500cc) - Motocross des Nations Champion
- 1975 Swedish Champion (500cc) - 4:th in the World Champion (500cc)
- 1976 Swedish Champion (500cc) - 8:th in the World Champion (500cc) - 4:th Trophees des Nations
- 1977 3:rd in the Swedish Champion (500cc) - 23:rd in the World Champion (500cc)
- 1978 6:th in the Swedish Champion (500cc) - 25:th in the World Champion (500cc)