Ben Pon facts for kids
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| Born | 9 December 1936 Leiden, South Holland |
|---|---|
| Died | 30 September 2019 (aged 82) Nijkerk, Gelderland |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Dutch |
| Active years | 1962 |
| Teams | Ecurie Maarsbergen (privateer Porsche) |
| Entries | 1 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1962 Dutch Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1962 Dutch Grand Prix |
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
|---|---|
| Years | 1961 - 1965, 1967 |
| Teams | Porsche System Engineering, Racing Team Holland, Auguste Vaillet |
| Best finish | 7th (1967) |
| Class wins | 2 (1961, 1967) |
Bernardus Marinus "Ben" Pon (born December 9, 1936 – died September 30, 2019) was a talented Dutch person. He was known as a successful winemaker and also an Olympic athlete. He was also a professional motor racing driver.
Ben Pon competed in one Formula One race. This was the 1962 Dutch Grand Prix. However, he had a much longer and more successful career in sports car racing. After his racing days, he focused on making and selling wine. He even represented the Netherlands in clay pigeon shooting at the 1972 Summer Olympics. He finished 31st in the skeet event there.
Life of Ben Pon
Ben Pon's father, Ben Pon, Sr., was a very important person in the car world. He was the one who brought Volkswagen Beetle cars into the United States. Many people also consider him the "father" of the Volkswagen Type 2, which is often called the VW Bus. This was because of his early ideas and interest in the project.
Ben Pon was good friends with another Formula One driver named Carel Godin de Beaufort. Carel's own racing team, called Ecurie Maarsbergen, gave Ben a Porsche 787 car to race. This was for his home Grand Prix race at Zandvoort on May 20, 1962.
During this race, Ben had an accident. His car flipped over, and he was thrown out of the cockpit into some bushes. Luckily, he was not seriously hurt. After this, Ben promised himself he would never race single-seater cars again. He kept his promise.
In the years that followed, Ben Pon became very successful in sports car racing. He continued to drive Porsche cars. He retired from professional sports car racing in 1965.
After he stopped racing, Ben Pon started focusing on the wine business. He became famous for his Bernardus Winery in Carmel Valley, California. He also owned the oldest business in the Netherlands that helped negotiate wine deals.
Racing Achievements
Ben Pon had a notable career in sports car racing, especially at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race. This is a very long endurance race for sports cars.
He competed in the Le Mans race several times:
- 1961
- 1962
- 1963
- 1964
- 1965
- 1967
His best overall finish at Le Mans was 7th place in 1967. He also achieved two class wins. A class win means he was the fastest car in his specific category of cars. He won his class in 1961 and again in 1967.
