Arno Bosch was crowned Dutch motocross champion in the 500cc class on October 14, 1973 at the Lierop circuit. But fifteen minutes after the announcement, the Limburger had already lost his title. Due to a huge blunder by the jury who made a mistake in the total points, it turned out that Hans Brans from Son was not the number one. Fifty years later it still causes emotion: “It still feels bad!”
About a hundred former motocross riders gathered at the Lierop circuit on Wednesday for a reunion. The highlight that day was a reconstruction of the 1973 Dutch championship. Due to the complicated regulations at the time, it ended in chaos.
The decision would be made during the last match of the season in Lierop. The biggest contenders were Arno Bosch and Hans (nickname Han) Brans. But due to the system used by the motocross association, the driver with the most points was not automatically the winner.
“Ms Van Erp didn’t want to at first, but she started calculating again and became increasingly quiet.”
The regulations stipulated that drivers could cancel one-third of their results over the entire season. Naturally, they then chose to delete their worst matches. It led to a chaotic and complicated course of events that required a lot of calculations.
“After each heat there was a new count,” says Arno Bosch. “Everyone was calculating and the supporters said that I had to finish ahead of Hans Brans in the last heat to become champion. To be sure, I went to the jury car and they said that the place behind him was also sufficient.”
The tension was therefore palpable in the third and final heat. Hans Brans: “It went smoothly after the start and I was second for a long time, but halfway through I suddenly passed Arno very easily.”
Bosch adds: “I was sitting in front of Hans and he was just pushing behind me. I am someone who prefers not to take too many risks and that’s why I let him pass. I was going to become champion anyway and after the finish I became champion. declared the winner by the jury.”
“The jury misinformed me, but it was also somewhat my own fault.”
Hans Brans’ supporters didn’t understand it and went to seek redress. Jo Hulsen, chairman of MC Son, was the only one allowed into the jury car. “There was only Mrs. Van Erp behind the counting table,” he remembers. “She was very difficult and did not want to recount the points. After I complained to the chairman, it still happened. Mrs. Van Erp started calculating again and became increasingly quiet. Hans Brans is a champion, she finally said.”
After fifteen minutes, Arno Bosch had already lost his title. “I was furious,” he remembers. “There are certain words for it, but I don’t want to name them. It actually still hurts because no one has ever said sorry for this. It still feels awkward.”
Hans Brans was of course very happy with his title. “If the jury had not blundered, we both would have had to go a little deeper,” says the former motocross rider from Son, who was only honored later in the evening. “But I went for it and he didn’t. That’s the difference. That’s why I am the rightful champion.”
Arno Bosch agrees. “My supporters said otherwise, but I believed the jury. They are in favor of it, you would say. They informed me incorrectly, but it is also somewhat my own fault. That is sad when you are so close. Fortunately, I am became European champion that year. But Hans deserved it.”
