During the TT week, Racesport.nl comes every day with a story from the rich history of the Dutch Grand Prix. Today we go back exactly 40 years in time to the TT of 1980. It is the day that Jack Middelburg impressively won the 500cc race in Assen.
It is TT week, but unfortunately no current stories this year. So we have to do with the many special moments and races from the past of the Grand Prix of the Netherlands at the TT Circuit Assen. There are so many stories, far too many to choose from, but we tried to create a nice mix between well-known and lesser-known stories for this week.
Today we go back to; June 28, 1980. It is the day that Jack Middelburg made history by winning the 500cc race after Wil Hartog during the TT Assen. In the last story of our Racesport.nl TT Special series we look back on this unique day. Not only with the 500cc race with the great victory of Middelburg, but also over other moments during this TT.
The farewell of record holder Cees van Dongen
During the TT of 1980, a special driver said goodbye. Cees van Dongen drove his last TT in the 50cc and 125cc class in 1980. In total, van Dongen has no less than 41 (!) TT starts to his name and did this in a period of 24 years between 1957 and 1980. Only the TT of 1959 he had to miss. When Van Dongen retired in 1980, he was 52 years old and that was the maximum age to race at that time. Van Dongen did become Dutch champion in his last year. Van Dongen won one Grand Prix in his career. In 1969 he crossed the finish line in Jarama first in the 125cc race. Van Dongen did not score a TT podium. The photo below shows van Dongen with loyal mechanic Cees Brouwer (Ferry’s father) and “Mister TT” Jaap Timmer.
Cees van Dongen said goodbye in 1980 after 41 TT starts. In the photo together with mechanic Cees Brouwer and Mister TT Jaap Timmer | Photo ©: Henk Keulemans
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What happened in the other classes?
We know the TT of 1980 from the 500cc race, but more races were held. We start with the smallest class, the ‘shot glass class’, the 50cc. Ricardo Tormo narrowly won the race for Stefan Dorflinger. Eugenio Lazzarini finished third at a distance and Hans Spaan finished fourth. The races during this TT were practically all held on a semi-wet track. In the 125cc, the victory went to Angel Nieto, after Peter Looijesteijn had taken the lead in the opening phase. Guy Bertin and Loris Reggiani were allowed to take the podium with the eventual 12 + 1 world champion Nieto. In the 250cc, Carlos Lavado and Jacques Cornu competed for the victory. Cornu crashed shortly behind Lavado in the final phase, which won. Eric Saul came second to Toni Mang. At that time there was also the 350cc. Mar Schouten caused a surprise by joining the top drivers after the start, but then quickly fell back with problems. Jon Ekerold eventually won the race. Patrick Fernandez defeated Mang in the Geert Timmer corner, scoring his second third place finish of the day. Jock Taylor and Benga Johansson finally won in the Sidecar class with a fourth place for Egbert Streuer and Bernard Schnieders.
Anything but ideal preparation for Middelburg
In order to win a Grand Prix in the 500cc class so that you actually have to be in top shape, Jack Middelburg showed during the TT Assen of 1980 that it can be done differently. In 1979 “Jumping Jack” broke his leg twice in crashes. This caused him to get a huge amount of pins and screws in his leg. Middelburg therefore started injured in the 1980 season, but he was known as rock hard and continued. Middelburg had two Yamaha TZ 500 production racers at its disposal, only during the season it turned out that the engines were steering poorly. The help of frame builder Nico Bakker was enlisted. During the TT, the result was clearly visible, as Middelburg took pole position. Teammate Boet van Dulmen was tenth on the starting grid. It was not the TT of Wil Hartog. The Abbekerk driver came back from an injury and was faced with technical problems and an incorrect tire choice in the race, ultimately leading to a lap in the race.
The start of the 500cc race in 1980. Jack Middelburg (8) only takes his place, while Randy Mamola (10) takes the lead | Photo ©: Henk Keulemans
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Middelburg makes TT publicly delirious
A look back at the historic race of Jack Middelburg. The Dutchman may be in pole position, but he cannot take advantage of it at all. The pins and screws in his leg cause him to have a lot of trouble walking, let alone pushing his motor. During this time we still had the push starts. Middelburg barely gets his Yamaha working and goes in the back field on the Bedeldijk. There are still wet spots on the track, so the conditions are treacherous. Middelburg feels perfectly at home in these circumstances and thunders forward. After one round, “Jumping Jack” is already fifth and that quickly becomes fourth. Then he manages to close the gap to leaders; Kenny Roberts, Randy Mamola and Johnny Cecotto. At the start of the third round, Middelburg has already passed Cecotto. When braking for the bend at the end of the Bedeldijk, the two Americans also have to believe it and a Dutchman is leading in the royal class. Van Dulmen also drives strong and also knows how to join the front group. Middelburg is able to build a head start and the complete world top led by world champion Roberts does not see him again. In the last round Middelburg already starts to wave and the audience waves back with everything they have available. Three years after Hartog’s victory, another Dutchman wins in the 500cc during the TT Assen! Roberts eventually drops out. Graziano Rossi, the father of, eventually finishes second for Franco Uncini. Van Dulmen knows how to beat Mamola and Cecotto and thus finish fourth. Henk de Vries finished ninth and Willem Zoet crossed the finish line in twelfth position. In 1981 Middelburg impressively wins his second GP at Silverstone. At the start of the 1984 season, Middelburg was killed after a tragic crash on the Tolbert circuit.
500cc TT winner Jack Middelburg on the podium with mechanic Adrie van den Broeke | Photo ©: Henk Keulemans
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This was the last Racesport.nl TT Special. Obviously a real TT would have been nicer, but we hope you enjoyed some of the wonderful stories around the TT Assen.
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