Ab Goedemans

17/9/1942 - 30/8/1968

Record updated 17-Sep-21

Started racing in karts and went on to be one of the quickest Duch drivers around. Sadly his career was cut short by a fatal accident at the Nürburgring in the 1968 ADAC 500 KM Rennen

Ab Goedemans
Born in Eindhoven, he grew up racing karts with his friend Toine Hezemans, Ab made his debut in motor racing at the end of 1966 with a two-litre BMW from the Racing Team Holland ub the Dutch Touring Car Championship. Apparently he suffered from restricted vision in one eye but this did not hold him back. He continued in the series in 1967 but switched to the smaller class with a Fiat Abarth 1000, winning the title that year.

Impressed by his performance, he was invited to join the works Abath team in 1968, racing in the Dutch Touring Car Championship and the European Touring Car Championship, Goedemans dominated both series with his Fiat Abarth 1000 TCR.

There were new rules for Group 5 cars and power rose to a staggering 110 HP from the little Abath engine. Goedemans took four wins in the first half of the season. Then disaster struck when he was killed at the Nürburgring, racing an Abarth sportscar.

Abarth also ran small sportscars and Goedemans was entered into the ADAC 500km-Rennen at the Nürburgring driving a Fiat-Abarth 1000 SP sportscar. On the Friday in practice Goedemans ran wide while overtaking a slower car at the Antoniusbuche. He was thrown out of the car and died shortly afterward.

It was suggested that his eyesight contributed to the accident as his vision in the sports car was very different from the touring car and this led to him misjudging the corner.

Goedemans' friend Toine Hezemans, withdrew from the race out of respect, but the Abarth team continued with Arturo Merzario in Ab's seat. The race was won by Peter Schetty, who went on to be Ferrari team manager. He was driving a new version of the 1600 SP. Other team cars finish 2nd (Jo Ortner) and 3rd (Arturo Merzario).

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