KEEPING THE SPIRIT ALIVE SINCE 1999
Theo Helfrich
13/5/1913 - 29/4/1978
Helfrich contested the 1952, 53 and 54 German Grands Prix. He took second at Le Mans in 1952 with Helmut Niedermayr.
Theo Helfrich died 43 years ago, he was 65
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A motor trader from Mannheim in Germany, the balding Helfrich enjoyed considerable success in the early fifties and was one of Germany's best 'lesser-known' drivers.He took a win at Hockenheim in 1950 driving a Veritas and, over the next year or so, had some excellent results. This brought him to the attention of the works Mecedes-Benz team and an invitation to race one of their three 300SLs with Niedermayr at Le Mans. Together they took a fine second place behind the Riess/Lang sister car.
In 1953 he raced a single-seater Veritas and won the German Formula 2 championship as well as helping to develop the little Borgward sports car. Theo and Gunther Bechem brought the potent little machine into third place overall, and easily won the 750-1500 cc class. Although Helfrich handled Klenk's car in the 1954 German Grand Prix, the rule changes had swept away Formula 2 in favour of the new 2.5-litre F1.
Thus in 1954 Theo purchased an F3 Cooper and proceeded to win in hill-climbs and minor races, taking seven wins in ten outings that year. Perhaps his most notable performance, though, was second to Moss in that year's Eifelrennen on 23rd May. He also took F3 wins at Leipzig, Dresden, Halle Salle and at the Sachsenring.
He continued with the Cooper for two more years, taking two seconds and a third in 1955.
Purchasing a 1500 cc Porsche Spyder, Helfrich raced on for a couple more years, taking fifth place at Rouen in 1956.
(c) 'Who is Who' by Steve Small, 2000
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Hans Klenk 1919 - 2009
Raced an ex-Karl Kling Veritas in the 1952 German Grand Prix. Driving with Kling in a Mercedes they took second in the Mille Miglia, then won the Carrera Panamericana. -
Erwin Bauer 1912 - 1958
Formula One driver for the Veritas team who died in the 1958 ADAC 1000 because he failed to notice the chequered flag and continued at racing pace. Coming across a slower car, his Ferrari slid wide and crashed into trees. -
Paul Pietsch 1911
Paul Pietsch competed in hillclinbs, ice racing and Grand Prix. He was offered a drive with Mercedes by Neubauer in 1940 but the war intervened. He won the German Sports Car Championship in 1950 and the Racing Car Championship in 1951. His first wife's affair with Achille Varzi before the war, led to Varzi's morphine addiction. -
Walter Bäumer 1908 - 1941
Walter Bäumer won the Mille Miglia in 1940 with Huschke von Hanstein. He died when his car door opened in a corner as he was being kissed by a girl. He fell out into a field, receiving a fatal wound in his neck from a sharp wooden object.
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August Momberger 1905 - 1969
Accomplished racing driver who came out of retirement briefly in 1934 to act as a reserve driver for the works Auto Union team.