Asaa grass track
Asaa is a small village located on the Kattegat coast of Jutland approx. 14 miles south of Saeby. Around 1950 a grasscovered horse track existed there. At least one motor cycle meeting was staged on the track in September 1953 with Aalborg Motor Klub as organizer.
September 20. 1953. Grasstrack meeting:
The biggest challenge for the riders was to keep their balance on the wet and slippery grass surface, which they did more or less successfully. Worst it went for the Aarhus rider Henning Krogh, who after a crash was taken to hospital with a broken collarbone. After that, four dumper loads of gravel got spread in the bends, which helped so much, that the rest of the meeting got absolved without further accidents.
The opening of the meeting was a ceremony, where the sidecar pilot Rasmus Kornum and the chairman of Asaa citizens- & craftsmen’s association Mr. Steve Christensen as passenger broke the tape at the gate, thus marking the horse track’s inauguration as a motor sports arena.
Lars Pedersen from Aarhus has sent us the photo series below.
The 175 cc. class in the first corner.
Nr. 17 Carl Andersen from Aarhus in an
attempt to inside overtaking.
The great man Knud Nielsen from Aarhus
at full throttle on his Norton
Fierce fighting between the side cars
through the first bend.
The sidecar team Kresten Krestensen and
Harry Andersen cornering close to the
inside rail and the spectators.
A close up view of Kresten Krestensen
The Winner of the 500 cc. class Knud Nielsen from Aarhus
and the Winner of the 350 cc. class Ib Nielsen from Skive
on their lap of honor with flowers
Newspaper clip from the opening, Rasmus Kornum broke the tape.
A time consuming discomfort was that the public area was placed in the infield, so the spectators had to cross over the track to get in and out in the intervals. Despite that the organizer managed to finish the meeting within the projected time.
Good riders of even strength in the various classes gave close and tough competition, which looked extra spectacular and dramatic, when water spray from the grass met the hot exhaust pipes and got turned to large steam clouds.
The first two heats were track record attempts. where Ib Nielsen from Skive in the 350 cc class rode first in the time 2,24,5 min. for four laps, while Knud Nielsen from Aarhus on his 500 cc Norton rode same distance in record time 2,18,2 min.
Besides the track record Knud Nielsen had a brilliant day with further two victories.
Results:
Class.
175 cc.
1. Poul Mikkelsen, Hjorring, C.Z. 15 point. 2,59,9 min.
2. Frederik Amtsbiller, Hjorring, Göricke, 13 point.
3. Egon Chr. Jensen, Hjorring, C.Z. 12 point.
Junior:
1. Svend Aage Jespersen, Silkeborg, AJS, 16 point. 2,32,2 min.
2. Per Abildgaard, Hjorring, Norton, 14 point.
3. Jorgen Jensen, Aalborg, Triumph, 13 point.
350 cc:
1. Ib Nielsen, Skive, Norton, 23 point. 2,31,2 min.
2. Victor Simonsen, Aalborg, Triumph, 21 point.
3. Vagner Larsen, Aalborg, AJS, 18 point.
500 cc:
1. Knud Nielsen, Aarhus, Norton, 24 point.
2. Gunnar Willadsen, Aarhus, Triumph, 23 point.
3. Soeren Juul, Viborg, Triumph, 17 point. ( 2 heats only)
Side cars:
1. Harry Petersen, Aalborg, Norton, 12 point.
2. Rasmus Kornum, Aalborg, Triumph, 12 point.
Handicap, 350 & 500 cc solo:
1. Knud Nielsen, Aarhus, Norton, 2,28,4 min. +120 m.
2. Arne Pander, Herning, Triumph, 2,34,4 min. +40 m.
3. Ernst Osterlund, Silkeborg, Triumph, 2,34,9 min. +70 m.
Handicap sidecars.
1. Rasmus Kornum, Aalborg, Triumph, 2,43,3 min. +110 m.
2. Harry Petersen, Aalborg, Norton, 2,43,9 min. +120 m.
3. Orla Nielsen, Copenhagen, H.R.D. 2,48,1 min. +60 m.
As above mentioned this meeting was the track’s inauguration as a motor arena. There was no more meetings in 1953, and the track in not mentioned anywhere in 1954. Therefore we believe, that the meeting above was the only motor cycle meeting on the track.
We do not know why, but possibly the inconvenience for the public may be a factor. Also likely that Aalborg Motor Klub / Northern Jutland’s Motor sport with its involvement in the great track at Hobro and Lindholm Speedway plus scrambles at Lundby Hills simply found it too much also to run this track.
If you posses any information, stories, pictures or other material regarding this track,
you kindly would make available for this website, Please do so by proceeding
to the contact page or by using the e-mail address: sk@speedwaylife.com
Thank you very much in advance.