Kurt Ahrens Sr.

Kurt Ahrens was a well known speedway champion in Germany who turned to 500cc racing with a Scampolo in 1952 finishing third at Halle Saale Schleife in June, failing at Kiel and second in Leipzig in August.

For 1953, he acquired a new Cooper Mk VII to win at Rostock in June, take 6th at Avus, after a spin while dicing for the lead, then  second in Dresden, and wins at Freiberg and Sachsenring,  Prinzenpark-Rennen brought a second and win again at the Bernau Schleife to take third overall in the German championship behind Adolf Lang and Kurt Kuhnke.

In 1954 and still in the Mk VII, he achieved a number of places but only one win, at the Nürburgring in May so for 1955, he moved to a new Cooper Mk IX and performances improved with wins Schwenningen in May, Leipzig in June, Halle Saale in July and Sachsenring in August to take the West German Championship from Kurt Kuhnke.

With no more Formula 3 in West Germany, his 1956 campaign started with a win at Leipzig in May, Halle Salle in June and a third place in Dessau in September. In 1957, now in a Cooper Mk X, he won at Leipzig in May, Magdeburg in July and Sachsenring in August but no East German Championship which went to local, Willy Lehmann.

Kurt on his way to second in Dresden in July 1953 Photo Courtesy Guenter Geyler and Leipzig, May 1954

By 1958, Kurt Junior was racing against him, father winning the Halle Saale Schleife in April only to be beaten by Junior at Kiel a week later. At Leipzig in June, they shared the heats with Junior taking the final again. Senior turned the tables at Wismar in June and then was second at Sachsenring and Wismar in August and Dresden in September.

'59 started well with a win at Halle Saale in April, third at Bernau in May, second at Dresden to Junior, first at Magdeburg in July and second to Curt Lincoln in August. By now, Formula 3 was at an end in East Germany so Kurt moved over to Formula Junior and retired from the sport in 1963.

Kurt on the grid at Freiburg in 1958