Leif "Basse" Hveem |
In 1948, Hveem returned to England to ride and from 1953 to '56 he rode for the Hammers in the 1st division. Leif is credited as being the first rider to lap a British track at more than 50mph He won European long track championship twice, last time in 1957. In his career he won the Nordic Championships 13 times (8 long track and 5 speedway), and won 21 Norwegian Championships (11 long track and 10 speedway). After 1957, now aged 37 and after several big accidents, his biking career began to decline. He'd driven a Cooper as early as 1950, winning in Oslo in June but now he took up car racing more seriously in a Cooper, then Volvo and Ford. In 1961 he won an ice race in a Porsche in front of a huge crowd headed by the Norwegian Crown Prince Harald.
Leif "Basse Hveem died in July 1964.
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