Lionel Van Praag

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Lionel Maurice Van Praag, GM (17 December 1908 – 1987) was an Australian motorcycle speedway champion, who won the inaugural Speedway World Championship in London on 10 September 1936.

1 1936 World Speedway Final
2 World War II
3 References

[edit] 1936 World Speedway Final

[edit] Circumstances

Lionel won the run-off for the Speedway World Championship against Eric Langton in 1936 in somewhat controversial circumstances. The Championship was decided by bonus points accumulated in previous rounds. Despite being unbeaten in the final, Bluey Wilkinson was not crowned Champion. Bonus points accumulated by Van Praag and Langton took them to the top of the standings and into a run-off (Match Race).

[edit] The Match Race

As they lined up at the tapes, Langton broke them which would ordinarily lead to disqualification. However, Van Praag stated he did not want to win the title by default and insisted that a race should take place. At the restart Langton made it to the first bend in front and lead until the final bend on the last lap when Van Praag darted through the smallest of gaps to win by less than wheel length.

[edit] Controversy

Afterwards, controversial allegations were abound that the two riders had 'fixed' the match race, deciding between them that the first person to the first bend would win the race and the Championship and split the prize money. Van Praag's overtake quashed the rumours.^[1]

[edit] World War II

Van Praag was awarded the George Medal for bravery during World War II, when a Royal Australian Air Force Douglas DC-2 he was piloting was shot down by a Japanese aircraft over the Sumba Strait in Indonesia. After the war, Van Praag participated in one more speedyway championship, but retired in 1950 to concentrate on his career as a pilot.^[2]

In 2000, the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly named a street, Van Praag Circuit (later renamed Van Praag Place) after him.^[3]