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Jürgen Hehlert (born 15 April 1941) is a former international motorcycle speedway rider from East Germany. He earned international caps for both the East Germany national speedway team and later the West Germany national speedway team, after he defected.

Speedway career

Hehlert was a two times champion of East Germany, winning the East German Championship in 1962 (which was the first post-World War II) German championship) and again in 1966.

He only rode one season in the United Kingdom, riding for Hull Vikings, during the 1974 British League Division Two season. He was released by Hull to be replaced by German rider Josef Angermüller.

He was credited with being partly responsible for the renovation of the track at the Günter Harder Stadion and in 1970 and reached the Continental final of the 1970 Speedway World Team Cup with the East Germany national speedway team after winning both the quarter final and semi final.

In 1972, he defected from the East to the West, settling in Hanau in Hesse and later rode for MSC Rodenbach in the German Team Speedway Championship He would also represent the West German national team.

References

1. ^ "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
2. ^ "Jürgen Hehlert: The first German Speedway Champion". Speedweek.com. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
3. "Für den letzten DDR-Meistertitel gab es schon Westgeld". Nordkurier. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
4. Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. pp. 87–91. ISBN 0-86215-017-5.
5. "History Archive". British Speedway. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
6. "Vikings will be strengthened by German Star". Hull Daily Mail. 16 April 1974. Retrieved 24 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
7. "Speedway World Cup". International Speedway. Retrieved 1 February 2024.

• Living people
• 1941 births
• German speedway riders
• East German speedway riders
• West German speedway riders