Friedrich "Fritz" Dirtl (9 January 1928 – 19 June 1956) was an international motorcycle speedway rider from Austria.[1][2][3]
 Grave of Fritz Dirtl and his parents at the Vienna Central Cemetery | |
| Born | 9 January 1928 Vienna, Austria |
|---|---|
| Died | 19 June 1956 (aged 28) Oberhausen, West Germany |
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Individual honours | |
| 1948, 1951 | Austrian Champion |
| 1955 | Continental Champion |
| 1949, 1950 1951, 1952 1953, 1954 | Austrian Longtrack Champion |
Career
editDirtl was a two times champion of Austria after winning the Austrian Individual Speedway Championship in 1949 and 1951.[4][5][6] He was also a six times Longtrack champion of Austria.[2]
He was signed by Birmingham Brummies in 1952 but was subsequently named in the Norwich Stars team before work licence issues resulted in him not racing in Britain.[7]
Death
editDirtl was killed competing in the 1956 Individual Speedway World Championship, at the Continental final stage. He was involved in a crash with fellow Austrian rider Josef Kamper and then fell into the path of Mieczysław Połukard.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Speed Champ". Leicester Evening Mail. 20 May 1949. Retrieved 27 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b "Fritz Dirtl". GrasstrackGB. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Austria's best motorcycle racers on sand, grass and cinder tracks until 1960". Reisemosaik. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ "Indvidual [sic] Austrian Championship". Historia Sportu Zuzlowego. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Austria National Championship". Edinburgh Speedway. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Indywidualne Mistrzostwa Austrii". Speedway Fansite. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Brummies' signings approved by board". Evening Despatch. 12 February 1952. Retrieved 7 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Description". The Fast Lane. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
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