CLASSIC MOTOCROSS PHOTOS: MY KINGDOM FOR A SPARK PLUG

On Dec 11, 2017 Last updated Aug 28, 2017

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Ake Jonsson on his Maico. Photo: Justyn Norek

Ake Jonsson was the great motocross racer, but he was never a World Champion. The closest he came was in 1971 when he went into the final 500 GP of the season with a points lead over Suzuki’s Roger DeCoster. While leading the race, his Maico’s spark plug came loose. DeCoster passed Ake to win the 1971 500 World Championship.

Jonsson is best known in America for two things; (1) In 1972 Ake Jonsson then won nine consecutive races on his way to the AMA Trans-AMA series title. (2) When Ake switched from Maico to Yamaha for the 1973 season he brought his Maico forks with him—and forced Yamaha to let him run them. They weren’t happy about it.

Ake was on three winning Motocross des Nations teams in 1970, 1971 and 1974, and three winning Trophee des Nations teams in 1964, 1966 and 1967. He was also the Swedish National Champion seven times.