GODSPEED! ZOLI BERENYI, SR (1932-2010)

Zoli and AMA Hall of Famer Lars Larsson share a laugh at the 2006 World Vet Championship at Glen Helen. Why isn’t Zoli in the Canadian Hall of Fame?

Reports out of Canada say that many-time Canadian and World Vet Motocross Champion Zoli Berenyi Sr has succumb to the pancreatic cancer that he fought for the last year. Berenyi reportedly died at home on July 20, 2010.

Zoli won World Vet Championships in the Over-50, Over-60 and Over-70 class. Photo by Shane Eaton

Zoli was a major contender in the Canadian National Championships?winning the 1965 Canadian 500 National Championship. Most significant, later in his racing career, Zoli was a legend at the World Vet Championship. He won his first title in 1990 in the Over-50 class (a class he would win three times). Then, Zoli won the Over-60 class four times (1995-1998) and followed that up with five wins in the Over-70 Championship (2002-2006).

Zoli also won the 1967 Canadian championship on a 1966 CZ 360 twin pipe. The bike was on display for many years at the shop Zoli used to be part owner of. It was completely restored right down to original CZ wheel bearings and Barum tires.

  
Ron Keys (1) and Zoli back in 1973.        Zoli kept right on racing into 2009. Photo by ptambsn