On The Pegs August - 2019 - Volume 4 - Issue 8 | Page 115

On The Pegs
Vol. 4 Issue 8 - August 2019
115
In the coming two Grand Prix rounds Aberg only managed to take three points.
At that time, he was in second place in the championship after his neighbour
Arne Kring, who in the meantime had prevailed twice. It was 42 points to 33
points. Razor’s edge now. In the Finnish sand at Tikkurila, Kring beat Aberg fair
and square making the table standings 57 to 43. Then came Sweden. In Västeras
the two Husky riders fought side-by-side, lap after lap. Everyone was in ecstasy
until the inevitable happened. Aberg and Kring were too close over a majestic
jump and collided in the air. “I had to retire while Kring tried to continue with
broken-off handlebars, which turned out to be impossible”, said Aberg. Zero
points for the two matadors, who were disappointed, but still in the lead. A
month later all is forgotten in Holice, Czechoslovakia. Kring is faster than Aberg.
Result: 72 - 55, advantage Kring. In Beuern, West Germany, things are the other
way around. Aberg mastered his race and Kring finished in fourth place: 80 - 70
for the “Helsingland Hell Riders” as they were now nicknamed. “Helsingland”
after their home county, “Hell” for their unforgiving pace.
Unfortunately, Arne crashed heavily in Belgium at an international race and
hurt his back quite severely. Bengt told me matter-of-factly, “Now the grounds
were paved for me during the final Grand Prix rounds as he was a nonstarter.”
Not the most comfortable way to win, emotionally.
But Bengt Aberg secured his second 500cc world championship with his four-
speed bike in the last event held in Ettelbruck, Luxemburg.
A Champion full-page advertisement in the U.S. magazine Cycle World summed
up the season well. It was published on page 125 in their March issue 1971 with
the heading: “King of the Hill”. The new World Champ is standing on top of a
hill with his Husqvarna behind him. The bike has Starting Number One and the
Champion sparkplug decal is glued to the tank. The contents of that magazine
tell us how Bengt Aberg came to do the Phoenix event of the international Inter-
AM series in 1970. Some local riders from Arizona walked up to the Swede in
order to distract him. “They’re watering the track. It’s gonna be really muddy.”
Aberg’s answer: “That’s good.”
They continued trying to make him nervous.
“Yeah, but it’ll dry in an hour. It’s gonna be really dusty.”
Aberg replies calmly: “That’s good, too.”
It speaks volumes. n