About Wilhelm Herz

Wilhelm Herz (1912–1998) was a motorbike racer and land speed racer. He was born in Lampertheim, Germany, and started his career in 1932 with DKW and went over to NSU in 1939. He ran races on national and international courses like the Berlin AVUS, Grenzlandring, Helsinki, Hockenheimring, Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Isle of Man, Monza, Nürburgring, Schleizer Dreieck, Schottenring and Solitude. He gained his international reputation through numerous world records on two- und four-wheeled vehicles.[citation needed] He set a motorcycle record in 1951 on the Munich - Ingolstadt motorway and repeated it at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah in 1956. In this instance, he was the first person to ride a motorbike over 200 mph (320 km/h). From 1954 until 1992, he was manager of the Hockenheimring which he led to international importance, especially because of the Grand Prix for motorbikes and Formula 1.