JOHAN BOONEN

BELGIUM HAS BEEN ONE OF THE LEADING COUNTRIES IN OUR MOTOCROSS WORLD IN THE 90’S, AND DURING FOURTEEN SEASONS JOHAN BOONEN CONTESTED THE 500CC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, AND ONLY THE 500CC! WINNER OF TWO GP’S IN HIS CAREER AND FIVE TIMES IN THE TOP TEN OF THE SERIES WITH A FIFTH AS BEST RESULT IN 1993, JOHAN REMAINS INVOLVED IN THE SPORT AND THIS MONTH HE WILL BE THE ‘BOSS’ OF THE FLEMISH GP AT LOMMEL, WHERE HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN LIVING.

Born on 22nd February 1969 in Lommel, a place that at that time was not as famous as it is now, Johan has always been involved in motorsport, as his father was himself a motocross rider in the national Belgian series. Consequently, it was pretty natural that Johan jumped on a bike and entered his first race when he was 8 years old, and then he made little progress year by year to finally fight for a title in 1987. He lost the 250cc national title for a few points against Rik Claus, and then jumped on a 500cc bike to enter a marathon enduro. Since that race, he would never rider another bike than a 500cc!

Nephew of Jaak Van Velthoven, who was one of the top 500cc riders in the 70’s (thirteen wins at the Trophy and MX of Nations with team Belgian, and 5 GP wins), Johan could get some good pieces of advice from him and also some support, as Jaak was the KTM importer for Benelux. Johan only 19 years old when he entered his first ever Grand Prix at Ruskeasanta, Finland, scoring three points that weekend. He did a few more GP’s in 1989, and the following year he was able to do a full season, scoring points in eight of the twelve rounds. Improving his results year by year in what was the most competitive class at that period, he obtained his first moto podium at Payerne (Switzerland) in 1991 and had a great 1992 season as he entered for the first time the top ten of the 500cc World Championship with a sixth overall, winning three motos and doing for the first time the twelve rounds of the series.

His best ever season was the one in 1993, as he improved his GP result with a fifth position and claimed the Belgian title. And for sure the best moment of his career was early that season at Sittendorf, Austria, when he won his first GP by finishing second of the three heats. Injured in 1994, he was back on a European bike in 1995 but struggled with too many mechanical failures all season long. Fortunately, he was exempted of any problem at the tenth round of the season, which took place on the legendary track of Namur, at the Citadelle. Johan had been at this track with his father in many occasions to support his heroes, and in that occasion he did his best performance of the season winning the first moto and finishing runner up behind Joel Smets in the second race to win his second and last Grand Prix!

After finishing seventh in 1995, he continued racing GP’s and International races during six more seasons, scoring regularly top ten results until his retirement at the end of 2001. Afterwards he started being more involved in business and he started with the famous ‘Stop and Go’ shop at Lommel, then created DT1 Filters and became the organiser of the Grand Prix at Lommel. In fact, between Johan and the track of Lommel there’s a long history, as his grandfather bought a piece of land in the middle of nowhere to offer Johan some facilities for training. Today this track has a worldwide reputation, and since 2018 Johan is also the manager of the Belgian team at the Motocross of Nations, doing all these activities with the same passion!

1988: 40th in the 500 World Championship (KTM)

1989: 42nd in the 500 World Championship (KTM)

1990: 23rd in the 500 World Championship (KTM)

1991: 11th in the 500 World Championship (KTM)

1992: 6th in the 500 World Championship (Kawasaki)

1993: 5th in the 500 World Championship (Kawasaki). Win 1 GP

500 Belgian champion

1994: 15th in the 500 World Championship (Kawasaki)

1995: 7th in the 500 World Championship (Husqvarna). Win 1 GP

1996: 11th in the 500 World Championship (Husqvarna)

1997: 10th in the 500 World Championship (KTM)

1998: 10th in the 500 World Championship (Husqvarna)

1999: 20th in the 500 World Championship (Husqvarna)

2000: 25th in the 500 World Championship (KTM)

2001: 15th in the 500 World Championship (KTM)