History - Basis

Foundation Motorclub Oss

Motorclub Oss, M.C.O. was founded on November 1, 1971 by a number of motocross riders. They wanted to turn the motocross club they already had into an official association with a board that would preferably not organize active cross competitions. They each put 500 guilders in a pot that could be used as seed capital. The board was formed by Paul Pouwels (chairman), Jo van Berkom, Paul Nelissen, Jo van Veghel, Jo Strik and Wim van de Boom.

Articles of association were made and on 1 November 1971 Motorclub Oss was officially registered with the notary. The club joined the Dutch Motorsport Federation (N.M.B.). The clubhouse became “het putje” on the Willibrodusweg in Oss.
After its establishment in 1971, the board of Motorclub Oss again submitted a request in 1972 for the use of a cross-track near the port, this site was provided for training and organizing competitions. Subsequently, a track was allocated to the IJsselstraat.

The first race and a new clubhouse

In 1973 there was a change in the board. Cees Bosman was elected as controller at the annual meeting of the board. On 14 March, the municipality of Oss applied for a permit to hold an international motocross race on Wednesday 5 September, which was then a national holiday, on the inner port site at the Maashaven. It was a beautiful and overcrowded program and a great success.

The clubhouse “het putje” turned out to be too small and a new location was found; Location Tivoli on the kromstraat in Oss, where from that moment also the registrations and award ceremony took place, also the meetings of the already about 35 members took place in the Tivoli clubhouse.

In the following years, various races were organized. The track on the IJsselstraat was maintained for training, many youth riders trained on the track, including John van den Berk and Dave Strijbos.

End of port track and origin of track de “Witte Ruijsheuvel”

In 1978 Motorclub Oss received a message from the municipality of Oss that it was no longer allowed to race on the middle port track, because a buy option had been issued on that piece of industrial land. Motorclub Oss moved to the middle part of the harbour along the water. In 1979, the board was invited to the meeting at municipality office of Oss. It was announced that Motorclub Oss could go to the old garbage dump in Oss from 1980.

To create a track on the garbage dump, there was a lot of work to be done to realize this. During the work there was already talk about holding Grand Prix races, it was still a dream not knowing that it would take place as early as 1985.

The name the “Witte Ruijsheuvel” is a tribute to the three garbage men who had worked in the garbage dump for years, namely Gerard Wittenberg, Piet Ruijs and Tonnie van den Heuvel. The official opening was carried out by the mayor on May 4, 1980 with a junior competition. In the same year, the K.N.M.V. and the N.M.B merged. The track was experienced by the participants as fantastic, this due to the height difference and the combination of soft and hard underground, everything was in it. The garbage dump activity continued until mid-1983.

Foundation St. Motocross Oss

In April 1981 an organizational foundation was established from Motorclub Oss with the name Stichting Motocross Oss, which was affiliated with the K.N.M.V. The first board was formed by Cees Bosman (chairman/controller), Jan Schermer (secretary and PR) Paul Pouwels, Jo Strik and Martien Kivit. The aim of this was that large competitions would be organized under the foundation.

Holland Cup and the first Grand Prix 125CC

The Holland Cup was an organization that organized international sidecar competitions. Every year St. Motocross Oss organized the Caballero Holland Cup from 1981 to 1993. In addition, Motorclub Oss regularly organized competitions for the Dutch Championship K.N.M.V. in the solo and sidecar class.

In 1985, St. Motocross Oss was awarded a Grand Prix race in the 125CC class for the first time by the K.N.M.V. and the F.I.M.. This was of course a great honour, but also a great challenge. After a lot of effort from the board and all members this resulted in a nice event, more than 9.000 visitors passed the cash registers to see the then youthful Dave Strijbos, John van den Berk and Jacky Martens compete for the W.K. points. In 1989 St. Motocross Oss was again awarded a Grand prix 125CC, this race became a great success in every way. In 1998 a Grand Prix 125CC also took place, in total three Grand Prix’s 125CC were organized.

Clubhouse Aengelbertlaan

Board 10th anniversary

In 1989, Motorclub Oss purchased an old school building from the municipality of Oss. Permits were applied for, drawings were made and in 1991 the construction of the new clubhouse could begin with the Easter days.

Sidecar Grand Prix’s and many national and international races

In 1994 the first Grand Prix Sidecarcross took place in Oss. A highlight was the final of the Grand Prix Sidecarcross in 1997, where the world championship had yet to be decided. State Secretary Erica Terpstra was present and was allowed to take a seat in the sidecar. Years later in 2003, St. Motocross Oss organized the “motocross des nations” for the sidecars for the first time.

From that moment to the present day, many Grand Prix’s Sidecarcross have been held at track de “Witte Ruijsheuvel, a popular track where a lot of motocross history is still written every year. In addition to the sidecar competitions, O.N.K. solo and quad competitions were also organized with great frequency. Motorclub Oss organizes 2 to 3 national and international competitions of size every year.